A complete guide to Office Lighting (desing, selection, and installtion)

Lighting in your office is an essential element for efficiency during work.

Poor lighting is considered one of the most popular design mistakes that may cause stress and annoying. On the other hand, appropriate lighting is suitable for mood and productivity. For that, you should pay more attention to office lighting design.

In that article, we will go through different elements that could help you have an efficient office lighting.

Related Office Lighting Products

LED Panel Lights

LED Linear Lights

LED Tube Lights

LED Track Lights

Types of Office Lighting:

The variety of light plays an essential role in the lighting selection process. There are a few different options, and each one has its pros and cons. There are two main types of Natural and Artificial lights.

Natural Light:

We are talking about daylight, the best form of lighting. Windows are great and advisable possessions in any office buildings, as they allow it to fill your space. It is superior to most of the artificial light because it increases workers’ satisfaction with their workplace and productivity. As well as, it affects both behavior and mood in a positive that most of the artificial lights can’t.

Natural light isn’t always a valuable option; it depends on the workplace itself; it may not fit in all workplaces. It would help if you took advantage of it only when you can and have the chance.

Ambient Light:

It is one of the most common forms of lighting, also working great when installed on the ceiling or fluorescent tubes are used. It has a soft glow, which is enough to work without a harsh casing environment.

Task Lighting:

It is a smaller and more concentrated light suitable for individual usage and workstations. It is to help seeing projects, and objects in a more delicate light, such as cooking, sewing, reading, writing, and many other things. Both the ambient and task lighting with the right combination is important in any office for better effect.

Accent and Directional Lighting:

It is a very concentrated light that is suitable for highlighting different objects, as it draws the eye to its focal point. This will illuminate the objects you want to have a focus on, such as wall washing, bookcase, artwork, furniture, and similar things. This light and task lighting shouldn’t be mixed as the functions of them are entirely different.

Factors for Choosing Best Office Lighting:

The brightness of the light:

It is one of the most critical factors you need to take into consideration when installing your lights. You need to make sure that you have enough illumination, as Too bright may cause eye problems and headaches, and too dull will make workers lazy and affect their efficiency. So you must ensure that office lighting is optimal for your environment.

Lighting Design:

With the massive expansion in the lighting industry, now there are too many lighting designs, but not all of them will meet your requirements. So you must choose the design that will work correctly for your office layout. You may consider the design that will add a decorative view without affecting the clarity of employees’ sight.

The Right Bulbs:

Their range and in intensity and color temperature is based on the Kelvin scale. 6500K bulbs will resemble regular daylight, which is the most common at offices. It is also vital that all lamps are the office have the same color temperature for balanced lighting distribution.

Indirect Lighting:

Reports from Consumer Health state that overhead fluorescent and direct lighting can cause sleep problems, headaches, or eye strain, especially with computer screens. So, you should replace them with indirect lighting and task lighting with low glare, and distribute light evenly around the office for the best coverage. Although, for computer screens, direct the illumination away from them and toward the work surface.

Position of the Lighting:

Location can be at the walls, ceiling, or even floor. So please choose the proper position of your office type and its function. Make sure that lighting is positioned well for all employees so that all of them can see clearly. If you have a large office, then you can have different positions for each section to match the various tasks to have an overall pleasant environment.

Office Space and Sections:

The size of your office is a significant factor during designing the lighting layout. This will affect the number of fixtures, and wattages to cover all areas of the office. Also, different sections with different functions mean different lighting fixtures to provide the proper lighting for each one of them. You may have different light because the activities and work may be different at each section.

Consider the Laws:

There are some laws and regulations by the government that must be followed when installing the lighting system in the office. The main aim is to ensure the safety of the employees in that particular office is guaranteed. If you are working at one of these institutions, then you must follow the standards and follow all the laws to stay out of trouble.

Some specific laws and regulations must be followed when installing the lighting system in the office.

Types of Office Lighting Fixtures:

LED Downlight:

It is used for general purposes such as the basement, or floors close to the walls to create an effect similar to wall washing in order to illuminate a brick, or colorful design. Also, If you have a focal point like a piece of art, or something important.

LED Panel Lighting:

LED panel lights have high luminous and energy-efficient which make them suitable for offices, halls, or different rooms that needs bright lighting. Using them will help in creating low glare lighting environment at your office. This will enhance your employees’ activities.

Troffer Lights:

A great choice for many locations where you need powerful lighting for large areas, fixtures to be out of the way and unnoticeable. They will ensure that your area looking good. These lights offer a concentrated lighting and an attractive appearance which making them ideal for almost any residential, or commercial buildings.

Linear Lighting:

Office linear lighting is the best way to illuminate the offices with very high ceilings and provide lighting without glare. It has a variety of fixtures to match your needs either modern look, industrial or commercial applications, or both of them.

Different Sections / Areas of Offices:

Conference Room: It is the most common section in all office buildings where you can hold meetings, discuss a new project, or follow up current situations of your business.
You can go for standard fluorescent or LED light, which is functional or go for elegant and decorative lights that will add an attractive look.
Reception Area:It is the entrance for clients, so it gives the first impression to them about your business, as it is the first section they will deal with at your office. So it is necessary to choose the right lights. You can control what your clients will feel.
If you want them to feel cozy, then use traditional lamps, modern lighting for a contemporary style feeling, or dark shade for a beautiful look. You have a variety of scenes; you choose what you need.
Hallways:No one is working at entrances, so it is an area where you should use economical lighting solutions. But it would help if you respected all the laws and rules at your building that your employees can come and go quickly and safely all the time.
Public Areas:They are essential, and you should choose their lighting correctly, as it will affect the surroundings. Lighting can create a pleasant environment that will make employees and workers feel better and more active. You can choose wall fixtures, modern lighting, panel LED lights, or a suspended lamp according to your needs and how you want the atmosphere in these areas.

Conclusion:

Proper office lighting is necessary for any commercial office building, or home office. Establish the optimal work environment can motivate your employees or dampen their energy, so paying attention to lighting can increase your productivity, and keep your employees healthy.