Office Lighting

Commercial Office Lighting Fixtures

Light fixtures for commercial office spaces require a specific amount of attention to maximize productivity, create a comfortable work environment for employees, and be welcoming to visiting guests who have high standards for first impressions. 

At Lighting and Supplies, we provide state-of-the-art commercial office lighting solutions for ceilings of any height. Our experts work with electrical contractors, project managers, and property owners to design lighting layouts that maximize lighting quality while maintaining budget friendly pricing and cost. 

Common Light Fixtures for Office Spaces

Ceiling lighting is one of the first concerns when it comes to choosing office lights, as these will be fixed in maximum quantity all over the office space. It is important to ensure overhead lights don’t have glare to them and not overly bright. Further, the positioning of ceiling lights should not be directly over the employee’s desk- that can only be feasible if the lights are smaller. 

Take a look at the most common lighting applications for commercial office spaces: 

Commercial Office Lighting by Room

Rooms throughout an office space require different types of lighting design and fixtures. Conference rooms and reception areas, for example, will have different lighting needs for their ceilings.

Below are different rooms within offices that have said variety of light fixture requirements.

1.) General Office Areas

Often in the form of large, general purpose areas used for offices and cubicles. For these areas, troffers and flat panel lights are the most popular due to the ceiling configurations normally seen in these areas. These types of fixtures produce solid light output while seamlessly integrating into these ceiling setups, making them a good choice for offices, especially at large scale.

2.) Break Rooms

Since these areas are typically a more relaxed atmosphere, their lighting requirements are less stringent. These areas normally use either drop ceiling style lights or suspended lighting, depending on how the interior of the building is configured. In this specific type of application, energy efficiency is the most important factor.

3.) Corridors & Hallways

Since most ceilings in office hallways and corridors are either of the drop ceiling or drywall type, troffers and flat panel lights are the most popular. Troffers are designed exclusively to work with drop ceiling systems, whereas flat panels can be used either in drop ceilings or attached directly to finished ceilings, depending on leadership’s interior design preferences. 

4.) Conference Rooms 

Drop ceilings are by far the most common configuration seen in conference rooms, and therefore they will be using either troffer lights, flat panels or some combination of the two. 

While troffers are specifically designed for use in drop ceilings, flat panels give the option of using in either drop ceilings or attached directly to a finished ceiling - allowing for flexibility in interior design.

Don’t discount track lighting in conference rooms either. Picture lights and track lights can provide illumination to wall art, awards on shelves and other points of interest.

5.) Kitchens & Dining Areas

Modern offices provide areas for that allow for preparing and consuming food. Depending on the size of the room and ceiling height, recessed downlights, pendant lights and under cabinet are most commonly found in these areas. 

6.) Server Rooms 

These rooms are rarely used aside from the occasional checking of data, network servers and general maintenance, their lighting requirements are usually less stringent than most areas within an office building. 

In these areas, suspended ceiling lighting and strip lights are the most common type of fixture used, as well as troffers if the room already has an existing drop ceiling. Cool lighting is preferred for these areas to since servers tends to generate a lot of heat. 

7.) Reception Areas

Since reception areas are usually the first impression for guests, it is important that these areas have high quality lighting and set the tone for the company’s culture. Practically every type of reception area will have finished ceilings, which narrows down the lighting fixture options.

Depending on the layout of the reception area, they typically will have troffers, recessed lights, track lights or flat panel lighting. 

8.) Stairways 

Wraparound, strip and shop lights are by far the most popular for stairways, due to their high lumen output for their size. For outdoor staircases, vapor tight and canopy lights are the most popular choice, due to their solid weather resistance and sturdy construction. 

9.) Utility & Storage Rooms

Maintenance and storage rooms have the least stringent lighting requirements. They are a lot more flexible in the type of light fixture used. Typically, simple strip and shop lights are the go-to option for these rooms, as they are not required to have weather resistance or have exceptionally high lumen output.

Preferred Lighting Options for Offices

Warm yellow or warm orange lights are better for relaxing and unwinding, while cool blue or cool white lights are better for waking up, working, and concentrating. Both fluorescent and LED bulbs emit light in the blue and white spectrum, making them ideal for morning illumination.

LED Office Lighting vs. Fluorescent

Even today, many offices use fluorescent lights overhead to save on costs, but that is not a recommended choice.

Fluorescent lighting might be a cheaper option for offices looking to cut cost, but using such lighting can come at a cost of employees’ health and well-being. Fluorescent lights are very bright and can seem rather harsh to employees with sensitive eyes and/or migraine tendencies.

When one is exposed to fluorescent lighting for too long, such lighting can hurt eyes and cause disturbances in sleep patterns and result in tiredness. Thus, such lights should be avoided.

Though the design aesthetic for fluorescent lighting in schools makes sense, in the age of ever increasing overhead and operating costs, reducing annual lighting expenses goes a long way in improving sustainability and the bottom line. LED technology offers a unique and powerful way in which to accomplish this, with no significant downsides.

Reduce Expenses & Energy Usage

When offices spend less money on their electricity bill, they can spend more money on highly qualified staff, state-of-the-art technology, and ensuring employees and customers alike can focus on getting the job done! 

What’s more, making the right choice in selecting a workplace lighting solution can go a long way in reducing overhead costs in both reduced energy consumption as well as maintenance costs.

LED lights are up to 70% more efficient than traditional lighting technologies such as fluorescents, incandescent and HIDs. This reduction in energy consumption has a massive effect on ROI for large scale commercial office operations, which typically use hundreds of light fixtures throughout their facilities. In addition to the boost in efficiency, LED fixtures require zero maintenance.

The minimization or even elimination of maintenance requirements normally associated with traditional lighting saves a considerable amount in both parts and labor for building managers and facility maintenance crews. 

Lighting for Commercial Offices and Retail Spaces

Office lighting is about more than seeing the papers on your desk—it can be the difference between a sluggish staff and an invigorating workplace environment.

If aesthetically pleasing lighting and maintaining a productive workforce is a key area of focus for your workspace, contact Lighting and Supplies today to learn more about how we can help provide the proper lighting products to your next commercial office lighting project!

For more information, call 888-325-4448 or email: [email protected].