Office Lighting Design Guide
Workplace lighting fundamentals, lux, UGR, CCT, energy density and the operational scenes every modern office should be designed around.
The Goal of Office Lighting
Visual comfort across an eight-hour workday. Not brightness. Not novelty. Comfort and clarity.
Lux Targets
| Zone | Lux |
|---|---|
| Open-plan desks | 300–500 lux at desk height |
| Meeting rooms | 300 lux with dimming |
| Reception | 200–300 lux with accents |
| Circulation | 100–150 lux |
| Focus rooms | 300 lux with personal control |
UGR, Non-Negotiable
Open-plan offices must be designed at UGR ≤ 19, evaluated from realistic observer positions. UGR ≤ 16 is required for VDT-intensive spaces. Glare drives complaints faster than any other lighting issue.
Colour Temperature
4000K is the safe default for offices. Tunable white (3000K–5000K) is increasingly used to support circadian rhythm across the workday.
Energy Density
Modern office lighting should easily come in below 8 W/m². Combined with daylight harvesting and occupancy sensing, 5–6 W/m² is achievable.
Common Mistakes
- Pendants without UGR data
- No daylight integration on perimeter zones
- Cool CCT in client-facing reception areas
- No PIR or daylight sensors
Lux ≥ target. UGR ≤ 19. CCT around 4000K. W/m² ≤ 8. That is the office lighting test.
Lighting Intelligence by Alya
At Ashwamedha Design Solutions, this is part of our Lighting Intelligence practice, every recommendation is validated through DIALux simulation, lux calculations and visual comfort analysis before it reaches a construction site. Alya, our lighting intelligence platform, packages this thinking into reusable design tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum lux for an open-plan desk?+
300 lux on the working plane, with 500 lux preferred for paper-intensive work.
How is UGR measured?+
By calculation in DIALux from realistic observer positions. It cannot be measured with a lux meter on site.
Should I use tunable white?+
Yes for high-occupancy offices and any space where staff work 8+ hours.
Related Service
Commercial Lighting Design
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