Lighting may be an afterthought in your office design scheme, but it is one of the work environment’s most important — and under-appreciated — aspects. It enhances the security and aesthetic appeal of your workspace and can affect the mood of your customers and workers and augment (or diminish) employee performance. The type of commercial office lighting you choose for your workplace has the power to impact productivity, morale, and even customer satisfaction, making it one of the smartest investments you can make.
What To Consider When Choosing Office Lighting
The best products are durable, offer a good balance of natural and artificial lighting, comply with safety regulations, and put people at ease. So how do you choose the right office lighting for your space? Remember these principles if you’re in the middle of a workplace renovation or it’s time to replace or upgrade your office lighting.
Intensity
There is a fine line between lighting that is bright and lighting that is overwhelming. Overlit spaces can cause discomfort and glare and trigger migraines, while underlit spaces lead to eye strain and blurry vision. Either way, productivity suffers when lighting is unbalanced.
Color Temperature
The color temperature of your lighting can greatly impact the overall feel of your office. Generally, warmer colors create a more relaxed and inviting atmosphere, while cooler colors create a more energizing, productive environment.
Efficiency
Many commercial lighting products include smart, advanced technology to increase efficiency and ease of use. LED bulbs illuminate up to 100,000 hours and operate on lower wattages, saving you big bucks when lighting an office. Many LED lighting fixtures also come with occupancy sensors to ensure lights are only used when needed.
Placement
Location is key when choosing the right office lighting fixtures. If employees work on computers often, opt for gentle lighting that won’t compete with the blue light radiating from their monitors. If there are other light sources in the room, choose fixtures that provide visibility and illumination so employees can focus on the task at hand. Be sure to follow spacing guidelines from the manufacturer when placing office lighting and align fixtures with the shapes of desks.
Style
The style of your lighting should complement the overall design of your office. Whether you go for a modern, minimalist look or a more traditional design, ensure your lighting fits in with the overall aesthetic.
Types of Commercial Office Lighting
When shopping for commercial office lighting, you’ll find a variety of types available. Here are a few of the most popular styles and their advantages.
Wrap Lighting
An industry standard for retail and commercial spaces, these fixtures are great for illuminating bigger spaces due to their long-lasting performance and low maintenance.
Drop Ceiling Lighting
These fixtures are less conspicuous than wrap lighting but provide evenly distributed light, making spaces brighter and more comfortable, particularly larger areas.
Linear LED Lighting
These fixtures come in an array of styles and sizes, but they are typically longer and distribute light over a narrower area than other types of lighting. They include suspended and surface-mounted fixtures as well as recessed lights. Apparatus Studio makes a variety of linear LED fixtures, from sleek surface fixtures in silver and brass that can be mounted to the ceiling or wall to whimsical fixtures like its suspended cloud lighting and cylinder pendants. These fixtures modernize traditional offices and fit well everywhere, from conference rooms to break room lounges.
Gooseneck and Barn Lighting
Stylish and functional, these fixtures work great in industrial, modern, and rustically designed spaces. They can also be used to provide interior as well as exterior light and keep buildings brightly lit and secure. Fermob makes funky and fun fixtures that can light up a patio, balcony, or other outdoor office spaces, and some are even Bluetooth-enabled.
Task Lighting
These fixtures provide light for specific tasks in rooms that may already have some ambient light. They include desk and table lamps, under-cabinet lighting, and other lighting sources used to illuminate smaller or low-contrast objects. Teknion offers several innovative LED task lighting products, including the Sanna Lightbar, which can be oriented to suit the mood, task, or time of day, and the ergonomic Cerebro, which helps maintain comfortable lighting levels and monitor eye heights for employees using height-adjustable, sit/stand desks.
Acoustic Lighting
These fixtures incorporate sound-absorbing materials to help buffer excessive background noise in open office spaces, meeting rooms, lobbies, and other high-traffic areas. Buzzi Space, for example, makes a wide range of pendant lights, floor lamps, and chandeliers that integrate LED light with plush designs and sound-blocking capabilities. LightArt studio also has an acoustic lighting collection, in addition to its eclectic linear fixtures, sculptural installations, and unique chandeliers, pendants, and sconces.
Commercial Office Lighting FAQs
Wondering about the feasibility of replacing your current fixtures with more cost-efficient, sustainable choices? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.
Q: Why are LED office lighting fixtures better than fluorescent ones?
A: While fluorescent bulbs have been used for decades, LED bulbs are superior in their performance and energy efficiency, ultimately saving money for office managers. Studies have also linked them to improved employee productivity and a healthier workplace overall.
Q: How easily can lighting fixtures with fluorescent bulbs be converted into LED fixtures?
A: It’s not that hard! Many manufacturers offer retrofit kits to convert antiquated fixtures into modern LED lighting.
Q: Are LED products eligible for energy rebates?
A: Many utilities, municipalities, and states offer energy rebates on certain products, but these often require pre-approval before installation starts. It’s worth checking into because it can reduce the cost of your project significantly!
