CJ Cox Ltd – LED Lighting Project

CJ Cox Ltd is a Dorset based agricultural engineer firm.  Located on the outskirts of Sturminster Newton, the CJ Cox headquarters is made up of a collection of steel framed buildings with pitched roofs and limited access to natural lighting.  With long operating hours most of the site buildings require lighting throughout the whole day.

In a bid to reduce energy costs CJ Cox replaced 162 light fittings throughout their premises with 159 LED equivalents.  This switch reduced their carbon footprint by over a third, saving 7 tonnes of CO₂ and around £1,800 a year!

With a new workshop space in need of lighting, and existing light systems in desperate need of upgrading, CJ Cox were keen to explore how LEDs could help them save on costs and energy.  So, they contacted Low Carbon Dorset for a free energy report to identify what switching would mean for them.  The report was able to provide CJ Cox with an estimate of the savings they could make, as well as the kind of investment required. It also highlighted other energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities specific to their operations and premises which could help them reduce their energy use further.

Armed with this information, and the opportunity to apply for up to 40% grant funding for the work, CJ Cox set about contacting installers for quotes to upgrade their lighting system.

The predominant form of lighting within CJ Cox’s workshops, offices and store prior to the upgrade was fluorescent tube lighting and high-bay high-wattage lights.  This project saw the replacement of these old inefficient light fittings (162) with highly-efficient LED equivalents.  The upgrade cost £14,281 in total.  With the help of a £4,380 grant and annual savings of around £1,800 this investment will pay for itself in just over 5 years.

Further recommendations made in their Low Carbon Dorset energy report included the installation of a small solar PV rooftop array to meet the electricity demand of the workshops, offices and shop, the expansion of their existing biomass fuelled heating system, and an upgrade to more efficient appliances.  The opportunity for CJ Cox to apply for further grants from Low Carbon Dorset to carry out any of these recommendations will be available for the remaining duration of the programme whilst funds allow.