Lighting control for Open Plan Offices
Lighting control in shared workspaces
Top challenges when designing lighting for open-plan offices
User needs and interaction
Open-plan offices must support both teams and individual lighting needs, which can lead to system complexity.
Scalability and future-proofing
Open-plan offices evolve, and traditional lighting systems are costly to reconfigure.
Visual comfort and compliance
Large, open spaces often suffer from glare, inconsistent lighting, and compliance challenges.
- Grouped control of luminaires allows lighting levels and scenes to be tailored per zone, which simplifies commissioning and improves the user experience.
- Provide personal control options to boost user comfort, such as adjusting the lighting above desks via a mobile app.
- Use wireless controls for quick reconfiguration without rewiring, keeping workspaces adaptable.
- Implement daylight harvesting and tunable white colour temperature control to maintain consistent lighting and visual comfort.
- Follow EN 12464-1 for recommendations on visual comfort and task-specific lighting.
Configuring your open plan office lighting control system
Why choose a hybrid system design?
Create the best user experience
Hybrid systems allow users to choose from any range of lighting control features to improve their office experience.
Peace of mind for the future
DALI offers a reliable foundation for lighting management, while Bluetooth Mesh offers an easy way to scale the system without extra wiring.
Meet standards and comply with legislation
Due to diverse possibilities for control, automation and integration, hybrid systems offer more possibilities for certification with building standards such as WELL, LEED and BREEAM, and can help to comply with directives such as EPBD.
Why choose a wired system design?
Fixed space layout
If open plan area layouts are not expected to change over the life of the building, a fully wired DALI system can be a suitable choice.
Industry standard lighting control
DALI-2 is an open industry protocol and the de-facto standard for lighting control. This means users are not locked into a single provider, and have access to greater resources and support over the lifetime of their system.
Full automation and integration
Using a wired Application Controller gives users a wide range of automation options, and allows for integrations with other systems via options such as BACnet, Modbus, Tridium, MQTT and API.
Why choose a wireless system design?
Ideal for renovations
Wireless systems are easy to install and work as soon as they are switched on. No wiring means they are a great choice for renovation projects.
Quick configuration
Wireless systems can be configured via mobile app, and self-learning features allows the system to adjust automatically over time, helping to improve user experience and system efficiency.
Simple personal lighting control
Even in open plan areas, users can take advantage of apps such as ActiveTune to adjust the lighting above them to their exact preferences.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is personal lighting control possible in open plan office spaces?
Personal control can be possible through mobile applications or mounted control panels for both individual luminaires and groups of luminaires.
What kind of lighting control should be used in open plan office areas without daylight?
If daylight is not available in the space, lighting systems should try to match the lighting colour temperature and intensity with natural daylight patterns. Tunable White colour temperature control and human-centric lighting design principles will be important to support comfort and productivity.
How can open plan office lighting accommodate future layout changes or reconfigurations?
Using a hybrid or wireless lighting control system allows for easy system reconfiguration with minimal wiring work. This supports changing layouts and evolving workspace needs.
How can energy efficiency be improved for open plan office lighting?
Intelligent sensors using daylight harvesting and presence detection are the primary ways in which energy use can be reduced while maintaining appropriate light levels. Some control systems offer self-learning features that can optimise the lighting settings based on actual space patterns.