Wollaton Hall - Integral LED Project

Stately homes are a legacy of the UK’s proud history, a lasting reminder of our rich past. However, in an era of public sector budget cuts, local government is under pressure to find new practical ways of reducing expenditure. Yet, the adoption of many cost-saving technologies has been resisted by the need for authentic heritage interiors and the scrutiny of architectural conservationists.

With 72 rooms and over 30 chandeliers, lighting makes up a major part of Wollaton Hall’s energy bill. Additionally, the weekly toll of replacing failed conventional lamps in the many ornate fixtures, was a costly burden on the operations team and maintenance budget. Nottingham City Council’s management, chose Integral LED as a partner when it decided to investigate the latest lighting technology.

As Mo Allahi Operations Manager explained: “At Wollaton Hall we are really conscious of the environmental impact that running a large building can have. We were really pleased to work with Integral LED to find a solution that was right for our unique building that could be delivered within a tight budget and ultimately would save money and lower carbon emissions. As well as achieving this, LED lights have a much longer lifespan and with 350 light bulbs, this improvement has saved many man hours.”

Key to the retrofit project was the clear glass LED filament candles are a very close replica to the incandescent lamps that have been the mainstay of the lighting schemes that illuminate heritage buildings across the country. The exchange of a typical 40-watt bulb for a 2 watt LED lamp delivers an important cost reduction for cash-strapped stately homes. Similarly LED GU10 and MR11 spotlights play a retro-fit role in display areas whilst concealed fluorescent tube installations are replaced by LED strip.