Sustainable lighting in Hvidovre C
At Lumega, we are very proud to share this project with our good customer Danske Shoppingcentre. The project concerns Hvidovre C, a shopping center in Denmark owned by Danske Shoppingcentre A/S. The project is an excellent example of how cutting-edge AI technology and sustainability can go hand in hand to create impressive results. The case story is unique in many ways and the text will highlight approaches that have not yet been seen in the world. In other words, this is innovation at a high level, where Lumega shows how AI technology can innovate the lighting industry. It is with Danish pride that we present the case story from Hvidovre C.
The challenge: Retrofit of the lighting in Hvidovre C
The operations manager of Hvidovre C approached Lumega with a clear goal - to upgrade the lighting throughout Hvidovre C without the high cost and disruption that would come with replacing the entire ceiling system. The existing T5 fluorescent luminaires were integrated into the ceiling structure, which meant the ceiling would have to be replaced if new LED-based line luminaires were to be used. The operations manager quickly saw the potential in Retrofit LED solutions, where the old luminaire housing is reused, but with state-of-the-art LED inserts. Lumega was not the first company to be contacted. Our competitor had already proposed a solution that was already installed. Although functional, it did not meet the necessary lighting requirements. In addition, the LED insert from the competitor was more of an assembly kit, which made the installation time very long. Hvidovre C needed a solution that could deliver the desired brightness while being quick to install, energy efficient and sustainable.
Lumega solution: Innovation through AI and superior design
Our approach was simple but effective. Lumega used our advanced AI model to scan the existing luminaire housings, ensuring precise measurements and a customized solution with a 100% fit. Unlike competitors who proposed a standard LED board with magnets and an external driver, our team developed an effort that not only met the customer's needs, but far exceeded expectations for performance and installation time.
The product swept competitors away!
By increasing the wattage of our solution by only 5W, Lumega delivered an impressive 855 lux - almost 8 times more light than the competitor's 111 lux. We achieved this through the development of a specially designed reflector, thermally optimized handling and cloning of the existing front glass. In practice, this meant that our solution gave the feeling of new luminaires without the need to replace the entire luminaire.
Our retrofit LED solution is specially developed with our AI model for 100% fit in existing luminaires. With superior energy efficiency and a cloned front glass, the older luminaire is like new. For the sharp eye, a small white box is placed at the end. It is a Casambi device that ensures complete control of the lighting via smartphone and fully automatic programming. The control is connected to wireless daylight sensors, so the new lighting installation meets the latest building regulation requirements.
Installation time beats payback time hands down
Luminaire retrofits have long been known, but in some cases new luminaires are chosen because the installation time for the retrofit is too long. For this reason, very precise measurements of the installation time were made for all suppliers. This time measurement should be used to realistically calculate the payback time of the installation. Our short installation time is thanks to Lumega's innovative AI model. We make a cloning and thus ensure that the LED insert fits with precision in e.g. existing threads and fittings in the luminaire housing. In this specific case, we had placed two screw holes where two supplied screws could be used for easy mounting in the luminaire housing. Our unit with integrated LED board was equipped with a fixed thermal cooling and driver. In addition, we had a reflector designed with the lowest possible light loss, resulting in serious improvements in performance and lifetime.
Below are shown the different times from suppliers involved in the project. The installation time includes removal of the old fluorescent tubes, coil and redundant wiring:
Known retrofit kit supplier: 17 minutes
Lumega AI retrofit kit: 8 minutes
New luminaire and ceiling tile replacement: 75 minutes
The installation time for our AI developed LED insert resulted in a time saving of 9 minutes, which in this project is equivalent to 45 hours. Electrical installers charge an average of DKK 650/hour, which resulted in a financial gain for Hvidovre C of DKK 29,250 excluding VAT.
Focus on sustainability
Sustainability was a key priority for Danish Shopping Centers, and Lumega's solution fit their goals perfectly. By choosing a retrofit solution, Hvidovre C avoided having to replace the ceiling or the entire lighting system, resulting in significant CO2 savings. Here is an overview of the project's sustainable impact:
1. New aluminum ceiling panels (estimated 150 pcs)
Manufacturing aluminum is a process with high CO2 emissions. The CO2 emissions from primary aluminum production are around 16.5 tons of CO2 per ton of aluminum. If each ceiling tile weighs approximately 3 kg (a realistic estimate for aluminum ceiling tiles), the total weight for 150 tiles will be around 450 kg. This results in approximately 7.43 tons of CO2 emissions for the production of new ceiling tiles. In addition to this saving, the remaining luminaires would have to be dismantled from wall and ceiling mounts. The CO2 savings for this are not included in the calculation as the data basis for these works is not sufficiently illuminated.
