Arup teamed up with luminaire remanufacturing business The Regen Initiative to reuse the lights in a major refurb of its lighting.

The fluorescent gear and lamps were replaced with LED modules and drivers, and some additional luminaires were repurposed from a Category A fit-out office in Leeds, which would otherwise been disposed of. 

The Regen Initiative undertook the design, prototyping and testing on-site

of the retrofit solution to ensure that the optical performance could be maintained, along with a high quality of light and visual comfort. LED drivers with no visible flicker or strobe effects were also integrated.

The controls system was changed from from a wired architecture to a wireless platform. The controls harmonised the use of natural and artificial daylight through daylight linking, ensuring that artificial lighting is only necessary when truly needed. 

The wireless controls also mean that personal lighting levels can be set if required to support neurodiversity or those with specific visual impairments.

The emergency lighting was upgraded with a system that allows detailed reporting and interrogation of the testing and operational status, which can be remotely monitored by the facilities management team. 
A key project objective was to reduce embodied carbon by renovating or repurposing furniture and equipment and using recycled construction materials as an exemplar demonstration that Arup could show its clients as a proof of concept.
The project reduced carbon consumption by over 47 per cent and cut energy use by 72 per cent. It also avoided 85 per cent of the material having to be sent to an approved Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment handler. The reduction in power density resulted in 5W/m2 for LED, compared to the fluorescent density at 13W/m2.  

The Regen Initiative says it only selected high-quality, durable components not only to lower maintenance costs but also to extends the lifespan of thelighting fixtures, reduce waste and contribute to long-term sustainability.