With more than 20,000 light fittings and lamps throughout Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park stadium, managers at the ground were acutely aware that huge energy savings could be made if the lights were lit only when actually needed.Many of the areas are used only on match days, yet lights were left burning needlessly every day, all over the stadium. Now, lighting controls from Ex-Or Ltd, European leader in lighting management, have saved the day.
Lighting costs are being slashed by 50 per cent following the installation of Ex-Or LightSpot presence detection systems in the North Stand. LightSpot controls automatically switch lights off when occupants leave the monitored areas. They have been installed in offices, reception areas, function suites, ticket offices, walkways, spectator areas, concourses and are about to be fitted in staircases and private boxes.
"The difference that Ex-Or lighting control is making is incredible," said Ewood Park stadium manager John Newsham. "Although various activities take place at Ewood Park in addition to regular matches, many areas are used only occasionally. However, human nature being what it is, lights were being left on because no-one thought to switch them off before leaving an area."
"Now the lights automatically switch on when someone enters, and automatically switch off again when the system detects the area is no longer in use. This is leading to dramatic cuts in our energy bills."
Before the installation, lighting accounted for more than half of the total electricity load at Ewood Park and the annual electricity bill was more than £100,000 per year. With the recent increases in electricity prices, the next annual electricity bill was set to increase to almost £180,000. Briar Associates, the consultants who commissioned the Ex-Or systems after having carried out a Carbon Trust-funded survey, estimate that the lighting element of the electricity bill will be cut by 50 per cent thanks to Ex-Or lighting control - an annual saving of up to £40,000 each year once the entire lighting control project is completed.
But John Newsham has pointed out an unexpected bonus as a result of the installation. Before each Saturday game in the season, it was quite usual for staff to replace up to 300 failed lamps around the stadium. Now, thanks to the reduced amount of time the lights are left on, only a handful of lamps in the North Stand need replacing before each match - achieving savings in both staff time and the cost of replacement lamps.
Now John Newsham is planning similar lighting control installations from Ex-Or in the other two stands at Ewood Park. The project is part of a wide ranging three-year programme of improvements throughout the ground facilities aimed at cutting costly energy waste.
