Lighting energy efficiency

Lighting has an important role to play in:

• providing the correct amount and type of light for your business operations to be carried out safely and efficiently
• creating the right atmosphere for your staff and customers

Different types of business have different lighting requirements, depending on their premises and business activities. When you're designing your lighting system, give thought to:

• safety - potential hazards need to be lit, including emergency escape routes
• business activities - lighting levels at workstations need to be adequate, including how colours will appear (colour rendering)
• comfort - try to avoid problems with glare
• occupancy levels - work areas may not need to be lit all the time

Select the best lighting for your business sector

Lighting systems are made up of three elements:

• the lamp (or light bulb)
• the luminaire (the fitting that includes the lamp)
• the controls (either manual or automatic)

To benefit from maximum energy savings, it's very important to choose the right lamp. Each type of lamp gives light of a different colour, brightness and warmth. Lamps also have different characteristics such as efficiency and life.

Using the most appropriate energy saving lighting systems for your business requirements can result in lower running costs and less maintenance, as well as improved light quality.

Ensure lighting matches the building layout

If the use of your premises changes, or you alter the layout of the building, it's important to remove any lighting that's no longer needed. Disconnect lights that are blocked by equipment or shelving and not required any more. Try to make sure that switches are located in the same room as lighting where possible.