UK nonprofit Business in the Community (BITC) has joined forces with leading UK brands to launch its Be Energy Aware campaign, running October 13-26, aimed at encouraging consumers to be more aware of their energy use in the home.
BITC and its partners — lighting manufacturer Osram, DIY retailer B&Q, Virgin Money, Thames Water and others — will show consumers how they can save on their bills by changing their behavior.
Osram kicked off Be Energy Aware by unveiling the results of its Community LED Challenge. 18 households took part in the challenge by replacing their existing lightbulbs with low-energy LED bulbs. For the campaign, Osram calculated that the average household could save up to £300 a year by switching to LED lighting. However, the community trial revealed even greater savings were possible — with annual savings ranging from £215 to £343.
“What this trial brilliantly demonstrates is just how easy it is to lower your electricity bills while enjoying superb quality light,” said Osram CEO Rune Marki. “Our hope is that by sharing this story, other people will embrace LEDs to enjoy lower bills and less time spent changing bulbs. We are proud to be part of the Business in the Community Be Energy Aware campaign and thank everyone involved in the Community LED Trial.”
LED lighting is a clear example of how sustainable innovation can unlock the £100 billion a year BITC’s Fortune Favours the Brave report identified was available to businesses that address social and environmental challenges. Only last week The 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to a trio of scientists for the invention of blue LED, which has enabled the creation of a new generation of bright, energy-efficient white lamps. Lighting currently accounts for 20 percent of all the world’s energy usage. If everyone switched to LED lighting this would be reduced to 4 percent and would make a significant contribution to help slow carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.
Beginning in February, IKEA did its part to raise consumer awareness around this with its “Wonderful Everyday” campaign in the UK, which marked the Swedish retailer’s first sustainability-focused campaign. The first TV and radio spots touted LEDs as an energy-saving alternative to incandescent lightbulbs, which IKEA has committed to phasing out by 2016.
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Published Oct 15, 2014 9am EDT / 6am PDT / 2pm BST / 3pm CEST