Lichfield Cathedral School Crest

Lichfield Cathedral School

Energy & Cost Savings Proposal

Lichfield Cathedral School

This proposal turns your energy data into a live, transparent financial plan for a full-site LED upgrade - built to reflect how your school actually operates.

Why This Dashboard Matters

Every LED upgrade proposal should come with complete transparency - and a clear explanation of what’s being offered, how it performs, and what it’s worth over time. This interactive dashboard gives you exactly that: real figures based on conservative assumptions, premium fixtures selected for compliance and long-term performance, and calculations you can explore and verify yourself.

Use the scenario planner to test different assumptions. Adjust your energy rates, usage schedules, or operational patterns and see the real-time impact on your financial outcomes. This is how a properly engineered LED upgrade should be presented - practical, flexible, and fully accountable.

If you'd like to walk through any aspect together, our team is here to explain the detail behind every calculation and support your decision-making process.

Key Assumptions & Methodology

This proposal demonstrates how your existing energy budget can fully fund a comprehensive LED upgrade, including both premium fittings and professional installation, while achieving immediate positive cash flow.

Conservative Projections

Our calculations use conservative estimates to ensure realistic outcomes. We've based operating hours on minimum school patterns without including potential additional savings from extended day periods, enhanced controls, or future energy price increases.

Premium LED Specification

We've specified higher-efficiency LED solutions that extend whole-life value. With 60,000+ hour lifespans and superior lumen-per-watt performance, these fixtures deliver a stronger return on investment over their operational lifetime when compared to standard fittings.

Flexible Financing

Our financing options allow you to spread the investment over time while maintaining positive cash flow. Adjust the funding term and deposit in the calculator to find the optimal structure for your budget.

🚀 Quick Start Guide

This dashboard calculates your potential savings from upgrading to LED lighting. Use the Scenario Planner (left sidebar) to adjust assumptions and see real-time updates across all metrics.

🎛️ Using the Scenario Planner

Usage Profile Toggle
  • OFF (Default): Conservative estimates for budget planning
  • ON: School's actual usage patterns for realistic projections
Key Adjustments
  • Zone Days: Adjust operational days for each building zone
  • Electricity Rate: Update with your current rate (£/kWh)
  • Area Hours: Fine-tune daily usage per area
  • PIR Toggle: Enable/disable sensor calculations
Financing Options
  • Funding Term: 12-87 months available
  • Interest Rate: Adjust based on your quote
  • Deposit: Optional (0-100% of project cost)

📈 Understanding the Results

Key Metrics to Watch
  • Annual Savings: Your yearly energy cost reduction
  • Simple Payback: Years to recover investment (self-funded)
  • Net Monthly Cash: Savings minus funding payment
  • Energy Reduction %: Efficiency improvement
Visual Indicators
  • Gauge Charts: Show % reduction in energy/cost/CO₂
  • Bar Chart: Savings breakdown by area
  • Green Values: Positive savings/cashflow
  • Yellow Values: Costs/payments
Report Sections
  • Executive Summary: Board-level overview
  • Financial Impact: 10-year & lifetime projections
  • Technical Details: Fixture specifications
  • Environmental Impact: Sustainability metrics

💡 Common Use Cases

For Governors

Focus on Executive Summary and Financial Impact sections. Check monthly cashflow position.

For Finance Teams

Adjust funding terms and rates. Compare funded vs self-funded options. Export settings.

For Facilities

Review area hours, check fixture details, validate PIR sensor placement.

⚡ Pro Tips
  • Click "View Settings Summary" to see all current assumptions at a glance
  • Use "Reset Defaults" to quickly return to baseline calculations
  • Compare conservative vs actual usage to understand the range of possible outcomes
  • The Executive Summary provides all key metrics for board presentations

Estimated Energy & Cost Analysis

Estimated Consumption, Expenditure & Emissions

Current Installation

Post LED Upgrade

Estimated Annual Savings

The Financial Case

The Financial Impact

Cash Flow Neutral or Better from Day One

Your projected energy savings are designed to match or exceed funding costs. By adjusting deposit levels and funding terms, you can tailor the financial profile to suit your strategy - ensuring the upgrade delivers immediate value while modernising your estate.

