The LED Linear path to sustainability

In the second of our four-part series exploring the concept of circularity, we spoke to Franziska Heckmanns, Innovation Manager at LED Linear, about the approach LED Linear takes to ensure products are designed and manufactured with circularity at their core.

Where do you source your materials from, and how do you ensure they are sustainably and ethically produced?

More than 95% of our suppliers are based in Europe, so we can work very closely with them to carry out regular audits, ensuring they understand our requirements and that equally we understand how they work. Suppliers must sign a code of conduct to demonstrate they are aligned with Fagerhult Group’s values, and we regularly meet to discuss new materials or different ways of working with materials that would improve recyclable parts.

What is LED Linear’s key focus area when it comes to circularity?

Our philosophy is based on four pillars: firstly, that we must minimise the number of materials we use in our products; we only use pure or recycled materials; all our products have maximum durability, and finally that there is a focus on the disassembly of all components.

All our products are designed with this philosophy in mind – we call this ‘miniaturisation’. Indoor luminaires can be completely disassembled – from screws right down to the materials being separated from each other. Our 24VDC topology enables a measured number of drivers supplying multiple fittings. The result is a huge reduction of e-waste, a significantly smaller carbon footprint and higher system efficiency compared to integral driver solutions. We can separate the aluminium and plastics from each other. As we only use pure materials, the plastics can also be 100% recycled.

What percentage of your lighting products is recyclable, and what happens to them at the end of their life cycle?

All our products are slightly different, but to give an example, the ULTIMA is 90% recyclable. It’s one of the best products we have in terms of sustainability because it’s the smallest and we can recycle 90% of the fixture. As you will soon be able to read in our EPD’s, ULTIMA produces up to 99% of the CO2 emission during the use phase and it only causes 2,8kg CO2 from sourcing the materials until the use phase starts. A metre of luminaire weighs just 133,4g and ULTIMA offers 20 lumen per gram – that’s very impressive.

What measures do you take to extend the lifespan of your lighting products, such as offering upgrades or updates?

We produce the LED light engines ourselves, and as the light engines have good heat dissipation the heat is very well spread into the aluminium profile, so the LEDs degrade very slowly. We always use the most up-to-date, efficient LED chips and electrical components. In addition, we test products in our own laboratories and climate chambers – much more than we have to, so we really understand where there are any weaknesses that need to be solved.

In the climate chambers we test the heat range between -70°C to 200°C, adjusting the temperature within ten seconds, so it’s a tough test. If there are any weaknesses, we can then redesign and make the products better where necessary before releasing it.

How do you ensure that your lighting products are energy-efficient throughout their lifecycle, from manufacturing to usage and disposal?

Our target is to be 100% smart in 2030. Connectivity is a big part of this, energy can be saved because a light should only be lit up when people need to use it. We have a new connectivity platform which launched last month - we have integrated sensors and external sensors to make smart fixtures out of luminaires, and we are engineering this more and more.

How do you minimize the environmental impact of packaging and transportation in your supply chain?

We ship the products worldwide, so transport is very important when considering CO2 emissions. Our packaging is made from 95% recycled cardboard, and we produce the cardboard boxes ourselves, so they are exactly the correct size, not larger. We pack as many fixtures as possible into one box, so we are not shipping any air!

Also, of course, by ensuring the fixtures and components are as small as possible, we are also able to reduce the transportation impact.

What certifications or standards do your lighting products adhere to in terms of sustainability and circularity?

We have our own standards and goals of our own, as well as the Fagerhult Group sustainability agenda based on Science Based Targets. We will be ISO 14001 certified by the end of this year, too.

In conclusion, our path to sustainability includes three main steps:

1.?????? 100% smart lighting – working with a remote driver for several fixtures means fewer drivers are needed.

2.?????? Miniaturisation – the reduction of material.

3.?????? Renewable energy sources. LED Linear produces all fixtures in Duisburg, Germany, using 100% electricity from renewable energy sources.

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To find out more about LED Linear’s fully customisable products, visit the website or contact the LED Linear Team.