(UK) – The UK lighting industry is increasingly exploring ways to extend the life of existing luminaires as environmental pressures, regulatory changes, and economic realities converge. That was the core theme emerging from Circular Lighting Live 2026, which took place on 8 October in the City of London.
Organised by Recolight, the annual conference brought together a diverse community of lighting manufacturers, designers, consultants, and sustainability specialists to discuss how circular economy principles are being applied in practice across contemporary lighting projects. For many years, lighting projects have largely followed a traditional linear model. In this conventional approach, existing fittings are routinely removed and discarded during refurbishments, or whenever technologies become obsolete due to the rapid pace of innovation.
However, speakers at this year’s conference suggested that this linear approach is increasingly being challenged by innovative projects that retain, upgrade, and repurpose existing luminaires. Discussions throughout the day focused heavily on how circular economy principles are beginning to influence specification decisions, procurement strategies, and commercial business models throughout the entire sector.
Among the various circular approaches presented during the event, remanufacturing was highlighted as one of the most established and viable pathways. With the continued phase-out of traditional fluorescent light sources and growing industry-wide pressure to reduce embodied carbon, many organizations are reassessing whether it makes more sense to upgrade existing luminaire housings rather than replacing them entirely with brand-new units.
Real-world examples showcased during the conference ranged from large-scale commercial projects, such as the extensive remanufacture of 8,000 luminaires presented by DRK Lighting, to sensitive heritage applications. A prominent example of the latter was Leadenhall Market, where Light Projects Evolve successfully refurbished historic fittings and developed bespoke LED solutions carefully designed to preserve the unique architectural character of the site.
These projects were cited by delegates and speakers as compelling evidence that remanufacturing can be applied successfully across a wide variety of building types and project scales. Yet, while remanufacturing appears to be gaining significant traction within the professional sphere, several speakers noted that large-scale luminaire reuse continues to present distinct operational and logistical challenges.
Hattie Emerson of the Finishes and Interiors Sector addressed these hurdles during her session, discussing ongoing efforts to redistribute lighting products that are removed during Cat A fit-outs. Emerson highlighted the persistent logistical and commercial barriers that continue to limit the development of a robust secondary market for used luminaires, emphasizing that infrastructure and supply chain coordination must improve if reuse is to become mainstream.
A recurring theme throughout the entire conference was the pivotal role that commercial models play in enabling true circularity. Speakers argued persuasively that reuse, remanufacturing, and leasing approaches allow value to be retained in products for much longer periods. This retention of value creates valuable new opportunities for manufacturers and service providers to generate revenue streams beyond the traditional, one-off sale of new equipment.
In his keynote address, John McRae, a director at prominent architectural practice Orms, encouraged delegates to seriously consider alternatives to conventional consumption models. Designer Sabine De Schutter similarly suggested during her presentation that embracing reuse and upcycling can provide exciting creative opportunities for designers rather than acting as design limitations.
Reflecting on the shifting mindset of the industry, John McRae, Director at Orms, said: "This year’s conference was a step change towards a more circular approach where speakers shared their innovation and lessons learned. The industry has been guilty of an addiction to selling new, but this year disassembly and take-back schemes were amongst the examples shared. The future of lighting is not brighter. It is wiser."
Alongside deep-dive discussions on product reuse and remanufacture, the comprehensive conference programme also explored Environmental Product Declarations, known as EPDs, alongside important updates to the TM66 circularity framework. Delegates also examined emerging regulatory measures expected to place a much greater emphasis on the repairability and upgradeability of lighting technology in the near future.
Several sessions during the event suggested that embodied carbon considerations are rapidly becoming just as important within lighting specifications as the long-established focus on operational energy performance. As buildings face stricter net-zero carbon targets, the carbon cost associated with manufacturing, transporting, and disposing of luminaires is drawing intense scrutiny from clients and specifiers alike.
Materials innovation also featured prominently on the agenda, with presentations examining the potential of bio-based plastics and advanced additive manufacturing processes that utilize recycled materials to create new components. Together, the presentations and case studies pointed to a fundamental shift in how the industry designs, procures, and manages lighting assets. The overarching direction is clear: preserve the value of what is already installed, extend its useful life wherever possible, and build the commercial models that make circularity financially viable.
