Dark Classrooms with Flickering Fluorescent Lights… Even in 2025, it Still Happens. For the Students and Teachers of 14 KOBA Schools in Antwerp, this is Fortunately a Thing of the past. Thanks to a large-scale relighting project by Jansen Energy Solutions, commissioned by VEB, 14 schools in Antwerp are now bathed in bright, energy-efficient light. The Result is Tangible: more Comfort, Better Performance, and a Lower Energy Bill.
More Light Quality and Sustainability
The involved schools still had outdated fluorescent lighting. Not only did these installations consume energy, but they are also notorious for their high flicker and malfunctions. Together with the Flemish Energy Company (VEB), a relighting project was developed and Jansen Energy Solutions was appointed as contractor. “An urgent update was indeed necessary,” says Arne Vandermeulen, account manager at Jansen Energy Solutions. “With modern LED fixtures, we could simultaneously ensure more light quality, safety, and sustainability.”
Expertise in Relighting
Relighting is one of the specialties of Jansen Energy Solutions. Over the years, the team has built solid expertise in various sectors: from the library and town hall in Grobbendonk (in collaboration with VEB), the football field in Lebbeke, the courthouse in Ostend, a residential care center in Bruges to office buildings of the Flemish Government (in collaboration with VEB) and school groups like GO! Brussels and KOBA (in collaboration with VEB). “We also apply this experience to schools,” Arne explains. “It shows how flexible and scalable relighting can be: a relatively simple intervention that immediately has a significant impact.”
Triple Win for KOBA
The switch to LED lighting provided the KOBA school group with three clear benefits at once:
- Scaling up the amount of light: according to standard EN 12464-1 for indoor lighting
- Less consumption, more light output: the new lighting fixtures are more efficient and powerful.
- Higher light quality: low UGR value and high CRI value
Light that Brings Well-Being
The impact of relighting goes beyond just the energy meter. Light is a crucial factor for well-being. “Good light quality ensures more focus, less absenteeism, and a more pleasant environment to learn and work in,” Arne clarifies. With LEDs, we can increase the CRI values. This means that the light almost matches daylight. That really makes a difference.”
