Debenhams commissioned Ridge to provide programme management, project management, cost management and contract administrator services to install LED lighting into existing department stores.
The project target is to achieve a payback of less than four years but also improve the environment for its customers.
Ridge has worked with Debenhams since 1996, providing specialist mechanical and electrical cost management services to projects in new stores and remodelled existing stores.
The initial store list was driven by the stores’ energy performance and length of remaining lease, with a view to including a range of store types to arrive at a design guide to take forward on to future roll out programmes.
Ridge developed a detailed commercial business case for each tranche of LED projects and all calculated savings are fully validated via remote ‘before and after’ metering.
We continually examine and challenge the suitability of the LED products, evaluate new technologies and regularly market-test them. We also review the design and installation methods to arrive at cost effective solutions across a very diverse and challenging estate.
Debenhams required us to:
- Carry out full site surveys and energy audits; including laser scan surveys where considered necessary
- Build business cases for CER approval
- Undertake option studies and ongoing bulk procurement of products and installation methods
- Deliver improved and extended product warranties
- Manage and deliver each programme on time and within the signed off CER levels
- Provide advice, collate certification and evaluate enhanced capital allowances and carbon taxation
- Monitor actual against predicted target energy savings investigating any discrepancies that arise
- Benchmark against previous Debenhams programmes and comparisons with other retailers
- Re-negotiate reductions to maintenance contracts to account for the reduction of store requirements following the upgrade works
In addition, Ridge continually evaluates the estate, using sensitivity analysis, to identify the most appropriate time for specific stores to be included on each programme.
In addition to saving over 20 million kWh per annum of electricity across 70 stores at a payback of just over four years, stores have benefited from the enhanced lighting quality and lux levels with a reduced requirement for store cooling.
The ‘all-in’ programme payback solution has allowed stores to be included that would have otherwise been left as a problem for the future. Lighting solutions have been found for the majority of lighting fittings and store types across the estate allowing for future stores to benefit from the ongoing R&D.
