Green lights drive eco church
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All things bright and beautiful in church now as we get used to our new toy - a completely relit interior controlled by buttons (above). No longer waiting for old tech lamps needing time to relight after being switched off temporarily: now, LED technology gives us a 10-button selection of lighting scenarios, and a reduced electricity bill.
It helps us to meet the Church of England's net zero carbon target, too.
In 1998, a new lighting system was installed to replace the old 150W pendant fittings that previously hung from the arches (as seen above left in the image dated about 1960, and copyright The Francis Frith Collection – www.francisfrith.com.)
The new setup featured a combination of 150W ceramic metal halide fittings for general illumination and 60W tungsten fittings for highlighting architectural features. This upgrade significantly improved both light levels and system reliability compared to the previous installation.
By 2023, however, lighting technology had advanced considerably. The lamps used in the 1998 system had become obsolete—either discontinued or difficult and expensive to replace. AJ Electrics (Coleshill) Limited were asked to design a modern replacement system using the latest energy-efficient LED technology. Their new design includes a sophisticated lighting control system, offering fully dimmable functionality with pre-set scenes tailored for church services, concerts, and other events.
Faculty approval was granted in early 2025. The upgrade has resulted in a marked improvement in overall light levels throughout the church. The outdated 150W fittings were replaced with 37W LED luminaires, achieving substantial energy savings and simplifying operation through the integrated control system. For instance, pressing button 10 sets the light level to suit cleaning (centre image).
So, what better excuse than an upbeat, celebratory burst of Bernadette Farrell’s Christ is Our Light, sung by the choir at Notre Dame University, Indiana.