Timber Square Case Study
Remanufacture of existing pendant luminaires and high-bay style downlights
Client
Hoare Lea
Location
Timber Square, London
Project
Remanufacture of existing pendant luminaires and high-bay style downlights
Programme
March – July 2025
Client Testimony
“I have personally thoroughly enjoyed working with the DRK team on this and greatly appreciate all that you have done. It has been great to properly form the connection and understand what DRK has to offer.”
– Zoe Barkes, Lighting Designer, Hoare Lea
Services
- BSI 8887-220 accredited lighting remanufacturing
- LED upgrades
- Refurbishment of existing pendant luminaires
- Refurbishment of existing high-bay style downlights
- Testing, certification and quality assurance
- Complete strip-out, cleaning and repainting of existing luminaire bodywork
- Design and manufacture of bespoke 3D printed mounting clips where required
- Upgraded optical accessories to improve lighting performance
The Challenge
Timber Square is a landmark 370,000 sq ft mixed-use redevelopment designed to achieve net-zero carbon in both construction and operation. The development retains and refurbishes a 1950s printworks, preserving approximately 80% of the existing structure as part of its low-carbon design strategy.
Working alongside the project designers, Hoare Lea, the brief was to retain as much of the existing lighting installation as possible rather than replacing it with new luminaires.
The challenge was to modernise the performance of the existing fittings while supporting the project’s ambitious sustainability goals, reducing embodied carbon, minimising waste and extending the life of valuable existing assets.
The Solution
Working in The White Cube, DRK Lighting’s dedicated remanufacturing facility, we remanufactured two existing luminaire types used throughout the development: pendant luminaires and high-bay style downlights.
Each fitting was carefully dismantled, cleaned and inspected before being rebuilt using modern LED technology and upgraded electrical components.
The existing pendant luminaires underwent a complete strip-out before the bodywork was cleaned and repainted, allowing the original housing to be retained while delivering the appearance and performance of a modern luminaire.
The high-bay style luminaires also received a complete strip-out, cleaning and repainting process, alongside the introduction of bespoke 3D printed mounting clips and upgraded optical accessories to further enhance installation quality and light distribution.
Every luminaire underwent comprehensive testing before leaving the facility, ensuring compliance with current performance and safety standards.
By retaining the original luminaire housings and upgrading only the components that mattered, DRK enabled the project team to preserve existing assets while delivering the efficiency, reliability and lighting quality expected from a modern installation.
All remanufacturing was carried out under our BSI 8887-220 accredited remanufacturing process, providing a fully verified circular-economy solution aligned with Timber Square’s sustainability objectives.
Results
The completed project supported Timber Square’s ambitious environmental targets while extending the service life of the existing lighting assets.
Performance Improvements
- Existing pendant luminaires successfully remanufactured
- Existing high-bay style downlights successfully remanufactured
- Modern LED performance delivered using existing luminaire housings
- Improved energy efficiency
- Extended luminaire service life
- Reduced maintenance requirements
- Complete refurbishment and repainting of existing luminaire housings
- Bespoke 3D printed mounting solutions created where required
- Enhanced optical performance through upgraded optical accessories
The Impact
75%
reduction in annual energy consumption
14,582 kWh
energy saved every year
£4,666.14
annual energy cost saving
2,819.81 kg CO₂e
reduction in operational carbon emissions per year
1,663 kg
of embodied CO₂ saved through remanufacturing instead of replacing the luminaires
Why Remanufacture?
Timber Square demonstrates how remanufacturing can play a vital role in delivering truly sustainable developments.
Rather than replacing serviceable luminaires with new products, DRK Lighting retained and upgraded the existing fittings, preserving valuable materials while significantly reducing embodied carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.
The project also demonstrates that carefully remanufactured lighting can deliver substantial operational savings alongside embodied carbon reductions, cutting annual energy consumption by approximately 75% while extending the useful life of existing assets.
By combining circular-economy principles with modern LED technology, the project contributes to Timber Square’s wider net-zero-carbon ambitions without compromising lighting performance or reliability.
It is another example of how remanufacturing enables developers and designers to reduce environmental impact while making the most of the assets they already own.
Saving the planet, one remanufacture at a time.
Looking to Extend the Life of Your Lighting?
Whether you’re responsible for a sports venue, commercial building or public estate, remanufacturing can transform existing lighting assets while reducing costs, carbon and waste.
Contact DRK Lighting to discover how our remanufacturing process can deliver high-performance lighting without replacing what already works.
