AN INNOVATIVE Hampshire firm has won the chance to trial its energy-saving device as part of a pioneering mission to create a carbon neutral business.

Romsey-based PhotonStar LED’s HalcyonPRO is an intelligent wireless lighting system which uses the behavioural, environmental and energy data that it gathers to deliver the right light at the right time.

It is among 12 eco-innovations which will now be tested in the Royal Bank of Scotland buildings, including the bank’s Trinity Quay building in Bristol and NatWest’s Fishponds branch in the city, which is set to become its very first carbon neutral branch.

The bank launched the RBS Bristol Innovation Gateway in June as part of its engagement with Bristol European Green Capital 2015 and specifically Bristol 2015’s Go Green scheme.

The challenge has three aims: to help RBS and NatWest save more energy, water and waste; to nurture new, brilliant ideas and help innovators and SMEs to accelerate their ideas to market.

Matt Hatcher, NatWest’s director of commercial banking for Bristol, said: “Taking part in the Bristol Go Green initiative was the perfect opportunity to introduce the RBS Innovation Gateway to the city and to launch a search for new, exciting and innovative ways to improve resource efficiency across our properties in Bristol.

“We had 93 applications and it was a tough task to select the final 12 to be trialled. If those innovations prove to be successful in our Bristol properties we hope to introduce them across the entire RBS estate to help us achieve our targets around sustainability.

“This test-bed also gives us an excellent opportunity to learn which innovations may be of use to our customers.

"It’s a win-win for the companies who now have the chance to trial their products in our buildings and for our customers who will benefit from what we learn.”

The Bristol Innovation Gateway is just one of several RBS Innovation Gateway Challenges that provide innovators and SMEs with the chance to trial innovative resource efficiency solutions on the RBS estate.

By offering access to the RBS property portfolio as a test bed, RBS can trial new technologies, obtain real data, and achieve long term, significant changes to the resource efficiency of its buildings.

To find out more about the Bristol Innovation Gateway and to keep up to date with future RBS Innovation Gateway Challenges register at see innovationgateway.rbs.com.