Visual Analysis

Visual Comparison: Current vs. Estimated

Savings Contribution by Area

Lighting Transformation Details Click to reveal

Hardware specifications & performance analysis
🔄
Performance metrics update automatically with your Scenario Planner
Values below reflect your current settings and will change as you adjust the controls.
Loading current settings...

Hardware Transformation Overview Fixed Specifications

601
Optimised LED Fixtures
46.8kW14.4kW
Total Load
15 → 12
Fixture Types
73%
Load Reduction
Performance Metrics Below Update with Scenario Changes

Detailed Fixture Specifications Fixed Data

View complete fixture list

Current Fixtures (To Be Removed)

Fixture Type Qty Unit Power Total Load

LED Replacements (To Be Installed)

Fixture Type Qty Unit Power Total Load

Additional Controls & Sensors (Included)

Control Type Qty Function -
FLUSH PIR 18 Motion Detection -
IP65 MICROWAVE SENSOR 22 Presence Detection -
2D MICROWAVE SENSOR 25 Presence detection -
TOTAL CONTROLS 65 - -

Performance by Area Live Updates

Updates with scenario changes

Technical Performance Advantages

⚡ Superior Quality

Professional-grade LED drivers ensure consistent, flicker-free light output and protect your investment with built-in surge protection.

🔧 Reduced Maintenance

High-quality drivers mean fewer failures, longer fixture life, and less disruption - crucial for maintaining a productive learning environment.

📊 Smart Controls

PIR sensors in 5 areas deliver automatic 33-75% additional savings.

Here's What Most Schools Don't Realise...

You're already paying for this LED upgrade — you're just not getting one. Every month, Lichfield Cathedral School spends approximately £800 on lighting energy. But what if that £73 monthly saving could be redirected into educational resources from day one?

Why "Whole of Life" Beats "Lowest Upfront Cost"

Most LED upgrade projects fall into the same trap: choosing the cheapest possible fittings to tick the "sustainability" box. But in doing so, many schools end up locking in higher long-term costs — paying more in energy bills, maintenance, and replacements for years to come.

That's why we've taken a total cost of ownership approach to your lighting upgrade. Our specified fixtures deliver 60,000+ operational hours — that's 34+ years of typical school use. This isn't just about energy savings; it's about creating lasting value for your school.

*Fixture Lifetime Calculation:

  • Operating range: 4-8 hours/day at 160 days/year
  • Conservative estimate: 34 years (9hr/day baseline)
  • Your weighted average: 6.5 hours/day = approx. 42 years

*Financial projections use the conservative 9-hour baseline

A Smarter Balance of Cost and Performance

For this project, we've focused on delivering the best long-term value within the practical budget constraints of a state school. The fixtures we've selected offer a strong balance between affordability and durability — significantly reducing the need for future replacements and lowering maintenance overhead.

This ensures you benefit from high-quality, energy-efficient lighting that cuts running costs year after year, without compromising your upfront budget. It's a smarter investment that supports both operational and sustainability goals in a way that's financially realistic.

The result? Over 34 years, that's £300,000 returned to your educational budget — money for books, technology, and what really matters: teaching.

Beyond Energy Savings: The Complete Value Picture

🎓 Enhanced Learning Environment

Superior light quality with CRI 80+ and reduced flicker. Research shows proper lighting improves concentration and can boost academic performance by up to 15%.

🔧 Operational Excellence

Virtually eliminate maintenance for the next decade. No more disrupted classes, emergency call-outs, or budget surprises from failed tubes.

🌍 Environmental Leadership

Cut 38,634 kWh annually (77% reduction). Visible climate action that becomes a teaching tool.

