SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH

Our major goal is a closed and reusable material cycle. To achieve this, TRILUX has for several years been involved in forward-looking research projects with partners.

REPRO-LIGHT FOR EUROPE

Repro-light (re-usable and re-configurable parts for sustainable LED-based lighting systems) aims to guide the European lighting industry towards a more sustainable and competitive future.

The research project is looking for ways to design a modular architecture and an intelligent production scheme for LED luminaires and make lighting technology fit for the circular economy.

SUMATRA FOR THE FUTURE

Important findings and issues are pursued in the SUMATRA project (sustainable materials in future luminaire designs – from recycling back to application). This first initiative in the research area of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) on "resource efficiency in the context of the energy transformation" was launched on 01 June 2021 and will run through to September 2023.

TRILUX is the project coordinator, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM) and the companies Interseroh and Osram also participate. Kardoff Ingenieure Lichtplanung are involved as an associated partner. Together, we aim to develop even more sustainable LED lighting systems. 

CORN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

TRILUX is also experimenting with sustainable and biodegradable materials. One result is the first PLA Parelia prototype. As part of material research projects, TRILUX together with the architectural practise GRAFT are searching for an environmentally friendly and renewable raw material as an alternative to the classic plastic-based luminaire shells. The decision was taken for polylactic acid (PLA), a sustainable raw material that can be obtained from corn starch.

Thanks to its material properties, this biocompatible thermoplastic is suitable for manufacturing luminaire housings using 3D printing processes. PLA products absorb little moisture and their flammability is low, whilst UV resistance, colour fastness and bending strength are high. We are currently investigating the quality and performance of PLA-Parelia LED under real operating conditions

Further topics