Circular Lighting Live 26 Programme
At the heart of this year’s conference is Vision 2040:
Restructuring the lighting sector.
Doors open at 8:30 for registration, refreshments, and exhibition.
Minster Forum
9.25am Welcome
Opening words with Nigel Harvey, CEO of Recolight.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
9.30am | VISION 2040 – EVOLVING THE LIGHTING SECTOR
John McRae, director of Orms, imagines a time when the take-make-use-waste model is broken. Will inventory be in ceilings rather than warehouses? Will concepts like lumens on subscription finally arrive? Could we continuously circulate components in a zero-waste ecosystem?
9.55am| Beyond Fast Lighting: Upcycling as design strategy
What if lighting design started with what already exists? Sabine De Schutter, lighting consultant and founder of Studio De Schutter, approaches reuse and upcycling not as constraints, but as catalysts for creativity. Through projects spanning hospitality, workplaces and retail, she demonstrates how circular design can inspire original lighting concepts and why the industry should see existing luminaires as opportunities rather than limitations.
We then have six sessions for you to choose from
Minster Forum
DATA AND COMPLIANCE
10.20am | 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.
10.40am | 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.
10.45am | Q&A
11am Coffee, exhibition, and networking
Minster Forum
DATA AND COMPLIANCE continued
11.30am | 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 manager at Lutron Electronics, gives us an essential update on legislation that will affect everyone in the supply chain.
11.45 | Just One Thing: Reuse when reuse wasn’t a thing
When lighting design practice Michael Grubb Studio launched the Re:Lit Project, it was almost unheard of for luminaires to be reused in a commercial building. This bold idea paved the way for the initiatives that came after it. Here Michael Grubb shares the lessons of the pioneering scheme.
11.50am | 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.
12.10am | Q&A
Fenchurch and Lombard Suites
CARBON LITERACY
Understanding the concepts, metrics and materials relating to sustainable lighting will be key informed decision making.
11.30pm | EPDs and the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard
Recolight environmental scientist 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.
11.50am | 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.
12.10am | Q&A
Minster Forum
12.20pm | Build Back Better Awards 2026
Build Back Better Awards 2026 will take place at Circular Lighting Live, celebrating and rewarding creativity, innovation, social purpose and environmental leadership in lighting.
1.00pm Lunch & exhibition
Minster Forum
INNOVATION AND MATERIALS
2.00pm | 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.
2.20pm | 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.
2.40pm | 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.
3.00pm | The principles of a truly circular luminaire
Our speaker advises lighting brands and other built environment specialists on their sustainable manufacturing strategies. Here they share their insights into what makes a truly circular luminaire, exploring issues including design, material sourcing and Cradle to Cradle principles.
3.20pm Q&A
Fenchurch and Lombard Suites
CARBON LITERACY continued
2.00pm | 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.’
CONFRONTING CAT A
2.20pm | 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, Miles Cantley of Mount Lighting and Matt Robinson of Circle Construct take us through the concept and value proposition.
2.40pm | 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.
2.55pm Q&A
MATERIAL MASTERCLASS
3.10pm | Material masterclass: Sustainable polycarbonates Perspective
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.
3.30pm Coffee, exhibition and networking
Minster Forum
PROJECTS UNCOVERED
The stand-out sustainable lighting schemes of 2026 explored with the designer and client. What do they reveal about truly sustainable thinking?
4.00pm | 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 Brendon Airey and John Bowden of Light Projects Evolve, along with Ryan Bean, account manager at CBRE, take us through the project.
4.20pm Just One Thing: The Reuse Route
Simon Fisher, co-founder of product design practice F Mark, unveils a practical flow chart to help assess if a project is suitable for remanufacture
4.25pm | 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.
14.45pm Q & A
4.55pm | This is going to hurt: 6 lessons from the reuse frontline
When lighting designer Paul Beale of 18 Degrees spotted an opportunity to reuse 180 luminaires removed from a Cat A fit-out in a Cat B fit-out at British Land’s London headquarters, he jumped at the chance. But a world of pain awaited before a successful project was eventually delivered. Here Paul shares six hard-won lessons from the experience.
5.15pm | Panel discussion
5.40pm | Closing remarks
5.45pm Event close
