'Intelligent' lighting is set to go global.

Byline: Andrew Mernin

ALIGHTING control company which has attracted interest from one of London's largest financial players is poised to illuminate a massive new market with its latest design.

Hartlepool-based Durable Technologies has developed a light control module that has the intelligence to control and reduce the use of energy in large buildings, such as colleges, office blocks and hospitals, but is also highly cost-effective and easily installed.

Until now, the 'intelligent' units that house micro-processors to read and react to changing situations have had to be installed by a commissioning engineer, which can add significant extra costs.

Durable's new budget product means that contractors can now install it themselves, cutting out potential delays to building projects.

Alex Carter, who set up the company with his wife Lorraine in UK Steel Enterprise's Innovation Centre in Hartlepool, said: "Our new low-budget product means that contractors can now install it themselves so we are carving out a whole new market.

"We are currently investing a lot of time in getting the product known. Our first order has just been shipped to Ireland for a school building and the company responsible for the Gherkin building in London is also very interested.

In fact, such is the interest from Swiss Re - which calls the famous Gherkin building home - Mr Carter believes a contract with the re-insurance giant to supply lighting controls to some of its other premises is imminent.

As Mr Carter looks to exploit a market which he says is worth around pounds 100m, he is planning on taking the product global.

"Primarily it will make sense to run with the old British Empire because their electricity is the same as ours they run on 230 volts and similar infrastructure."