New lighting cuts energy costs
For ten years now, the Würzburg-Schweinfurt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) has been training apprentices as ‘energy scouts’. These apprentices are taught to turn a fresh pair of eyes on their company, working as a team to promote climate protection, sustainability and operational energy efficiency. Kräuter Mix regularly organizes a project group to take part in this Chamber of Industry and Commerce initiative. The company benefits from its participation in several ways: first, the energy scouts’ ideas cut energy costs, while the trainees also learn to take responsibility and make an active contribution to environmental protection. Finally, it testifies to Kräuter Mix’s standing as a company committed to acting sustainably.
The 2024 project group was made up of Rüdiger Holdren (electronics technician for operating technology), Pascal Schüll (warehouse logistics specialist) and Felix Heubach (electronics technician for operating technology). The energy scouts came together from their different training pathways to form an interdisciplinary team where each member was able to contribute their expertise, personal strengths and interests before ultimately presenting their project to a jury from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Head of Electrics Andreas Spitzhirn and his colleague André Weimann were on hand to assist the trainees as company points of contact.
Over the course of several months, the three trainees explored the possibility of modernizing the lighting system for a warehouse at the company’s Abtswind site. They focused on upgrading the existing interior lighting system to modern LED options. After all, while fluorescent tubes might have been state of the art back in the 1990s when the 2900-square-meter hall was built, today they are no longer cost-effective. Beyond that, their sale has in fact been banned for environmental reasons.
The energy scouts started by surveying the site, measuring the warehouse which is used to store herbs and spices and paying particular attention to the old fluorescent tubes. The team made sure to consult with the warehouse staff to ensure they were incorporating staff experience and suggestions into their new lighting system. Their calculations revealed that the 96 double lights generated annual costs of 4,900 euros for electricity and maintenance. Plus, as LEDs provide better illumination, only 72 lamps will be needed moving forward, cutting the company’s energy consumption.
The scouts also explored the potential of intelligent programming, introducing the idea of new motion sensors so that the lights only switch on in individual aisles instead of illuminating the entire warehouse with just one flick of a switch each time. This should further cut energy consumption. After the retrofit, energy costs should amount to just 357 euros a year, cashing in a total saving of around 4,500 euros. “We couldn’t believe it. We triple checked the math just to be sure,” explained energy scout Rüdiger Holdren. But their calculations were indeed correct.
The same calculations predict the initial outlay for the new lighting system will have paid for itself within five years. Since the LEDs do not require maintenance and enjoy a 33-year lifespan, it’s possible that the company will continue to save on energy costs for a further 28 years before major maintenance or new investment is needed. The company has its energy scouts to thank for these green insights!
