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Public realm lighting, Retrofit lighting, Road lighting 1 min read
Acrospire worked with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to deliver a borough-wide LED retrofit programme, upgrading around 500 lanterns using a bespoke retrofit kit. By retaining existing luminaires and replacing internal components, the scheme reduces energy consumption, minimises disruption, and preserves the visual character of residential streets.
Across the London Borough of Waltham Forest, street lighting has become a recognisable part of the local streetscape.
“We were looking to move to LED to improve efficiency but struggled to find a modern luminaire that matched the look and feel of what we already had,” explains Leo Cole, Street Lighting & Responsive Maintenance Manager, Engineer at the London Borough of Waltham Forest. “We didn’t want to replace these lanterns with standard fittings. They’ve become part of the character of the area. The shape and design are distinctive, and that was something we were keen to retain.”
Many of the borough’s lanterns feature a curved, architectural form that sets them apart from more typical ‘shoebox’ style luminaires. While visually well-suited to their surroundings, internally, they relied on older lighting technology with higher energy consumption and increasing maintenance requirements.
Supported by funding from the Mayor of London’s Energy Efficiency Fund (MEEF), the Council explored how these assets could be upgraded without full replacement, reducing cost, disruption and material waste.
With a focus on improving efficiency while preserving the visual identity of residential streets, the project developed into a borough-wide retrofit programme.
The London Borough of Waltham Forest’s term contractor, JB Riney, managed the planning, programming and installation of Acrospire’s LED retrofit solution, enabling the internal components of each lantern to be upgraded while retaining the original housing.
The process involved removing the existing optical system and control gear and installing a new LED light engine within the existing luminaire body. This approach preserves the external appearance of the lantern while delivering modern lighting performance.
A key stage in the project was the initial trial phase, where sample units were installed and assessed in a live environment. This allowed the Council to evaluate light levels, uniformity and potential light intrusion into nearby properties before committing to a wider rollout.
To address concerns around backlight into residential windows, Acrospire designed and introduced a back shield, reducing light spill while maintaining effective illumination at street level.
Following the successful trial, the programme moved into full delivery, with Dyson Road among the first locations completed, followed by additional residential streets across the borough.
Across the scheme, over 500 lanterns are being retrofitted, delivering a circuit wattage reduction of around 45% compared to the previous installation.
Installation was carried out in situ, with each retrofit taking approximately five minutes per lantern, enabling efficient delivery with minimal disruption to residents.
The luminaires were specified at 3000K, providing a warmer light output in line with the Council’s preferences for residential areas.
A key advantage of the retrofit approach is the ability to retain existing assets while significantly improving performance.
“Maintaining the look and feel of our existing lighting was important, but we also needed to improve efficiency,” says Leo Cole, Street Lighting & Responsive Maintenance Manager at the London Borough of Waltham Forest. “The retrofit approach has allowed us to achieve both, with minimal disruption.”
The result is a more efficient and sustainable lighting network that retains the visual character of the borough’s streets while reducing energy consumption and operational costs.
Maintaining the look and feel of our existing lighting was important, but we also needed to improve efficiency,” says Leo Cole, Street Lighting & Responsive Maintenance Manager at the London Borough of Waltham Forest. “The retrofit approach has allowed us to achieve both, with minimal disruption. Leo Cole, Street Lighting & Responsive Maintenance Manager, Engineer at the London Borough of Waltham Forest
Maintaining the look and feel of our existing lighting was important, but we also needed to improve efficiency,” says Leo Cole, Street Lighting & Responsive Maintenance Manager at the London Borough of Waltham Forest. “The retrofit approach has allowed us to achieve both, with minimal disruption.
Our story
The idea for Acrospire was formed in 2012 when founder Tim envisioned a different kind of lighting manufacturer: one that would not only deliver outstanding customer experiences but also prioritise fair treatment for its employees.
We’ve come a long way
Motivated by the belief the industry wanted and needed better, Tim shared his plan to establish his own venture with Hatty, who simply couldn't let him do it alone.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Protecting local jobs and ensuring the best quality possible.
Working from a rented office by day and assembling lanterns in a garage at night, Tim and Hatty set to work.
11 Years later
Acrospire now inhabits a 14000² ft manufacturing facility in Basingstoke, Hampshire. We’re a proud partner of the Made in Britain scheme, ISO9001 certified and a member of all relevant lighting industry trade bodies.
Along with great relationships with our customers and a great team! We've attracted some of the most experienced members of the lighting industry, all by following one golden rule.
A simple ethos
That runs through all that we do. Customers who have made the switch to Acrospire have found working with us to be a breath of fresh air.
If you’re a professional in the lighting industry, you’re probably familiar with warranties that range from 3 to 10 years, with extensions available on special request or at additional cost. At Acrospire, where we’re proud to be different, we offer a market-leading simple 12-year warranty, as standard.
We focus on our customers not our competition. We manufacture our products in the UK: with the exception of our solar products, our supply chain is within a 60-mile radius of our factory in Basingstoke: to maintain greater control over quality. We al
Speed of response is crucial when it comes to resolving warranty issues. If we’ve made a mistake, we own it, get to the root cause, and fix it as quickly as possible. We believe in timely communication with our customers and making the resolution pro
Test and Test Again
We believe in independent testing and certification. Our new product development is in line with ISO 9001. Many of our products hold ENEC Certification. To meet the requirements of ENEC we also send random product samples for third party safety testi
Our product design is another key factor in our ability to offer a 12-year warranty. We value engineer rather than cost cut, never compromising on quality. We stick to our processes and engage with our supply chain to ensure that every product meets