Walk through the tasks
Record where people read, use screens, handle products or carry out detailed work. Note glare, reflections, shadows and inconsistent coverage. A fitting count alone does not describe whether the existing lighting serves the premises well.
HSE guidance puts task suitability at the centre of workplace lighting. A brighter replacement may leave the same poor distribution, while a different layout or control arrangement may address the actual problem.
Record fittings and access
Record fittings and access
Prepare approximate numbers, fitting types and safe photographs. Include ceiling height, access restrictions and whether maintenance needs equipment or closure of an area.
Check whether the existing fittings can take a compatible LED retrofit or need replacement. The mounting, control gear and manufacturer instructions determine the suitable approach.
Make any saving calculation transparent
Make any saving calculation transparent
A comparison needs existing and proposed electrical power, realistic operating hours and the electricity-cost assumption. Identify areas that remain lit when unoccupied and where a suitable control could change those hours.
A percentage claim without those inputs is not a reliable estimate for your premises. Changes in opening hours, occupancy and the final equipment can alter the result. Ask for the assumptions alongside any calculation.
Coordinate standards and installation
Coordinate standards and installation
The lighting proposal should account for the Building Regulations requirements that apply to the building and project. Check those alongside useful light, controls and maintenance access rather than choosing fittings on energy use alone.
Agree the installation sequence, affected circuits and control handover. Identify emergency lighting and other specialist systems separately so it is clear what the upgrade includes and which responsibilities sit elsewhere.
Your planning checklist
- Tasks and visual-comfort concerns
- Existing fitting types and numbers
- Ceiling access and maintenance restrictions
- Occupied hours and control arrangements
- Assumptions for any energy-cost comparison
Questions answered
How can I estimate the savings from commercial LED lighting?
Compare the existing and proposed equipment power using realistic operating hours and tariff assumptions. Controls can change run time, so include how each area is occupied. A useful calculation states those assumptions; fitting count or an LED label alone cannot establish a reliable percentage saving.
Ask Max about thisShould an LED upgrade keep the same fitting positions?
Not automatically. New distribution, the current desk or display layout and the tasks being carried out can change useful positions. Review shadows, glare and reflections as well as brightness. A direct replacement should be justified by the room and selected equipment rather than simply copying the old layout.
Ask Max about thisAre occupancy sensors useful in every business area?
Their usefulness depends on occupancy patterns, detection and the work taking place. A storeroom, open office and person remaining still at a workstation present different needs. Discuss manual operation and product compatibility too, so energy controls do not make the working environment frustrating or unsuitable.
Ask Max about thisWill an LED lighting upgrade include emergency-lighting work?
Emergency lighting needs a separate, explicit place in the scope. Replacing ordinary fittings for better light or lower running costs does not by itself include design, alterations or certification of the emergency system. Identify the existing system before the upgrade is planned.
Ask Max about thisCan LED lighting be changed without closing the whole premises?
Potential phasing depends on safe access, circuit arrangements and how the premises is occupied. Share trading restrictions and equipment that cannot lose power unexpectedly. Agree the working areas, isolation periods and handover stages before attendance, keeping the intended final lighting and control arrangement consistent across the phases.
Ask Max about thisFurther reading
These references explain the relevant safety and building guidance. Building Regulations guidance here applies to England.
- Lighting, thermal comfort, working space, noise and vibration
- Conservation of fuel and power: Approved Document L
Updated 24 October 2026.