Community building case studiesLighting upgrades

community building case study | lighting | 2015

The Trinity Centre, a communityspace and events venue housed in a former church in East Bristol, receivedfunding from the Bristol CommunityBuilding Fund to install LED lighting.

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Once the existing system had been surveyed, installation was completed within just two days. Thisquick turnaround was particularly important to thecentre as it hosts many events and activities, so theminimal disruption was a huge benefit.

According to centre manager Emma Harvey, thespace that has improved the most in terms of the atmosphere is the office –

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The Trinity Centre

“whilst energy efficiency schemes are fiancially beneficial in the long-term,there is often an upfront outlay that isdifficult for community groups with limited resources to afford. The grantfrom Bristol Community Building Fundhelped to provide an element of match funding to enable the project to goahead, with the difference being coveredacross energy savings made”

In terms of the main hall space downstairs, the overall aesthetic, the quality of the light and the fittings themselves are much improved.

It has been estimated that replacing all of the houselighting will reduce the centre’s annual energy costsby around thirty percent. Since the installation,monthly payments to their energy provider havebeen recalculated, and have gone from over £1,000per month to an estimated £750 per month. This is asignificant saving and helps the centre to continue toprovide free and subsidised hall use to local community groups.

To further improve the building’s energy efficiency,low cost measures like draught proofing are beinginstalled. A solar PV installation is also being considered, as it would enable the centre to furtherreduce energy costs and generate revenue from theassociated feed-in tariff to subsidise their activitiesprogramme. Emma said that:

“staff have commented that the lights aremuch better and fewer people are suffering from headaches at the end of along day, which is great.”

LED uplighting under the old church windows

The installations have made a big difference. Thenew tubes are brighter and so only four out of theeight sets are generally needed, even during thegloomier winter months. Several hall users havecommented on the difference the installations havemade. But it’s not just the quality of light that hasimproved; savings on the hall’s electricity bill are estimated to be a significant £90 per year.

In addition to the new lighting, the same contractorinstalled movement sensors for the lights in thelobby and three toilets to prevent energy beingwasted when lights are left on unnecessarily.

A factsheet on lighting can be downloadedfrom www.cse.org.uk/lighting

3 St Peter’s Court

Bedminster Parade

Bristol

BS3 4AQ

The Centre for Sustainable Energy is a national charity thathelps people change the way they think and act on energy.

0117 934 1400

info@cse.org.uk

www.cse.org.uk

charity 298740

www.facebook.com/EnergySavingAdvice

www.twitter.com/@cse_communities

The Bristol Community Building Fund ran in2014 and provided grants of up to £4,000 tocommunity buildings across the city.

For more details go to www.cse.org.uk/bcbf

Western Power Distribution CommunityChest provides grants of up to £1,000 to community buildings in their network area.

Further information at www.cse.org.uk/wpdcc

...or contact communities@cse.org.uk.

The contractor used for the work was familiar withthe building, having been involved with the electricalwiring work during the construction. Therefore thework was completed in a week in July 2014, withvery little disruption to the hall.

Whisty Community Association runa local community centre in Radstock,Somerset, and received a grant from theWestern Power Distribution CommunityChest to be able to replace eight sets ofeight-foot twin fluorescent tube lights andlight fittings, that had been in place sincethe building’s construction in 1994, withenergy saving alternatives.

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Funding information

Energy efficienct tube light

community building case study | lighting

Whisty Hall