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Spotlight on: Beacon Lighting

Q & A with Ian Robinson, a Director with Beacon Lighting

Tell us a little bit about your company.
Beacon Lighting is Australia’s largest lighting retailer with over 60 stores nationwide, an online store and commercial divisions in four states. 

Beacon offers the latest lighting products sourced from around the world and has its own team of qualified electricians. We have an ever-increasing focus on energy efficiency that reflects market demand and trends. 

Beacon Lighting prides itself on being a market leader in total energy saving solutions with a focus on energy efficient lighting and grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.  Beacon Solar is also working closely with Australian schools under the National Solar Schools Program on energy efficient lighting solutions and PV Solar.

Why did you decide to join the Clean Energy Council?
Beacon Lighting decided to join the CEC for the opportunity to assist in influencing change within the industry and related legislation and regulations.

CEC membership allows Beacon to keep up to date with the latest industry news, technology and other developments.  It also provides vast networking opportunities within the sector and related industries, plus the opportunity for further education and training.

What opportunities do you see for your company in the clean energy area?
Beacon sees great opportunity in both the reduction of current power consumption and the offering of a renewable energy source.  We offer our customers a wide range of products to assist in energy reduction including low energy lighting, ceiling fans and motion sensors that all help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  

Beyond assisting the general consumer on reducing current consumption, Beacon can offer customers the ability to produce their own power and become more self-sufficient.  The extension into solar power systems was the natural progression for Beacon to offer their customers the complete energy saving solution – reduce consumption and produce own power. 

People are becoming increasingly interested in how they can do their bit for the environment and Beacon aims to be able to support them with the right products and service for the job.

What positive initiatives has your company introduced/planned to be greener and cleaner?
In March 2008 Beacon committed to reduce its own energy consumption by removing all high-energy incandescent lights and replacing them with energy efficient CFL globes wherever possible throughout all our stores. 

Beacon did a full review of store and office air conditioning systems to achieve greater efficiency and we also installed motion sensors so that lighting automatically turns off in empty unoccupied areas.

In June 2008 Beacon worked closely with Sustainability Victoria on trialling Australia’s first globe disposal and recycling program – ‘Flashback’.  This program encouraged Victorians to switch to energy efficient lighting and dispose of CFLs responsibly.

In March 2009, Beacon demonstrated its continual commitment to encouraging customers to switch to low energy lighting. Ahead of the November 2009 incandescent globe phase out, we launched the federal government’s ‘Change the Globe’ campaign at one of our Sydney stores along with the Hon Peter Garrett AM MP, Minster of the Environment, Heritage and the Arts.

What are some of the challenges for your company in reducing your carbon footprint?
The nature of the lighting industry can cause us to be perceived as a high consumption user and carbon emitter. Beacon faces the challenge of maintaining good merchandise presentation without consuming excessive energy.

As a lighting company with a large product range in store, there will always be a significant amount of energy required to illuminate the fittings to effectively demonstrate their output and appearance. Motion sensors have been installed in both stores and offices to eliminate the issue of excessive lighting.

With a significant amount of Beacon Lighting stores leased, there is limited control over each of the entities.  As a supplier of solar power systems it would be ideal to install solar systems on the roof of all stores to reduce energy consumption however complex lease agreements restrict this.

Beacon is a nationwide retailer which operates out of one Melbourne Distribution Centre. We are reviewing the current supply chain structure and face the challenge of finding greener transport solutions.   

Which person in the renewable energy or environmental space would you most like to have around for dinner and why?
The Hon Peter Garrett AMP MP, Minister of the Environment, Heritage and the Arts.  Beacon would question how Peter has gone from being a such a strong minded green idealist, truly (and publicly) so passionate about climate change and the environment to now taking a political approach through the Labour party on how to tackle the big issue.