Tackling The Fluorescent Lighting Phase Out

A corridor lit with fluorescent lights With timings for the phase out of some fluorescent lamp types in England, Scotland and Wales recently confirmed, Lee Tupman, Technical Manager at Whitecroft Lighting, explains the situation, and the potential decisions, that facilities managers face.

There are millions of fluorescent lamps in use across the UK, but changing legislation means the countdown clock is now running on what is essentially a technology that was developed in the 1930s.

You’ll find fluorescent lamps lighting everything from schools, offices, hospital operating theatres, and every commercial environment in between – they’re an everyday, recognisable reality, both inside and outside buildings.

But with many fluorescent lamps, including T5s and T8s, set to be phased out in 2023 and 2024, most facilities managers will need to review their options within the next 18 months to two years.

FMs face a set of choices, each of which will have maintenance, cost and environmental implications.

The reasons for the phase out, and the types of fluorescent lighting affected are as follows:

Energy Efficiency And Material Safety

The two main reasons for the removal of fluorescent lighting technology from the market are energy efficiency and material safety.

The EU and the UK government have followed reasonably similar paths in phasing out the various types of fluorescent lamps, although with timescale differences in a few cases.

The EU took the lead with the SLR Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2019/2020 for fluorescent lamps that did not meet efficiency requirements. This included T12 fluorescent lamps, which were phased out through this ruling in 2021, and T8 lamps, which will be phased out in September 2023 in the UK.

In EU countries, other fluorescent lamps are being phased out in 2023 through the EU’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHs) directive 2011/65/EU, which aims to limit hazardous substances such as mercury. This has resulted in T5 lamps also being phased out, which were previously not part of the SLR.

Aligning with the removal of the mercury exemption in the UK, the UK government has recently confirmed that T5 lamps can no longer be placed on the market in England, Scotland and Wales from the 1st of February 2024, around six months later than in the EU.

There are also signs of the lighting market moving further away from fluorescent technology in policy papers currently being discussed within government.

One of these is considering a new standard for the efficacy of light sources, at a potential minimum 120 lamp lumens per watt. Fluorescent lamps would not meet this standard should this go ahead.

At the very least, the phasing out of T5 and T8 fluorescent lamps will bring a challenge to FM teams, including from a maintenance and contractual perspective, with facilities managers across most sectors facing the task of managing an increasingly redundant lighting technology.

One potential issue is responsibility. If, or more likely when, a fluorescent lamp fails in the future, a facilities team might argue that the issue is out of their hands because these products and parts are no longer available.

Although the legislation allows for existing T5 and T8 lamp stock to continue to be used until it runs out, availability will be limited, and the viability of doing this is weakened when far more energy and cost-efficient LED lighting is available.

Factoring in the high cost of electricity, facilities managers could view the phasing out of fluorescent lamps as an opportunity to think longer term return on investment rather than short term fix, and consider the long-term energy cost, efficiency, and quality of their lighting.

But there is definitely a range of choices open to FMs.

The Floorbrite Group, cleaning services, facilities services

Sticking With Fluorescent Lamps

The main challenge with continuing to purchase T5 fluorescent lamps before they are removed from the market is that sourcing lamps and luminaire components will become harder over time.

For example, inverter and control gear production has already been phased out, so if the control gear were to fail, the connected fluorescent lamps would no longer be viable.

An example of where this could have a critical impact is in hospital operating theatres, where specialist fluorescent lamps are no longer available on the market.

There will come a time when a lamp fails and there will be no quick way to replace it. This would of course compromise light levels and safety in a critical setting.

Using LED Replacement Tubes

A temptation might be to retain the fluorescent lamp fitting and replace just the fluorescent lamp with an LED equivalent tube, and although this may appear to offer a viable compromise, it is not without its risks.

The use of replacement LED tubes may require adaptation of the internal wiring of the luminaire to ensure correct operation. Relevant safety testing should be considered, and general and emergency lighting may no longer be safety compliant.

Again, facilities teams would also need to ensure that lighting design requirements are still met for both general and emergency lighting.

LED replacement lamps are also significantly (20-30%) less energy efficient than LED lighting within a full LED replacement.

Adapted LED tubes will also typically have shorter lifetimes and warranties, creating the need for increased replacement and material disposal.

Full LED Replacement

All things considered; my advice would be to explore replacing fluorescent lighting with LEDs.

The electricity savings alone can typically deliver a return on investment in just three years, while operational efficiencies will also reduce carbon impact.

But not all LEDs are the same, and there can be significant variance in luminaire specification, component quality and service and support from the provider.

FMs should review the track record of the product providers and ensure the LED lighting selected is manufactured using quality components from reputable suppliers with independent verification such as ENEC, CB or equivalent.

Good lighting design is fundamental to creating spaces that support health and wellbeing, and taking a holistic approach to design and installation can ensure productive, welcoming and visually comfortable spaces.

When done right, switching to LED can support the enhancement of the health and wellbeing of occupants, plus big energy and carbon savings, moving organisations another step on their journey to net zero and delivering significant cost savings.

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