Whether you are a commercial property designer or a fit out refurbishment specialist, one thing that you’ll have noticed is the vast array of commercial lighting options on offer these days. While it is great to have choice you may well be reading this because you are very confused and maybe even frustrated with the amount of choice on offer!
So, which options are best for your needs, or for the requirements of your project, what are essential and what are the ‘nice to haves’?
Let’s take a look at the different commercial lighting options on offer and give you some top tips on how to make informed choices.
Why it makes sense to upgrade to LED lighting
Most businesses will have made a move from fluorescent or incandescent light bulbs to energy-saving replacements. Today, though, it makes sense to upgrade from those newer types of lighting to LED technology. There are so many reasons why LED lights make sense, especially in a commercial environment.
For a start, they offer crisper, cleaner lights compared to energy-saving bulbs and other older technologies. Secondly, they work instantly the moment you turn your light switches on; there’s no delay or having to wait for bulbs to ‘warm up’ before they reach full brightness. And, finally, LED lighting consumes a fraction of the amount of electricity needed to power energy-saving bulbs and older fluorescent and incandescent ones.
It’s also worth mentioning that LED lighting is available in a plethora of different fittings and configurations to suit your needs. You can even choose from different colour outputs and Kelvin ratings to suit your needs. The LED technology is available for both indoor and outdoor lighting.
Consider using solar lighting where possible
Did you know that more businesses are choosing to combine LED lighting technology with solar energy? LED lights don’t require a lot of power to function, making them an ideal form of lighting to use in conjunction with solar power.
You could power your company’s exterior LED lights by solar power alone, for example. Or, you may wish to power some internal lights. The way that solar energy can power LED lights in a building will depend on the layout of the property. But, in general, it’s usually possible to combine solar power sources with LED lighting in commercial premises. Businesses that have buildings with a lot of roof space and with south-facing roofs are ideal for solar PV (photovoltaic) panel installations.
There are many advantages to using solar energy to power some or even all of your firm’s lighting needs. The main one is that you’ll significantly reduce your company’s energy bills, even on cloudy days, as long as your roof has direct access to the sun. Another advantage is that your business will get seen to be more ‘greener’ and can often be used as a marketing point to attract new customers.
Solar energy systems also don’t require much maintenance, which is always welcome when it comes to reducing your firm’s operating costs.
Ensure you’ve got the right lighting controls in place
While the basic principle of a light switch involves turning something on or off, it might surprise you to learn about the complexities of lighting controls! A lot of modern lighting systems for large spaces like retail stores and warehouses typically involves ‘control panels’ or electronic switches that turn lights on or off in phases.
If you’re planning to upgrade the lighting at your commercial premises, it makes sense to improve the lighting controls that you’ve currently got in place. They might be inadequate for your needs, or they could be quite old and potentially dangerous to continue using – even with lower consumption LED lighting.
In some premises, it can even make sense to have lighting controls that you can operate with remote controls. As you can imagine, such a solution can be incredibly useful in wide-open spaces like warehouses, supermarkets, shopping malls, and factories.
When designing your new or upgraded lighting solution, be sure to take into consideration the controls you use to operate them. Otherwise, you may find that your old controls are incompatible with your new lighting.
Know the difference between high bay and low bay lighting
Are you considering upgrading the lighting you have in place for a wide-open space like a warehouse or distribution centre? If so, it is important to understand the difference between high bay and low bay lighting.
In a nutshell, high bay lighting gets used in very high areas, typically eight metres or more, to provide adequate, well-distributed and consistent light. But, in contrast, low bay lighting is the preferred option for lower mounting heights (i.e. lower roofs or ceilings).
So, what’s the difference from a technical perspective between high bay and low bay lighting? The answer relates to the lumens (amount of light output) provided by the bulbs, tubes, or LEDs. In an open space, there must be enough spread of light to ensure the safety of employees, visitors, and customers in any area. After all, the last thing you want is to end up with a poor-lit warehouse, for example!
The good news is that a competent electrician and lighting expert can tell you immediately whether you’ll need high bay or low bay lighting at your premises.
Choose lights that are appropriate for the environment
Following on from the above high bay and low bay lighting options, it more than makes sense to select lighting appropriate for the commercial operating environment they are to get fitted.
For instance, flush fitting lights are ideal for offices and public areas. Strip lighting can be useful for emergency lighting solutions, especially in places like corridors and emergency access locations. If you run a restaurant business, for example, you may wish for decorative wall lighting to help set the scene you wish to convey to your diners.
Choose the right colour temperature for your needs
Earlier on in this blog post, there was a mention of Kelvin ratings. When measuring the colour temperature of bulbs and LEDs, we can measure them in Kelvins. There are three basic categories of ratings that you should make a note of or memorise:
- Warm White (2000K to 3000K). Produces a calming and inviting effect to people, and is useful in the hospitality industry;
- Cool White (3100K – 4500K). Offers a vibrant light output with a slight blueish tint, ideal for large spaces like warehouses and garages;
- Daylight (4600K – 6500K). Crisp and invigorating, daylight colour temperatures are perfect where employees need to concentrate on specific tasks such as food preparation or intricate electronics work.
As you can see, there are plenty of choices when it comes to purchasing lighting for your commercial premises! The colour temperature of your new or upgraded lights is just as important as the types of lighting themselves.
Always use professional commercial electricians
The last thing you want to do is tackle any lighting upgrades or wiring changes yourself in a bid to save your business some money. Nor does it pay to use a ‘handyman’ that might have a bit of electrical knowledge. Both scenarios can be dangerous both to the people carrying out any work and your employees.
With the above in mind, you should only use professional commercial electricians to undertake any electrical wiring and lighting upgrade work. Doing so means you can rest assured knowing that all work gets carried out by competent, qualified, and experienced tradesmen. What’s more, all lighting upgrades fitted will get covered by a guarantee in the rare event that something goes wrong later.
Qualified commercial lighting electricians will ensure that all work gets carried out in a safe and responsible manner. Plus, you can have peace of mind knowing that all work gets inspected to ensure everything has been done right.
At Like Electrical, we are a family-run team of electricians that are fully qualified professionals. We offer free site surveys, plus we carry out full electrical inspections and testing. Based in Suffolk, Like Electrical has provided workspace lights, office lights, and other lighting solutions for a plethora of businesses in a wide range of industries.
Contact us today on 0333 772 9599 to find out how we can upgrade your organisation’s lighting and provide a more effective solution for your needs. Our lighting solutions include CAD design through to the supply and installation of commercial lighting and controls.
Final thoughts on commercial lighting
Hopefully, this blog has given you some helpful hints and tips and even demystified the world of commercial lighting for you. It’s important that you know all the basics before investing your organisation’s money into new lighting for your premises. That way, you can make informed decisions and you’ll have an accurate idea of what to expect from your new lighting solution.
