Newey & eyre provides reassurance on lighting legislation

Newey & Eyre has highlighted recent news reports about the EU’s announcement to phase out low-voltage halogen lamps, which it believes is misinforming businesses and consumers, leading to unnecessary panic.

The proposal is part of the EU’s draft ERP regulations 2013 to cut energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The changes will affect 12V MR16s lamps, which are widely used as directional spotlights and are reported to be phased out by as early as next year.

James Harding from Newey & Eyre said: “The intention of the draft legislation is to cut out poor performing lighting; the best performing lamps will remain available if they meet tough energy targets. However, the controversy this announcement has caused shows the issue of energy management is clearly a balancing act.

“On the one hand there are problems to face such as the fact that artificial lighting accounts for around 19% of global energy consumption and rising energy costs continue to be a critical issue for many homeowners and businesses. Conversely, there is the financial crisis, which means that more of us are examining our outgoings and looking at how we can save money.

“With these issues in mind, manufacturers have made, and are continuing to make, significant investment in producing innovative low energy lighting solutions, so there are easy-to-use, stylish, low cost and low maintenance options available for businesses and consumers. As we are unsure which lamps will remain in the market beyond September 2013, we would urge consumers to consider the energy performance of their lighting now.

“While media reports suggest that removing 12V MR16s lamps from sale will force consumers to buy a more expensive option, the benefit is that the alternative has substantial energy saving benefits. In fact, switching to the proposed type of lighting could save households up to £42 a year each and reduce energy use by the equivalent of 11 million European households by 20201 – evidence that the EU’s policy will produce savings. By acting now and installing alternative lighting solutions, consumers can start to reap the savings.”