Circular Lighting Live 26 Programme

SESSION 1: DATA AND COMPLIANCE

Environmental Product Declarations are increasingly required across major construction frameworks and will become central to the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard. Hear we examine what EPDs mean in real terms for the supply chain: how they are generated, what data they provide, and why their adoption is accelerating. A second presentation covers the wave of circular economy legislation heading towards 2030. It focuses specifically on repairability and upgradeability requirements that will affect everyone from manufacturer to end user.

Turning Insight into Action: The Power of Data
Alexander Flekler, product environmental footprint manager at Wago and a recognised thought leader in Life Cycle Assessments and EPDs, explores how data can act as a backbone for supporting the circular economy in the lighting sector and the wider design community.

Just One Thing: The downlight made from CDs and headlights
Thorlux’s G3 Evo downlight scores an ‘excellent’ 2.9 on the TM66 circularity metric thanks to a remarkable back story. But it’s no marketing-led ‘halo product’, explains the company’s sustainability director Richard Caple.

Engineering a second life
A new remanufacturing service will aim to ‘keep lights in the ceiling’ no matter what the brand or format. Using BS8887 as framework to upgrade and re-warranty luminaires will give them a second life, better energy efficiency, and lower embodied carbon. Thomas Bray, one of the executives behind the industry initiative, takes us through the concept.  

The regulatory landscape towards 2030
A slew of circular economy legalisation with key clauses on repairability and upgradeability is coming down the track. Here Mitchel Waite, industry relations leader at Lutron Electronics, gives us an essential update on legislation that will affect everyone in the supply chain.

SESSION 2 | Innovation & Material

As the electricity grid decarbonises, the carbon embedded in manufacturing a luminaire is becoming as significant as the energy it consumes in use. This session examines how material selection is evolving in response. It looks at the technologies and design approaches that are reducing the environmental footprint of new products entering the market.

Build Back Better Awards 2026
The presentation ceremony of the lighting category of the Build Back Better Awards 2026 will celebrate and reward creativity, innovation, social purpose and environmental leadership in lighting. 

Materials for Climate Impact
As the electricity network decarbonises, the embodied carbon in a luminaire becomes relatively more important than the use phase, which is why material selection is crucial. Here Niclas Thulin, Sustainability Manager at Fagerhult explores the brand’s changing approach to materials with reference to ground-breaking light fittings including Wrapped and Kvisten.

The surprising material behind a new wave of sustainable lights
In a first for the UK lighting industry, Thorlux Lighting is set to unveil a range of emergency luminaires and signage made from a unique natural material. Here lighting applications and sustainability director Richard Caple takes us though its remarkable properties and how it contributes to the products’ exceptional  environmental credentials. 

Sustainable urban design: Light where it’s needed, darkness where it belongs
Truly circular design starts with challenging norms such as luminaire count, light levels and uniformity. Now a revolutionary AI tool, the result of five years’ development, can help us illuminate only what’s necessary. Dean Skira, acclaimed lighting designer and founder of Taman, takes us through the concept.

Robotic additive manufacturing: A UK sustainability first
Andrew Littler of The Lumi Studio unveils a new concept for sustainability and a UK lighting industry first: robotic printing. The company’s Additive Robotic Intelligent Arm – dubbed Aria – uses recycled materials to create complex forms at a scale traditional manufacturing cannot easily reach, with minimal waste and no tooling. Littler will also unveil the winner of the Aria Luminaire Challenge competition.

SESSION 3 | Projects Uncovered, Real World Lessons

The stand-out sustainable lighting schemes of 2026 explored with the designer and client. What do they reveal about truly sustainable thinking?

Leadenhall Market: Remanufacturing with a Victorian soul
Leadenhall Market stands out as one of London’s most distinguished Victorian landmarks, celebrated for its architecture and historic character. Light Projects Evolve remanufactured and upgraded the historic light fittings and design a unique LED light source that remained true to the Victorian aesthetic. The company overcame challenges to deliver a stunning lighting scheme that preserves the market’s heritage and atmosphere. Here Ryan Bean, account manager at CBRE and John Bowden & Brendon Airey of Light Projects Evolve,  take us through the project.

A product’s not circular unless the project is too
Our speaker shares how the practice is moving towards a Reuse, Reduce, Avoid model and explains how this direction of travel will affect manufacturers and the wider supply chain.

Moon shot panel discussion

SESSION 4 | Carbon Literacy

Understanding the concepts, metrics and materials relating to sustainable lighting will be key informed decision making.

TM66 2.0: What’s new
Version 2.0 of TM66, the metric from Cibse’s Society of Light and Lighting which measures the circular performance of luminaire, is in development with changes expected in materiality, language and its ability to be used in greenwash. Here TM66 co-author Bob Bohannon updates us on this popular standard.

EPDs and the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard
Recolight environmental metrics manager, Flavie Lowres explores the launch of Version 1 of the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, focusing on embodied carbon and the growing importance of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). She’ll highlight how EPDs provide the data needed for assessment, and their role within frameworks such as BREEAM and Ska Ratings. The presentation will also outline the key drivers behind increasing EPD adoption across the built environment.

Carbon Literacy Workshop 
Carbon Literacy® training enables organisations to take impactful climate action and enact the necessary cultural shift. It’s a globally unique initiative, developed by The Carbon Literacy Project and recognised by the UN. Here Sojan Johny, its Built Environment Coordinator, walks us through some of the concepts and principles of Carbon Literacy training.’

SESSION 5 | Confronting Cat A, Six Ways to Cut Waste

Cat A fit-outs are a significant source of waste in the commercial property sector. Luminaires are frequently removed and discarded when tenants move in. This session examines practical alternatives. It covers luminaire leasing models that reduce both cost and environmental impact for developers, alongside a broader rethink of how Cat A products are designed from the outset to enable reuse rather than disposal.

Light leasing: Birth of an industry
A new industry is starting to emerge in the real estate sector: the leasing of luminaires for use in Cat A fit-outs. It looks set to reduce both the cost and environmental impact of such installations for developers. Here Matt Robinson of Circle Construct and Miles Cantley of Mount Lighting take us through the concept and value proposition..

Reusing luminaires from Cat A fit-outs: Lessons from the real world
Who wants thousands of top-quality barely-used luminaires at a fraction of their original price? You’d imagine they’d be easy to shift, but out there in the real world, life is a bit more complicated. Hattie Emerson of the Finishes and Interiors Sector has spent the last year trying to shift lights like this, and has the scars to prove it. Here she shares the hard-won lessons and insights.

SESSION 6 | Material Masterclass

Sustainable polycarbonates
Chris Newman, Application Development Engineer at Albis, explores the latest sustainable polycarbonates for luminaires. These include the ultra-low carbon Makrolon RE from Covestro which is already being used by a number of lighting manufacturers as well as a bio-based light diffusion compound from MOCOM for optics.

The programme finishes at 5:30