Lecture room led lighting
Lecture room led lighting

LED's GO

Energy saving through LED lighting
Duration
2023 until 2025
Project type
Real estate
Organisation
Projects & Programs

With the implementation of the LED's GO project, Radboud University is saving 65% on energy for lighting. Conventional lighting in buildings on campus will be replaced by sustainable LED lighting.

LED lighting is much more energy-efficient than traditional lighting, which is good for the environment. However, it also brings considerable cost savings. Energy costs for lighting decrease, and because this sustainable lighting has a much longer lifespan than traditional lighting, maintenance costs also go down. Moreover, the bright lighting provides a pleasant (working) environment for employees, students and visitors.

Saving on consumption, costs and maintenance

Energy consumption for lighting drops significantly, saving Radboud University around 1 million euros in annual energy costs. Besides this energy saving, the new LED lamps, due to their long lifespan, also reduce maintenance costs. LED lighting lasts eight times longer than conventional lighting.

LED's GO includes the replacement of over 15,000 luminaires and it delivers total energy savings of 2,500,000 kWh per year. This saving is comparable to the average annual consumption of 1,000 households.

Radboud University's energy policy targets 2% absolute energy savings per year. The energy programme 2021-2024 gives concrete substance to the energy reduction ambitions, including LED lighting measures. More information: Energy and climate

Implementation and phasing

The project consists of two phases and total implementation will take more than two and a half years. 

Phase 1: April 2023 - August 2024

In the first phase, LEDs GO is under implementation in the four major buildings on campus. A total of 11,320 luminaires have been retrofitted in these buildings and annual savings of 1,730,000 kWh will be achieved. This saving is comparable to the average annual consumption of 700 households.

  • Huygens building: 4660 luminaires, saving 900,00 kWh
  • Grotius building: 1861 fixtures, saving 175,000 kWh 
  • Elinor Ostrom Building/Gymnasion: 2107 luminaires, saving 350,000 kWh 
  • University Library: 2692 luminaires, saving 305,000 kWh

Earlier, the lighting in the sports fields, car parks, lecture halls and greenhouse complex was replaced. An additional annual saving of 400,000 kWh, comparable to the consumption of over 160 households.
 

Phase 2: September 2024 - end of 2025

In the second phase, the remaining, smaller buildings on campus will be fitted with LED lighting. A further 4,031 luminaires will then be retrofitted and annual savings of 744,000 kWh will be achieved. This saving is comparable to the average annual consumption of 300 households.

  • Thomas v. Aquinostraat 1: 933 luminaires, 131,403 kWh savings
  • Aula: 431 luminaires, 20,241 kWh savings
  • HFML (Magnets lab): 330 luminaires, 32,292 kWh savings
  • Pavilion & Student Church: 415 luminaires, 34,652 kWh savings
  • Transitorium: 616 luminaires, 90,070 kWh savings
  • Nursery: 287 luminaires, 19,378 kWh savings
  • Trigon: 1019 luminaires, 148,328 kWh savings
     

Implementation in consultation

As far as possible, work will take place during normal business hours and always in consultation with users. To limit inconvenience, the work will be carried out in clusters per building section or floor. Educational areas are tackled during non-school hours, at weekends or in the evening.

The work consists of dismantling or converting existing standard luminaires and installing and connecting the LED luminaires. About 30 per cent of the existing luminaires can be made suitable for LED lamps with a modification. The luminaires that are not suitable are replaced and disposed of and recycled in an environmentally friendly disposal and recycling by contractor Lumeco.

Europese subsidie voor verduurzaming campusgebouwen

Investment in sustainability

In total, Radboud University is investing around 10 million euros in this sustainability effort. To this end, it is making use of the subsidy scheme ‘Duurzaam Maatschappelijk Vastgoed (DUMAVA), part of the Dutch Recovery and Resilience Plan Dutch Recovery and Resilience Plan. This plan is co-financed by the European Commission.