December 2019 – Modernization of lighting at Kermi in the Czech Republic

Kermi s.r.o., located in Stříbro (Western Bohemia), was founded in 1996 by the German parent company Kermi GmbH. More than 750 employees produce radiators for worldwide distribution at a fully automated production line.

More light means more safety – thanks to LED technology at less costs
In oder to guarantee a constant production, individual components are stored in the nearby warehouse and delivered on demand day and night to the work stations. Energy Scouts Tomáš Fictum and Jakub Tauer wanted to improve the lighting along the delivery routes, especially in a roofed area of the company’s premises, while reducing power consumption at the same time. They decided to install new LED lighting with investment costs of around 7,000 Euro. They replaced 26 old sodium discharge lamps equaling a total power input of 8.2 kW with 34 LED lights equaling power input of 1.3 kW. Thanks to the replacement, the average light intensity increased from 26.5 lux to 59.7 lux, which at the same time improved on-the-job-safety conditions considerably.

Twice as bright for around one-sixth of the previous costs – year by year the project saves around 31 MWh of electricity and therefore reduces emissions of 24.4 t carbon dioxide. The investment pays off in 3.5 years, and additionally the LED lights need less maintenance.

Project done – but the Energy Scouts just keep on going
After the success of their first project, the two Scouts went on to the next idea. The radiators Kermi produces need to be flushed and tested for leaks during final inspection. The water used in this process is usually cleaned by sand filtration. The water can be reused for testing for a given time. The Scouts installed an additional drum filtration to keep the water in use for a longer period. Using the same water for one or two months longer means that the amount of fresh water needed for this process can be reduced. Furthermore, the Energy Scouts proposed to install a photovoltaic system on four roofs of the company and are currently awaiting approval of the management for this measure.

Lighting

  • Industry sector: Other metalworking industry
  • Energy source: Electricity
  • Energy saving potential: 31 MWh/a
  • Potential CO2 savings: 24.4 t/a
  • Potential cost reduction: 2,000 €/a
  • Investment costs: 7,000 €
  • Payback period: 3.5 years
  • Company:
    Kermi s.r.o.
    Dukelská 1427
    349 01 Stříbro
    Tschechische Republik
    www.kermi.cz
Tomáš Fictum and Jakub Tauer during the presentation of their project in the AHK Czech Republic (©AHK Czech Republic)
Before - differences in lighting are obvious. (©Kermi s.r.o.)
After - Lighting conditions have been significantly improved. (©Kermi s.r.o.)