UK firm unveils 3D printed bioplastic downlight

A UK lighting company has unveiled a downlight that’s been printed from plant-based polymers.

Peterborough-based retail lighting specialist Shop Light says the Colt Bio is a luminaire based on circular economy principles.

Made in the UK, the Colt Bio is a recessed fixed downlight made from sustainable bioplastic. The housing made from Greentech Pro, a material with excellent flexural strength and little warping, as well as a high-quality surface. It’s food-safe and biodegradable to DIN EN ISO 14855.

Digital printing means the outer bezel on the downlight can be manufactured to any size up to 300mm diameter, making it suitable for replacing existing, larger downlights.

It’s also made from recycled, recyclable and biodegradable materials, is designed to remain in use and, when it does reach end of life, can be handed back to Shop Light under its buy back scheme, when it can then be reconditioned.

The Colt Bio features a high efficiency chip-on-board LED module, reflector and remote electronic driver.

The fully upgradeable light comes in a colour rendering of CRI90 as standard, in colour temperatures of 2700K, 3000K, 3500K and 4000K.
There are also special versions for bakeries (2400K) and meat counters (3100K and 200K).

The 27W unit delivers 4131 lumens in 20, 30, 45 or 55 degree beam angles.

Shoplight also has a remanufacturing service for retailers and hospitality customers, dubbed Recycle. The company removes the luminaires from the store onsite and replaces them with temporary loaned replacements. It then upgrades the LED module and drivers and returns the upgraded light to the store. The luminaire has been tested and warrantied for five years.

Stoplight says the new LED module and driver will typically reduce the energy consumption by between 15 and 20 per cent due to the improved efficiencies of new LED modules.

Additionally, based on a London store with 150 spotlights, it would expect a a saving of around 0.6 tonnes of carbon through transport would be saved per store compared to replacing with new.

Around  75kg of light fittings, per store, would no longer be sent to landfill. Finally, there would be the removal of 26kg of packaging per store compared to new.

No trading days are lost in the process to replacing with new.

• Diary date: Circular Lighting Live 2024, Recolight’s flagship conference and exhibition, takes place on Wednesday 9 October 2024 at the Royal College of Physicians in London. Free to specifiers, Circular Lighting Live 2024 will feature leading experts, specifiers and policy makers who will share their insights into forthcoming standards and legislation, emerging technologies and new business models. More info: www.circularlighting.live