The new fixtures were installed at Greenhithe Community Centre in Alexander Road, Greenhithe, last weekend, replacing all of the old, traditional lighting fixtures.
"LED lighting uses up to 80 per cent less energy than traditional lighting systems, meaning users see significantly reduced electricity bills," said Ashley Bateup, managing director of 8point3, which has its head office at Suscon in Dartford. "And, of course, the dramatic reduction in energy used means the hall will be significantly lowering the amount of CO2 it is responsible for, reducing its carbon footprint."
The system installed at the centre was designed and manufactured at 8point3's sheet metal factory in Belvedere. The lights slotted directly into the spaces left when the traditional system was removed, meaning the work could be completed quickly and scheduled around events planned at the centre.
"People who use the hall on a regular basis will notice a huge improvement in the quality of the light from LED, which is equivalent to being outside at noon on a sunny day," said Bateup. "Indeed, its colour temperature is the same as that of lamps used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)."
Having liaised with 8point3 to provide the centre with LED lighting Cllr David Mote of Dartford Council, said: "This is remarkably generous of 8point3 and will help the centre both reduce their energy bills and take a small step towards helping put the green into Greenhithe. "We really hope that this will be a beacon that will show other organisations how to save both energy and the environment."
With each light having a life expectancy of more than 50,000 hours, the Centre will also save on maintenance and replacement bulb costs.
8point3 manufactures bespoke LED lighting systems for industrial and commercial clients. It has pioneered the manufacturing of bespoke systems, moving the industry on from replacing old fluorescent tubes with cheap, imported and inefficient LED tubes.
"At a time when charities and community ventures are struggling to find funds, we are happy to be helping a local project upgrade its premises, save money and improve its green credentials," said Bateup. "We hope current and future users enjoy their brighter environment."
(Jim Evans)
