The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) is the leading global professional body for building services professionals. Its key responsibilities include setting standards, providing pathways to professional registration, sharing knowledge and best practice and advising the government on industry-related topics.
CIBSE is the definitive authority on building services engineering, publishing internationally recognised guidance and codes that cover everything from HVAC and lighting to fire safety and lift design. CIBSE’s lighting levels recommendations are aligned with European standards and specify the required lux levels to ensure visual comfort, task efficiency and safety dependent on the space’s use.
Guidance can sometimes be confusing and lengthy, which is why we have created a helpful guide to the CIBSE recommended lighting levels. Remember, this is just a guide and it’s best to speak about any specific building requirements to a lighting expert (that’s us!). We can provide advice on the correct lighting solution for many applications, drawing on our decades of experience in commercial interior lighting. We recommend that you read the full guide. However, here is a summary.
Our guide to CIBSE recommended lighting levels
The recommended lighting levels by CIBSE are measured in lux, which measures how much of that light actually hits and illuminates a specific surface. This is different to lumens, another measurement, which measures the total amount of light generated by a lamp in all directions.
Offices
- General – 500 lux
- Computer work stations – 300-500 lux
- Filing rooms – 300 lux
- Print rooms – 300 lux
- Drawing office – 500 lux
- Drawing boards – 750 lux
- CAD design areas – 300-500 lux
Retailing
- Small retail outlets – 500 lux
- Supermarkets – 750 lux
- Print rooms – 1000 lux
- DIY superstore – 1000 lux
- Garden centres – 500 lux
- Showrooms – 500-750 lux
Engineering
- Tool shops – 300-750 lux
- Arc welding – 300 lux
- Spot welding – 500-1000 lux
- Heavy machine assembly – 300 lux
- Inspection and testing – 500-2000 lux
Staff areas
- Changing rooms and toilets – 100 lux
- Restrooms – 150 lux
- Restaurants and canteens – 200 lux
Banks and building societies
- Counter offices – 500 lux
- Public areas – 300 lux
Kitchens and canteens
- Serving and washing up areas – 300 lux
- Food preparation and cooking – 300 lux
- Food stores – 300 lux
General areas
- Entrance halls and lobbies – 200 lux
- Enquiry desks – 500 lux
- Gatehouses – 200 lux
- Post rooms – 500 lux
Places of public accessibility
- Churches and village halls – 300 lux
Common areas
- Lifts – 100 lux
- Corridors and stairs – 100 lux
- Escalators/conveyors – 150 lux
- Atria – 50-200 lux
- Atria with plants – 500-3000 lux
- Entrances/exits – 200 lux
Building Services areas
- Boiler house – 100 lux
- Control rooms – 300 lux
- Mechanical plant rooms – 150 lux
- Electrical plant rooms – 100 lux
Distribution and storage
- Loading bays – 150 lux
- Unpacking and sorting – 200 lux
- Large item stores – 100 lux
- Small item stores – 200 lux
- Trade counter – 500 lux
- Warehouse/bulk stores – 100 lux
- Packing and dispatch – 300 lux
- Cold stores – 300 lux
How Mount Lighting can help
We start your project by assessing your requirements based on site drawings and images. We can review current installations and give a full calculation of energy and cost-saving potential by replacing existing lighting with modern, energy efficient luminaires. We provide a full lighting design service that utilises our range of products and our team of experts for many refurbishments and new build projects, making the process easy and seamless for you.
Our LightVision360 end-to-end process is designed to deliver expertly tailored lighting and control solutions with confidence at every stage. We start by providing a clear, detailed design proposal which includes scheduled breakdowns, datasheets, LDT and BIM files. This is followed by precise Relux/Dialux lighting calculations and a fully mapped-out control strategy with device schedules. Throughout the rest of the following stages, which include manufacturing and post project support, our UK-based team is with you every step of the way.
Mount Lighting’s recommended lighting products
We have a wide range of standard and bespoke lighting products to suit any kind of space and recommended lux levels, but here are just a few examples:
For offices, our M-Line Linear LED range offers bespoke shapes and continuous lengths in colour options 3000/4000/5000K. It can be suspended, surface mounted, recessed, recessed trimless or wall mounted and can also be used for dimmable lighting, emergency lighting or smart lighting.
Our architectural downlights product range bring a sleek and minimalist look to any interior. The range has a large selection of different wattages, beam angles and glare ratings. Use our product filter to help find your exact requirements or get in touch with us for more information.
The Tranquila lighting range is perfect for when you need to manage acoustic and lighting levels together. The Tranquila range delivers functional lighting performance with high sound absorption to improve occupant comfort and wellbeing by reducing unwanted noise.
Want to make sure your project meets CIBSE’s lighting guidelines? Contact our experts today.