In short
Operational carbon comes from the electricity lighting uses; embodied carbon comes from making, transporting and disposing of fittings; retrofit reduces both.
Lighting affects a building's carbon footprint in two ways.
Operational carbon
Emissions from the electricity used to run the lighting. Efficient LED and good controls reduce it.
Embodied carbon
Emissions from manufacturing, transport, installation and end of life. New luminaires carry embodied carbon from day one.
Why retrofit helps
- LED engines cut operational carbon
- Reusing bodies avoids much of the embodied carbon of new fittings
Further reading at 299 Lighting
Next steps on relumen8.com
Thinking about a retrofit?
Send us photos of your existing fittings, the location and rough quantities. A Light Engineer will tell you whether reLUMEN8 is viable.
Start a project →Frequently asked questions
What is embodied carbon in lighting?
The emissions from making, transporting, installing and disposing of luminaires.
Does retrofit reduce embodied carbon?
Yes. Reusing luminaire bodies avoids much of the embodied carbon of new fittings.
