A Guide to Lighting for Offices and Corporate Projects
Ensuring a safe, healthy, and productive work environment is vital for any business, and proper lighting for office spaces is a fundamental part of it. Although often underestimated, lighting is crucial for a project to reach its potential.
This article will cover different types of lighting, their purposes, the ideal color temperature for each section, and the importance of a well-planned lighting scheme.
Keep reading to discover how to optimize your office lighting projects.
Office Project Lighting
#1: Different Purposes of Lighting in an Office Space
Each section of a corporate project has its own needs and objectives, which should be reflected in the lighting choice. Here are the best practices for different areas of the office:
Reception Areas and Client Contact Zones
The reception is the first point of contact between the client and the company, so the lighting here should be carefully selected. Opting for a warmer color temperature can create a more pleasant and welcoming experience for visitors, and the design of the lighting fixture should reflect the image the company wants to convey to the market.
Lounge Areas
The focus in lounge areas should be on employee comfort and creating a relaxing environment. Depending on the company’s identity, you can choose more decorative and bold lighting to create a casual atmosphere or opt for simpler, functional solutions that promote a cozy and relaxing space.
Conference and Meeting Rooms
Although these are workspaces, conference and meeting rooms require more general lighting, without a focus on a specific area.
Maintaining a uniform lighting level and a color temperature between 4000K and 4500K is ideal for creating an environment conducive to concentration and idea exchange.
#2: What different functions can lighting fulfil?
Before starting the selection process of luminaires, it is essential to consider the different functions that lighting can perform:
- Represent the Company: The luminaires chosen for facades, entrances, and reception areas should be strategically selected, as these are areas where the company presents itself to the market, often for the first time, and so they should reflect the brand’s identity.
- Guide Users Through the Space: A well-lit space is essential to guide employees and visitors, increasing comfort and well-being. Different types of lighting help define the purpose and functionality of the space:
- Linear Lighting 🡥 : Helps guide users, creating the illusion of orientation and providing precise lighting in circulation areas without affecting adjacent workspaces.
- Wall Sconces 🡥 : Delimit and differentiate the divisions of the space.
- Promote Concentration: The combination of general lighting and task lighting provides greater visual comfort to the project, essential for promoting concentration and productivity among employees.
#3: The Best Color Temperature for Offices
The color temperature of lighting significantly affects employees’ performance and perception of space.
Measured in Kelvin (K), two opposite color temperatures define the spectrum: the lower end, characterized by yellow tones, and the higher end, characterized by blue-toned white light – a cooler temperature.
Neutral lighting most closely resembles natural light is found in the middle of the spectrum. Depending on the area, different color temperatures can be applied:
- Work Areas: Color temperatures of 4000K and above keep employees alert and promote concentration and productivity.
- Rest Areas: Neutral tones and warm color temperatures are ideal for sections that provide a more relaxed environment.
#4: Color Rendering Index (CRI)
Equally important to the color temperature is the ability of LED lighting to accurately reflect the true colors of the space. The Color Rendering Index (CRI) defines this parameter.
The CRI measures the ability of lighting to reflect the true colors of the space. The closer to 100%, the more realistic the colors will be, using natural light as a reference. For companies working with colors, such as interior designers, a high CRI is crucial.
Begolux’s standard for its production range is CRI 80. On special request, a higher CRI level can be achieved.
Another value to consider is the Unified Glare Rating (UGR). The UGR measures and compares the brightness emitted by different light sources. Lower values mean less glare.
- Micro-prismatic diffusers are the best option to control excessive brightness, due to their texture and small reliefs.
- Opal diffusers, with a smooth surface, are better suited for illuminating larger areas requiring more intense light.
#5: Three Types of Lighting for Office Projects
After considering all the aspects mentioned above, this is the phase of choosing the right lighting solutions for each area of the corporate project, considering the types of lighting each section requires. The lighting used in a rest area will not be the same as the lighting used in corridors.
We can distinguish three main types of lighting:
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General Lighting: Provides uniform light throughout the space, avoiding shadows and strong contrasts. Ideal for central circulation areas, ensuring a more comfortable orientation and a welcoming and balanced environment.
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Task Lighting: One of the most used in office projects and an indispensable one. In each workspace, whether individual or shared, it is important to have more intense and direct light that allows comfortable work with sufficient visibility.
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Decorative Lighting: Creates a cozy and attractive environment, highlighting shapes, colors, and textures. Ideal for receptions and areas aimed at stimulating creativity.
While different spaces require different types of lighting, it is recommended to use similar luminaires that complement each other, maintaining the visual cohesion of the space.
#6: What Impact Does Lighting Have on an Office Project?
Lighting plays a significant role in the functioning of offices and workplaces and has a direct impact on employees’ behavior and how they interact with the space.
Here are some reasons why good office lighting is essential and how you can benefit from it:
- Well-being and Productivity: Lighting greatly affects people’s mood and productivity. Adjusting lighting levels to the space reduces visual fatigue and improves employees’ mood, increasing productivity.
- Combining Different Types of Lighting: Combining diffused and direct lighting is an effective approach to ensuring an adequate level of illumination in offices. While diffused light creates a more comfortable environment for the eyes, direct light is used to illuminate work areas or highlight certain elements of the space.
- Circadian Rhythm: It is more than proven that exposure to natural light during the day is fundamental for regulating circadian rhythms. The way it affects sleep, mood and cognitive performance makes it essential to guarantee a good level of natural light in the space. However, if this is not possible, the solution is to use lighting systems that replicate this natural cycle, such as Tunable White.
#7: How to make a lighting project more sustainable?
To design sustainable lighting systems, it is important to consider several points beyond the energy efficiency of luminaires. To ensure the most sustainable lighting project possible, you should:
- Use LED lights: Known for their energy efficiency, LED lights are the best choice for office projects because they reduce energy consumption, have a longer lifespan, require less maintenance and support the project’s sustainability by reducing the carbon footprint.
- Opt for Durable and Sustainable Materials: Use aluminum luminaires and other low-impact materials, such as natural materials 🡥. Aluminum is lightweight, long-lasting, and recyclable, making it an eco-friendly choice. Incorporating such materials reduces waste and environmental impact of the final project.
- Control Systems: Implement systems that regulate and minimize energy consumption, especially in large office spaces. This reduces costs and gives you greater control over lighting. Discover all the advantages of this type of system here 🡥.
- Lighting Study: Determine the amount of light needed for each zone, reducing unnecessary costs and optimizing lighting.
#8: Luminaires for Office Lighting Projects
From the perspective of any corporate space lighting project, the selection of lighting fixtures is not just about the functional part of illuminating the space.
It is also about creating an atmosphere that incorporates the company’s identity and values. As such, the selection of luminaires should balance functionality and aesthetics, incorporating the company’s identity. Some examples include:
In this section, you can find some projects that Begolux has carried out in corporate spaces and the lighting solutions applied.
Lighting in offices plays a crucial role in the well-being, productivity, and performance of employees.
By addressing the specific needs of each space and choosing the most appropriate solutions, it is possible to create healthier, more comfortable, and stimulating work environments.
Optimize your office lighting projects with Begolux and contact our team for more information.
Secure the best lighting solutions for your projects
Secure the best lighting solutions for your projects
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comercial@begolux.com
Tel.: (+351 229 734 355)
(Landline International Call)
VISIT OUR SHOWROOM
