5 Facts about lighting in Singaporean real estate

• Nearly 70% of buildings in Asia, including Singapore's building sector, still uses inefficient lighting technologies, such as incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes. Using these technologies leads to unnecessary energy consumption and carbon emissions.‍
• Lighting usage in large-scale real estate can be reduced by up to 50% by implementing energy-efficient solutions and practices.  A lack of proper education and awareness among building occupants and management about the benefits of energy-efficient lighting solutions and practices can lead to resistance and hinder the adoption of more sustainable lighting solutions.
• ‍‍Lighting is the second largest contributor to energy consumption in buildings
• Lack of proper maintenance and cleaning of lighting fixtures can reduce luminous flux by up to 10%, according to a report by the BCA. ‍
• Lighting accounts for around 16% of the total energy use in commercial buildings in Singapore, according to a report by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).‍
• Energy consumption can be reduced by up to 30% with the installation of lighting control systems, such as daylight sensors and occupancy sensors, when compared to traditional lighting systems, according to the BCA.

Cost. Lighting is a low-hanging fruit for cost reductions.

When looking for ways to reduce your running costs, energy and lighting are not necessarily seen as low-hanging fruit.

But if you’re:

• using unnecessarily high-wattage bulbs;
• leaving lights on when not needed;
• failing to maintain or upgrade your lighting systems;
• deferring upgrades due to upfront costs

then your business is wasting money.

So how much money can you save?

In a logistics facility project, 613 metal halide high bay lights (400W) were replaced with investment-grade LED high bays (100W). It resulted in almost S$24,000 in annual energy savings and significant carbon offset.

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This type of upgrade is the perfect way to deploy green financing toward sustainability improvements and carbon footprint reduction.

So it is worth checking the specifications of your light fittings and comparing them against other commercial and investment-grade options. You may just become the office hero!

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Carbon. Does your business have sustainable goals?

In 2021, Natural Gas accounted for 94.9% of electricity generation in Singapore. The carbon footprint for energy creation is also at its highest, reaching a whopping 25.88 million metric tons of carbon dioxide for 2022.

Going paperless or introducing recycling bins are great ways to reduce your carbon footprint and raise sustainability awareness amongst your building occupants.

However, energy-efficient lighting is a far more effective way of reducing a company's carbon footprint. So how much carbon can you save?

In the example above, 295 tonnes of carbon were averted. That is the equivalent of 150 cars driving 10,000km a year!

150 cars, driving 10,000km/year, create almost 300 tonnes of C02.

With awareness of climate change now at its peak and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, you and your business must proactively promote and implement a sustainable decarbonisation plan. Selecting the right grade of fittings and then having a maintenance plan will ensure you maximise your cost and carbon savings.

Capacity. Are your building occupants their most productive?

In modern life, we are overwhelmed with distractions. The pinging of phone notifications while sitting in an open-plan office is the song of an unproductive workforce.

Bad lighting should not be added to the distractions.

According to a study by the American Society of Interior Design (ASID), 68% of employees complain about the lighting situation in their offices, specifically mentioning issues like glare, flickering, and inadequate lighting levels.

Well-lit workspaces can reduce eye strain and headaches and increase employee retention by creating a comfortable and healthy work environment.

So whether you are an in-house or building facilities manager, it is clear that the savings go beyond the dollar and cents of the electricity bill and cost of replacing light fittings.

Other key factors: Playing the long game

Buy cheap, replace quickly.

The lifespan of LED light fittings, especially investment grade fittings, has significantly increased, with some fittings now being guaranteed for 5 years; therefore, if you select the right fitting, far less frequent lighting replacements and fewer maintenance costs in the long run.

Purchasing options

With the introduction of the Lighting as a Service (LaaS) model, which requires zero upfront Capex, it is easier than ever to undertake a site-wide lighting upgrade. There are currently 3 offerings in Singapore from Signify. Centropi and Sunseap (bought by EDP). Most LaaS subscriptions include site surveys, 1 for 1 exchanges on faulting fittings, instant monthly energy bill savings, and efficiency guarantees.

However, as all light fittings are not created equally, it is worth understanding the difference between commercial and investment-grade fittings and ensuring you know what you are signing up for.

Wrap it up

You manage so many aspects of building health, and with pressure to obtain more with less budget, it is important to understand all your options when looking for cost savings.

If you have a lighting-intensive facility and have not upgraded your fittings, then turning your focus on your lighting bills could be a great way to identify quick monthly cost savings on your energy bill and increase company profits.

Energy-efficient investment-grade lighting solutions will also:

• reduce a company's carbon footprint
• promote sustainability,
• increase productivity,
• and save money on light fitting replacement and maintenance costs in the long run.

In today's business world, you have to take a proactive approach to control your costs and carbon footprint, and focusing on your lighting bill is one way of doing it.

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