Circular Lighting Live 2026: Speakers announced

Clients and specifiers are asking more challenging questions about embodied carbon, material choices and end-of-life product responsibility. Legislation on repairability and upgradeability is approaching, and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are increasingly becoming a requirement rather than a differentiator.

Organised by Recolight, Circular Lighting Live 2026 is the event where those questions get answered. Taking place on 8th October at The Minster Building in the City of London, the conference brings together designers, specifiers, manufacturers, and supply chain professionals to explore the practical realities of a low-carbon future. Alongside the multitrack conference programme is an exhibition of sustainable lighting innovation.

Keynotes
The day opens with Vision 2040, in which John McRae, director of Orms, pictures a lighting industry beyond the take-make-use-waste model. A second keynote, Beyond Fast Lighting, sees Sabine De Schutter, founder of Studio De Schutter, argue for upcycling as design strategy.

Following the keynote presentation, delegates can choose from six specially curated sessions to get the most out of the day.

Data & Compliance: Alexander Flekler (WAGO) and Flavie Lowres (Recolight) unpack what EPDs mean for the supply chain; Neil McLean (Lutron Electronics) uncovers the tidal wave of circular economy legislation from Europe.

Innovation & Material: Niclas Thulin (Fagerhult) and Dean Skira examine how material choices and AI-driven design are cutting embodied carbon in new products.

Disruptive Design, the Role of Designers: Explores how independent lighting designers are shifting specification habits in response to regulation and client demand.

Projects Uncovered, Real World Lessons: Ryan Bean (CBRE) and John Bowden & Brendon Airey (Light Projects Evolve) present the remanufacture of Leadenhall Market’s historic fittings, offering lessons in heritage-sensitive circular practice.

Carbon Literacy: Sojan Johny (The Carbon Literacy Project) introduces the Carbon Literacy framework; Chris Newman (Albis) surveys the latest low-carbon and bio-based polycarbonates.

Confronting Cat A, Six Ways to Cut Waste: examines leasing models and design-for-reuse approaches to reduce waste from Cat A fit-outs.

The day also hosts the Build Back Better Awards 2026, celebrating creativity, innovation and environmental leadership in lighting.

Early Bird rate for manufacturers ends on 31st July
Manufacturer tickets are available at a reduced price, with an early bird rate available to end of July, plus a further discount for Recolight WEEE Compliance Scheme Members. Manufacturers are urged to secure their place now before the early bird deadline passes.

Free places for specifiers
Support from event sponsors means attendance is free for lighting specifiers. This includes independent lighting designers, architects, consulting engineers, wholesalers, and end-users. Specifiers are encouraged to reserve their complimentary delegate place as spaces are limited.

Circular Lighting Live 2026 is a timely opportunity for the whole lighting supply chain, specifiers, end users, manufacturers, remanufacturers, distributors, and contractors to understand the forces reshaping the products being made, stocked and specified, and the companies that supply them, as the industry moves toward a low-carbon, circular economy.

Book your place at www.circularlighting.live.

The conference is sponsored by Light Projects Evolve, Albis, Fagerhult, Thorlux Lighting, and WAGO.

A1 Lighting magazine are proud media supporters of Circular Lighting Live.