Why Schools Trust Our Approach

  • 5-Year Parts & 1-Year on-site Labour Warranty - Complete peace of mind with comprehensive coverage on all fixtures and installation
  • Education-Focused Installation - We work around your term dates, exams, and events - installations scheduled during holidays or weekends to ensure minimal disruption
  • Future-Proof Technology - Compatible with smart controls and IoT integration when you're ready
  • UK-Based Support - Local technical team with rapid response for any issues
  • VAT Recovery Assistance - We guide you through reclaiming 20% of your project cost - the government effectively pays for a fifth of your upgrade
  • End-to-End Project Management - From initial survey to final commissioning, we handle everything

⚠️ The Hidden Costs of "Cheap" LED

Beware of contractors offering rock-bottom prices. Low-quality LEDs often deliver only 20,000-30,000 hours, use inefficient drivers that waste energy, and suffer from colour shift and lumen depreciation within 2-3 years. You'll end up replacing them twice while our fixtures are still performing at 90% output.

What is UGR<19 and Why Does It Matter?

Educational Research Findings

Studies consistently show that lighting quality affects how students learn and feel in class. International standards (EN 12464-1, SLL Lighting Guide 5) recommend a Unified Glare Rating (UGR) ≤ 19 for classrooms to avoid discomfort glare. When classrooms meet this benchmark, students experience less eye strain, fewer headaches, and improved ability to concentrate for extended periods.

Research has linked low-glare, well-designed lighting to measurable academic benefits: faster and more accurate reading, better comprehension, and calmer behaviour. Teachers also report less visual fatigue and more effective classroom management when lighting conditions are comfortable and consistent.

By contrast, non-UGR-compliant lighting — such as bare LED fittings — has been associated with headaches, visual discomfort, reduced clarity on boards and screens, and heightened distraction. Poor glare control can undermine both attendance and attainment.

Our Commitment: Unifi.id exclusively specifies UGR-compliant lighting fixtures in all educational environments where they are required, ensuring optimal learning conditions whilst delivering energy savings. We never compromise on visual comfort for the sake of cost reduction.

Smart Control Strategy Maximising Efficiency

Beyond the core LED upgrade, strategic deployment of occupancy sensors transforms your energy profile by ensuring lights operate only when spaces are occupied. The hours shown in the calculations already reflect these intelligent reductions:

This comprehensive approach also avoids future retrofit costs. Installing sensors later - particularly in corridors and circulation areas - would require additional mobilisation costs and cause more disruption. By addressing all control upgrades now, we maximise efficiency whilst minimising long-term costs. And of course using your PIR sensors will extend the life of your LED lights still further - by between ${minPirExtension}% and ${maxPirExtension}%.

Funding Options

Self-Funding: If you choose to self-fund this project, payment terms are 40% on order and 60% on completion.

Finance Options: If you prefer to spread the cost, we offer flexible financing with up to 100% funding available. Choose your preferred deposit amount (if any) and use the Funding Assumptions calculator opposite to explore monthly costs and terms that work for your budget.

Executive Summary

Conservative Projection

Financial Performance

Annual Savings
£9,194
Simple Payback
4.0 years
Funded Payback
5.0 years
Return on Investment
25% per year
Monthly Cashflow Analysis
Energy Savings
£766
Net Position
+£3/month
Funding Payment
£763
Cashflow Status
Positive from Day 1

Long-Term Value Creation

10-Year Value
£92k
30-Year Value
£276k
Value vs Investment
7.5x return
Sustainability Impact
Energy Reduction 79%
CO₂ Reduction 10.2t/yr
Learning Quality UGR<19

Calculation Methodology: Projections based on conservative operational estimates with mixed-zone scheduling. Energy savings calculated using actual fixture consumption data with PIR sensor optimisation in 4 areas. Financial returns assume £0.21/kWh electricity rate with no annual inflation adjustments.

Investment Parameters

  • Capital Required: £37,000
  • Financing: 60 months at 4.75%
  • Deposit Flexibility: 0-100%
  • Payment Terms: 40% order, 60% completion

Quality Assurance

  • 5-year parts warranty
  • 3-year on-site labour included
  • 60,000+ hour rated lifespan
  • Minimal maintenance required

Recommendation: Approve LED upgrade with 60-month financing term
Zero capital risk with immediate operational savings and 25% annual ROI