The Recruit™ wall mount security fixture kit from A.L.P.’s LexaLite® brand, was recognized as a more sustainable approach to lighting systems in a new report by Eneref Institute (www.eneref.org). The report was part of Eneref’s campaign to increase the recyclability of LED luminaires. Eneref Institute is a research and advocacy organization for sustainable development with an initiative to inspire solutions that promise an earth-friendly economy through socially responsible sustainable development.
The Recruit LED wall mount security fixture kit is an attractive, contemporary looking system with a thermally conductive polymer housing. The 8”x 8” footprint can accommodate customer supplied LED arrays, several driver options, and a photocell, putting it in the “small” size class.
As part of Eneref’s campaign to inspire solutions that promise an earth-friendly economy, Eneref Institute’s report examined opportunities to replace aluminum component parts in LED luminaires with polycarbonate, with the overarching goal of reducing the environmental footprint of the lighting industry. According to the Eneref report, thermoplastic heat sinks have environmental advantages over aluminum because the energy needed to recycle thermoplastics is one-fourth that of aluminum.
The report goes on to explain that, compared to the same volume of aluminum, polycarbonate requires less energy to ship, because it is less dense and therefore weighs less, as exemplified by the lightweight Recruit.
“It’s not surprising that an innovative industry leader, like A.L.P., would be an early adopter of polycarbonate heat sinks,” explained Seth Warren Rose, Founding Director of Eneref Institute. “Done responsibly, drilling for petrochemical hydrocarbons—the raw material of plastics—can be less destructive to the environment than mining for aluminum,” Rose explains.
According to the Eneref report, optimizing the design by consolidating components of the same material streamlines both the manufacturing and recycling of luminaires. With fewer components made from fewer materials, the purchasing, shipping, and warehousing processes are simplified. Polycarbonate, a thermoplastic, can be economically recycled into secondary, post-Industry Applications.
Download Eneref Report:http://eneref.org/report-details/employing-polycarbonate-components-to-design-sustainable-luminaires.
