Neath Port Talbot Council Saves £105k A Year With IoT Smart Lighting

Public Sector Decarbonisation With IoT

Rising Energy Costs Challenge The Council

Neath Port Talbot Council faced rising energy bills and failing lighting systems. By upgrading to IoT smart lighting, they have now reduced lighting energy consumption by up to 90% across three main buildings, saving £105,000 in energy costs.

Results: Verified Savings For Council

The NPT Council verifies 80-90% lighting energy reduction across three key council buildings
£105,000+, 70 tCO2e saved each year
Hundreds of excess fittings removed with optimised lighting design
Intelligent emergency lighting system: compliance testing and reporting are automated, adding to maintenance cost savings
Real-time measured energy savings reporting

CILS planned the lighting installation carefully around the council’s operations and building user schedules. Their Corporate Facilities Manager, Richard Jenkins, was very pleased with the project delivery and that out of 800 staff across the buildings, they “didn’t have one complaint from one staff member”.

Photo of Chris Jones, NPT Energy Manger

“Why CILS? They have a proven track record in effectively delivering lighting programmes. We would have no hesitation recommending CILS‘ approach and solution to other fellow councils.”

– Christopher Jones
Energy Manager, NPT Council

👉 Watch the Neath Council lighting case study highlights video [1 min 16s]

Ydych chi eisiau gwylio’r fideo hwn yn Gymraeg? Cliciwch yma: Mae Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn arbed £105,000 gyda goleuadau IoT

IoT Lighting Bringing Neath Council One Step Closer To Net Zero

To support their DARE (Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy) strategy, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Energy Team identified a pressing issue: failing and inefficient lighting was driving up energy and maintenance costs and hindering their progress towards decarbonisation.

To address this, the Council partnered with CILS to redesign and retrofit three key buildings with Internet of Things (IoT)-controlled smart LED lighting for precise energy monitoring and automated control:

Neath Civic Centre
The Quays Offices
Service Response Centre (SRC)

Working Day and Night

CILS started with a detailed investment-grade survey and LiDAR scan. Then, we optimised new lighting designs for energy efficiency, reducing the overall luminaire count by hundreds.

Our priority was to deliver the installation without disruption to Council operations. CILS’s project manager aligned carefully with the Council staff to plan each shift.

Mostly, we worked nights. We completed one area at a time, removing the old fittings, installing new, smart ones, and making good all within one working shift. We commissioned each fitting output to the CIBSE guide levels and set the parameters for automated lighting control.

When CILS came to site, they were great. They factored in our working day. Lots of work was done in the evenings. There was no mess left from one day to the other. We didn’t actually have one complaint from one staff member.Richard Jenkins, Corporate Facilities Manager at NPT Council

Now, CILS are just a call or email away, providing the Council with life-cycle support for up to 20 years.

80-90%

verified lighting energy reduction from IoT-controlled LED retrofit

£105,000+

saved in energy costs/year

70t

carbon emission reduction/year

Your tailored proposal will show exactly how your council can reduce costs, energy use, and carbon emissions, starting with a free, no-obligation consultation.

Could IoT Smart Lighting Be A Game-Changer For Your Council?

Whether you’re worried about rising energy prices, your carbon footprint, or simply like the idea of automating your building management, CILS can help your council:

Measure and verify up to 90% energy reduction from lighting
Deliver the projects quickly via Smart Buildings Solutions Framework and without disruption to council
Enjoy immediate net cash benefit from day one – lighting can be delivered ‘as a service’ at zero capital investment
Further reduce operational costs with IoT smart building solutions
Donate your existing LEDs that don’t meet your project specification to our charity partners

FAQs

Our council buildings already have LED lighting but no controls. Is it worth adding controls retrospectively?

Yes. Though the best time to add controls is during an LED upgrade, CILS have delivered controls-only projects where:

Optimised layouts reduced unnecessary fittings by over 30%
Automated IoT controls reduced energy use by up to 70% on top of LED savings.
Cumulative savings over 10 years range from tens of thousands to millions of pounds, depending on building size. Adding IoT controls gives you precise energy monitoring and the ability to verify your savings without needing to replace your existing LEDs.

Our council has no budget. Are there other ways to fund a project?

CILS offer flexible funding routes to make lighting energy reduction, solar PV, and smart building projects accessible from day one.

Lighting as a Service – Instead of a large capital investment, the project is funded as an operational cost, off-balance sheet, through a reputable funding partner. Repayments are kept below the projected energy and maintenance savings, so councils see a cash-flow positive contribution from day one. Warranty, maintenance support, and software services are included for the whole service contract period.

Grant Support – CILS have successfully supported councils and public bodies in securing multi-million-pound grant funding for IoT upgrades. We can help identify suitable opportunities and assist with bid preparation.

What additional IoT solutions can CILS provide, and why are they useful for councils?

CILS IoT smart lighting installations create the IoT network across your buildings, forming a foundation for other services. Once the network is in place, councils can easily add solutions, including but not limited to:

HVAC optimisation
BMS integration
Environmental sensors (Air quality, temperature, and occupancy monitoring provide insights for planning, cleaning schedules, and room management)

Councils can analyse building usage to optimise space, reduce energy costs, and hit their sustainability targets.

Ready to reduce your council’s energy bills? CILS will design a solution to maximise your savings, starting with a free, no-obligation consultation.

True Lighting Energy Consumption at Neath Port Talbot Council

Reception with energy efficient solutions

IoT lighting upgrade at the council's corridor

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