Solatube® Daylight Systems
bring a range of benefits to BP

BP aspires to minimise the environmental impacts of its activities - from initial planning, to the running of operations through to the remediation of sites no longer used. An important element of this aspiration is identifying potential ways in which it may reduce energy usage. To this end BP recently installed thirty-one Solatube 290DS Daylight Systems at a new flagship store in Hampshire as part of its drive to reduce CO2 emissions at its UK retail sites.

BP had demolished a former site on the A303 near Andover in Hampshire and built a new store in its place which includes a Marks & Spencer's Simply Food concept. While offering the Marks & Spencer range clearly brings customers more choice in healthy, high quality food, it also requires additional chillers with the associated increase in energy usage. To compensate for this BP installed the Solatube Daylighting Systems to reduce significantly the energy usually used for lighting customer and staff areas.

Flexibility and Efficiency

At night the Andover site is lit by fluorescent lights, however during the day these are controlled by a DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) system, which dims them appropriately depending on the amount of light being transferred into the building by the Solatube Daylighting Systems. This is the most efficient way of managing electricity consumption, because it eliminates the energy that is wasted when fluorescent lights are turned on and off, but ensures that sufficient light is always available through a combination of free daylight and supplementary electrically powered light.

Daylighting also reduces the amount of heat in the store that would be generated if electrical lighting was used all the time so the energy required for cooling is also reduced.

Not only have the Solatube Daylighting Systems meant that the lights do not have to be turned on in the store during daylight hours they have brought further additional benefits.

BP's UK retail assets manager Ramsay MacDonald comments:

"Whilst reducing energy usage for the operational site was the primary driver for installing the Solatubes, the additional benefits they have brought have strengthened the business case for use of these products across BP."

Improved Safety

During fit out there was no need for temporary task lighting because the tubes piped in ample daylight for contractors to work. This not only reduced effort and energy use but made it a safer working environment because there were no hazardous trailing extension leads needed to power the inside lighting. The contractors also commented how they preferred working under the natural light.

Happier Staff

BP staff working in the daylight lit offices have commented on how much better they feel and have reported less eye strain, fewer headaches and even improved mood compared with working in an artificially lit environment.

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Last updated: 14th June 2010