2. New aluminum line LED luminaires (300 pcs)
Each luminaire weighs 4.5 kg, and with 300 units, the total aluminum weight will be 1.35 tons. Based on the same emission factor of 16.5 tons of CO2 per ton of aluminum, the production of these luminaires will generate approximately 22.3 tons of CO2. However, this figure is without driver and LED components.
3. Retrofit AI LED kit from Lumega (300 pcs)
The retrofit kit includes a 0.5 kg aluminum reflector, giving a total aluminum weight of 0.15 tons for 300 kits. With the same emission factor of 16.5 tons of CO2 per ton of aluminum, the emissions from these kits would be around 2.5 tons of CO2. However, this figure is without driver, Casambi unit and LED components.
Comparison:
Replacing ceiling tiles and installing new luminaires:
Ceiling tiles: 7.43 tons
New luminaires: 22.3 tons
Total: 29.7 tons of CO2
Retrofit solution (keep the existing luminaires):
Retrofit kit: 2.5 tons
Total: 2.5 tons of CO2
CO2 savings:
By using the retrofit kits instead of replacing both the ceiling tiles and installing new LED-based luminaires, Danske Shoppingcenter has saved approximately 27.2 tons of CO2. If the ceiling tiles could have been reused, Danske Shoppingcenter's CO2 savings from using Lumega's AI retrofit LED kit would be 19.8 tons of CO2. This significant reduction shows the environmental benefits of retrofit over full replacement. In addition, energy consumption was dramatically reduced, which is not included in this CO2 calculation.
Although our solution initially ran at a higher wattage than the competition, Lumega's solution was dimmed to 60% of their maximum capacity, resulting in a consumption of approximately 18W per unit (250 lux) - significantly lower than our competitors' 30W (111 lux). The new LED inserts were also equipped with daylight sensors from Casambi, making it possible to dynamically adjust the light based on natural light, further reducing energy consumption by approximately 45%.
Our energy calculation is therefore based on the following inputs:
Existing light sources type T5 fluorescent lamps 40W incl. ballast
The new Lumega upgrade of 18W.
Operating hours 12 hours a day, 360 days a year.
Price per kWh DKK 2
Output:
Electricity savings in percent without daylight sensor 56% (expected savings with daylight regulation 72%)
Basic electricity savings in DKK per year DKK 64,376
Estimated annual CO2 savings on electricity savings alone 17,542 KG
Light can be controlled with smartphone
Lumega has worked closely with Casambi on this project. Casambi is an advanced, wireless lighting control system that provides flexible, app-based control over lighting. Lumega has integrated Casambi into each LED insert to enhance the user experience by offering simple adjustment of brightness, timing and customization of lighting scenarios. This integration simplifies energy management and maintenance while optimizing lighting control and efficiency.
Danish shopping centers can control their lighting from smartphones or tablets via the Casambi app, making it ideal for a dynamic environment like this. Casambi is set up with compatible daylight sensors, which provide additional energy savings as the light is regulated according to daylight levels.
If desired, the Casambi system can also be connected to a Hub so that the light can be controlled from anywhere in the world. This way, the operations manager will always be able to regulate the light in case of emergency situations or events.
Lighting the future is realized
Our collaboration with Hvidovre C and Danske Shoppingcentre shows how innovative technologies and a focus on sustainability can be combined in a meaningful way. By choosing Lumega's retrofit LED inserts, Danske Shoppingcentre not only achieved outstanding lighting results, but also contributed to a significant reduction of their carbon footprint - a result they can proudly highlight in their annual ESG report.
This project underlines Lumega's commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in lighting technology. Our solution wasn't just about meeting the requirements of Danish Shopping Centers; it was about surpassing them in ways that make a real difference to both the environment and the economy.
With this successful project in Hvidovre C, Lumega has proven that sustainable, innovative lighting solutions are not only possible - they are the future. Let us help you achieve the same results.
Statement from Lars Øster Raae
Operations Manager Danish Shopping Centers:
I contacted Lumega for sparring and advice on choosing energy-saving and sustainable lighting solutions for replacing or rebuilding both recessed luminaires in aluminum ceilings and free hanging luminaires in Hvidovre C. The existing lighting consisted of T5 fluorescent tubes, but Hvidovre C has a goal for all lighting in the center to be LED-based by the end of 2025.
Lumega's CEO, Rune Søgaard Larsen, came by to review our needs and discussed our wishes for both energy savings and sustainable LED lighting. Rune suggested a retrofit LED solution with Casambi lighting control, where Lumega developed a customized LED insert that fit directly into the existing luminaire housings. This choice significantly reduced the installation time compared to solutions where the entire luminaire had to be replaced.
The finished result exceeded our expectations. The new LED insert together with an upgraded reflector and new front glass improved the lighting significantly. In addition, daylight control via sensors was installed, which contributed to further energy savings.
A big thank you to Lumega for good advice and a great end result.