The amount of cost savings brought about by energy-

saving lighting solution should not be underestimated. Although a little costlier than ordinary lighting solutions, energy-saving solutions do make a difference in the long-term savings on energy consumed and electricity bills. The National Theatre in London, United Kingdom, is a fine example of how a performing arts building could save £100,000 (about RM700,000) per annum with just the changing of its lighting solutions.

Journalists from around the world recently got a firsthand look of the theatre’s exterior when it was lit up with the light-emitting diode (LED) lighting solution from Philips.

Just an hour before this showcase, the “switching on” ceremony of the first external lighting phase was carried out by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and actress Zoë Wanamaker.

The Philips LED lighting solution will give the iconic Thames-side building an endless colour palette with which to paint the building, illuminating new areas and helping to create a welcoming aura. New, smaller light fittings will help retain the architectural integrity of the Grade 2 star-listed building.

The Simplicity Lighting project is a five-year partnership programme between Royal Philips Electronics and the National Theatre.

The partnership will replace and enhance the National Theatre’s familiar external and internal lighting scheme with a state-of-the-art, dynamic

energy-efficient design.

In addition to the immediate

visual enhancements, on completion the Philips lighting technology will deliver a 70 per cent reduction in the energy needed to illuminate the building’s “flytowers”.

Londoners and other visitors also will experience a new “video wall” installation on the roof of the building in Spring 2008, replacing the old dot “Seefact” bulb system with a full-

colour LED panel that will display crystal-clear messages.

After this initial phase of concentrating on the exterior lighting of the building, the focus will switch to the interior and backstage areas of the theatre.

The public areas of the interior will be fitted with lower-energy, higher-efficiency fittings, as will the vast corridors, workshops and rehearsal rooms.

In his speech, Nick Starr, executive director of the National Theatre, said the partnership will enable the theatre to spend more on putting on plays and performances and less on electricity bills and maintenance.

“It’s an investment that will be justified on economic grounds, but it’s hard for arts organisations to find the money. Thanks to this partnership, we can do so. This is proving to be a catalyst for a host of energy-saving initiatives at the National Theatre.”

The National Theatre project is the latest in a portfolio of some of the best-loved and most important structures in London and around the world to which Philips has worked in co-operation to deliver energy-efficient lighting solutions. The Buckingham Palace, London’s O2 arena, the Acropolis in Athens, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris are all major Philips lighting projects.

According to Philips, the partnership between Philips and the National Theatre is not a “fit and forget” operation. As Philips introduces new lighting technology, improvements will be installed to deliver greater energy savings and further enhance the environment for everyone coming into contact with one of London’s most recognisable buildings.