Blakeney Primary School
Small Norfolk primary school saves £1300 a year with LED lighting
Payback in four years with an improved learning environment and 0.75 tonnes a year CO2 reduction
Case study
We replaced 38 lighting units including panels, battens, vapour-proof lights, and bulkheads, along with regulation-compliant rewiring.
This resulted in savings of £1300 and 0.76 tonnes of CO2 annually.
The payback period for this project is four years, with an improved learning environment.
The Client
Blakeney Church of England Primary School in north Norfolk is one of four in the Pilgrim Federation, which is part of the Norwich Diocese. The group has one executive headteacher and executive deputy head.
Blakeney school has 28 pupils and has a focus on eco-awareness. As part of the amenities it features The Plantation, a wooded area adjacent to the school, is being developed for games and as a teaching resource
The Brief
The small and thriving school was built in 1863 in traditional materials and re-modelled in 1976 and while the fabric of the building is in good condition the lighting was aged and inefficient. The old lighting needed constant maintenance, changing tubes and other fittings frequently and the quality of the light was poor. Also, some of the wiring behind some of the old fittings was either brittle or had been installed to a poor standard.
SaveMoneyCutCarbon was introduced to the school by Sam Witton, Estates & Finance Officer for Norwich Diocese, and it has established a trusted relationship following successful LED installations at schools within the diocese.
SaveMoneyCutCarbon has successfully delivered scores of school energy-saving projects, using its extensive expertise within the education sector to specify replacement LED lighting.
The Solution
Clients benefit from the end-to-end full-service solution provided by SaveMoneyCutCarbon, which is cost-effective and efficient.
The specialist lighting team conducted a comprehensive survey before providing a detailed analysis, including energy savings, carbon reductions and payback timings.
The team proposed that quality LED lamps be retrofitted because this type of lighting uses an exceptionally low amount of energy and well as being highly reliable and having a long working life of around 50,000 hours.
As a comparison, traditional light bulbs typically would last around 1,000 hours and fluorescent tubes will work for around 5,000 hours before light degradation occurs.
The LED lamps also need little to no maintenance which is another budget benefit as the school should not need to replace these for a decade or more. The upgrade also resolves issues of failed tubes and other fittings.
The installation team – all fully DBS checked – worked closely with the school and completed the lighting project during holiday time to avoid disruption.
The SaveMoneyCutCarbon team replaced 38 units – a range of panels, battens, vapour-proof lights and bulkheads. It also rewired as needed to fully comply with upgraded regulations.
The school now wants to look at its water usage when funds are available, with a focus on the toilet facilities.
This project was completed in September 2023.
Annual energy savings of £1,303
Return on investment under 5 years