End Cat A Lighting Waste Campaign 

Campaign to reduce lighting waste from Cat A fitouts through knowledge sharing and connecting relevant organisations
Resource Use Circular Economy

Problem Addressed

To attract a tenant, real estate developers typically finish a speculative office building with brand new lights, as part of a Cat A fit-out. However, when they move in, the majority of tenants take out these lights and replace them with bespoke Cat B light fittings. 

Solution Overview

The End Cat A campaign is a group of people working in the built environment sector striving to end waste from office fitouts. The campaign includes designers, architects, contractors, developers, recyclers and more united by a belief that Cat A fit-outs are anachronistic. The campaign works to reduce waste from Cat A fit-outs via a number of methods. They share examples of best practice and can provide contacts to the growing number of companies who recondition used lights, test, and warranty them. They also give information on the thousands of new and nearly-new commercial luminaires that are available for free on reuse websites. Additionally, the End Cat A campaign shares details of clearance firms which re-home used lights. Their role is to bring attention to the issue to increase the implementation of practical solutions. 

Leading developers are already adopting best practices to reduce waste from Cat A fit-outs. By installing only sample floors, they can significantly reduce the number of luminaires installed before tenants move in. Another option is to design architectural lighting and ceilings for retention by making the installations more considered and creative. Designing the electrical infrastructure to easily facilitate modification would also enhance retention.  

Anyone interested can join End Cat A or sign their pledge to show their commitment to ending Cat A waste. By giving inspiration and advice, the End Cat A campaign is working to ensure that no luminaire ends up in a skip. 

Company name

End Cat A

UK availability

Yes

Solution launch date

2024

Links

End Cat A

Case Study

Around 350 luminaires removed from a London office Cat A fit-out were reused in a sustainable building for Cambridge University. The original supplier of the lights agreed to re-test and re-warrant the lights, and new endplates for the fittings were 3D printed so they could be installed on the exposed ceiling. This process was reliant on both insurance approval and the client’s willingness to engage in the reuse process. Energy consumption post-refurbishment is expected to be less than 16% of the pre-refurbishment level. 

Facts and Figures

7%

recycle rate of discarded lights in 2023

100k

light fittings are removed in the UK every week (Recolight)

This page presents data, evidence, and solutions that are provided by our partners and members and should therefore not be attributed to UKGBC. While we showcase these solutions for inspiration, to build consensus, and create momentum for climate action, UKGBC does not offer commercial endorsement of individual solutions. If you would like to quote something from this page, or more information, please contact our Communications team at media@ukgbc.org.

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