Lighting for offices and office buildings
Office lighting has a major effect on productivity, concentration, comfort and the health of staff. What matters is the right intensity, even light distribution and low glare when working with documents and at a computer – and in an office building, how the reception, corridors, meeting rooms and car park tie in with the offices.
We design, supply and install LED office lighting to EN 12464-1 – low-glare panels for suspended ceilings, linear luminaires for open-plan offices and meeting rooms, and daylight-based controls that save energy and eyes alike.
power drawn by the Cargo-partner office lighting after switching to LED panels
in operation without a single service call (Cargo-partner, Bratislava)
glare below the standard’s limit for computer work – PRIUS GP and PYTA panels, LOTA GP linear luminaires
installations in offices, public authorities and office buildings
What office lighting must handle
An office is not a factory hall – here the light must not merely be sufficient, it must not tire people. Dark spots reduce concentration; over-lit surfaces and glossy monitors cause glare. That is why in offices we address not only intensity but also glare, light colour and the lighting of walls and ceiling.
Low glare
For computer work the standard requires UGR ≤ 19. Microprismatic diffusers and correct luminaire placement remove reflections on monitors.
Uniformity
No dark corners and no over-bright patches. Lit walls and ceiling look natural and make the space feel larger.
The right light colour
Neutral white 4,000 K feels pleasant and does not strain the eyes with blue light the way cool white does. For demanding spaces, dynamic lighting that changes colour over the day.
Low running costs
LED panels with efficacy of up to 158 lm/W, daylight dimming by the windows and sensors in corridors and meeting rooms.
How much light an office needs
The required illuminance is set by EN 12464-1 according to the task. For offices the standard specifies not only intensity but also a maximum glare rating (UGR ≤ 19 for computer work) and uniformity. Glare is the most common problem with cheap panel luminaires.
The values are indicative. We determine the exact value for your premises in a lighting calculation, including UGR and uniformity.
| ILLUMINANCE | TYPE OF SPACE OR TASK |
|---|---|
| 100 lx | corridors, circulation areas |
| 200 lx | archives, changing rooms |
| 300 lx | copying, reception, entrance hall |
| 500 lx | writing, reading, computer work, meeting rooms |
| 750 lx | technical drawing, precision work |
Which luminaire for which office
We choose the luminaire type by the ceiling, the layout and what is done in the room. For offices we usually start from these three groups.
Suspended and plasterboard ceilings
Low-glare LED panels
One-for-one replacement of recessed fluorescent fittings. PYTA and PRIUS GP with a microprismatic diffuser (UGR < 19), optionally with DALI and an emergency module.
Open-plan offices and meeting rooms
Linear and pendant luminaires
Lines of light above the desks, UGR < 16. LOTA GP N emits 75 % downwards and 25 % onto the ceiling – the room feels airier. Track systems for flexible layouts.
Lighting controls: light by daylight and occupancy
Intelligent controls take an office to another level. Luminaires by the windows dim according to the daylight contribution, meeting rooms and corridors are lit only when occupied, and lighting scenes can be created for different activities. Dynamic lighting changes the light colour over the day and mimics natural daylight – supporting the body clock and concentration.
- daylight-based dimming
- presence sensors in meeting rooms and corridors
- lighting scenes for presentations and meetings
- dynamic light colour over the day
- DALI control and control from a phone
- emergency lighting of escape routes
Lighting the whole office building
In an office building, the offices are only part of the floor area. We design for the whole building at once, so that the reception, corridors, meeting rooms, back-of-house areas and car park have a consistent look, one control system and one supplier. Neutral white 4,000 K for work areas, warm white for rest zones and the reception.
Reception and entrance hall
The first impression of the building: 300 lx, a warmer light colour, pendant and designer luminaires, lighting of the logo and walls.
Solution for receptions →Corridors and staircases
100 lx, ceiling luminaires with a motion sensor – lit only when someone passes. Emergency lighting of escape routes.
Solution for corridors →Meeting rooms and shared spaces
500 lx with scenes for meetings and presentations, acoustic luminaires for noisy spaces, kitchenettes and washrooms with a sensor.
Luminaires for meeting rooms →Car park and parking garage
Outdoor lighting of the site and car park with night-time dimming; in a parking garage, luminaires with a motion sensor.
Solution for car parks →Case study
Cargo-partner offices in Bratislava
The logistics company’s offices were originally lit by 172 recessed fluorescent fittings, each drawing around 100 W. We replaced them with 60 × 60 cm LED panels of 54 W – thanks to the calculation, 74 luminaires were enough, less than half. The installed load fell from 17.2 kW to 4 kW.
Before
- 172 recessed fluorescent fittings
- approx. 100 W per fitting
- flicker and regular tube replacement
Solution
- 74 LED panels 60 × 60 cm, 54 W
- lighting calculation
- 10 years without a service call
“After 10 years everything still works and we haven’t had to change anything.”
Miroslav Šulovský, Manager Logistics, cargo-partner SR, s.r.o.
lower installed load
luminaires
instead of 100 W per luminaire
without touching the lighting
How we work together
Site survey
We look at the offices, ceilings, existing lighting and workstation layout.
DIALux calculation
The simulation determines the type, number and layout of luminaires, including UGR and uniformity.
Quote with payback
Price, savings and payback on the investment in one document.
Installation and controls
After working hours or at the weekend, room by room – with no interruption to work.
Warranty and service
3 to 5 year warranty depending on the luminaire type.
More office installations
All references with LED panels →
All4net90 LED panels since 2015Offices lit step by step with various panel models – recessed in plasterboard, surface-mounted in a frame and suspended, all 4,000 K.
Institute of Theatre and Film Research SAVLOTA GP N pendants, 34 WOffices of the Academy of Sciences in Bratislava with linear luminaires with direct and indirect light distribution.
PD Trenčianska Turná93 luminaires in the office building66 PRIUS panels with a microprismatic diffuser in the offices, SANDRA sensor ceiling luminaires, DENIS downlights and LIVIA linear luminaires in the back-of-house areas and kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to what customers ask us most often about office lighting.
Is it enough to replace old recessed fittings with LED panels one for one?
Often fewer are needed. At Cargo-partner, 74 LED panels replaced 172 fittings. A DIALux calculation shows how many panels, and in what layout, will meet 500 lx and the uniformity requirement – without needless over-sizing.
How many lux should an office have?
According to EN 12464-1, roughly 500 lx on the desk for writing, reading and computer work, 300 lx at the reception and 100 lx in corridors.
What is UGR and why does it matter?
UGR is the glare rating of a luminaire. For computer work the standard requires UGR ≤ 19; otherwise the luminaires reflect on the monitors and the eyes tire. That is why for offices we specify panels with a microprismatic diffuser (PYTA, PRIUS GP) or LOTA GP linear luminaires with UGR below 16. More in our article on glare.
Which light colour should we choose?
Neutral white 4,000 K for offices. Cool white (5,000 – 6,500 K) contains more blue and disrupts the body clock in the evening. If you want light that changes over the day, we offer dynamic lighting with adjustable colour.
Can the lighting be dimmed and controlled?
Yes. We supply both panels and linear luminaires with DALI, and then set up the controls by daylight, presence or scenes. With new lighting, controls cost a fraction of the price and in offices by the windows save a further tens of per cent.
Do we have to clear the offices during installation?
No. We install room by room, after working hours or at the weekend. Replacing a panel in a suspended ceiling takes minutes.
What warranty do you provide?
3 to 5 years on luminaires depending on the type – PYTA and LOTA GP 5 years, PRIUS 3 years.
Read on our blog
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