The lighting in any establishment plays an important role in the activities that take place there. Lighting design in homes and offices is an essential part of the actions that happen within that space. Before lighting is installed, whether indoors or out, residential or commercial, there are questions that need to be addressed in order for the job to be properly done.
The differences between commercial lighting and residential lighting are important to take into consideration when choosing a custom lighting design for a home. Energy usage is certainly a top discussion point; however, just as important are where the lighting will be used in the home and what it will be used for. A home will not require light that is as bright or luminescent as an office, or any workplace. The rooms of a house will typically require light that is softer and more friendly. Therefore, the type of lighting used in the construction of homes will be a lower light than would be used in a commercial building housing offices or even retail space.
Even the outdoor lighting of a private home has a lower requirement than the outdoor lighting of an office building or parking lot. A homeowner certainly would not want the outside of their home to be lit up as brightly as a parking lot; however, they do want their outdoor lighting to be bright enough to provide the the visibility and security it needs. Lighting design when it comes to the landscaping around a home plays a major role in the home’s resale value. As many as 90% of real estate agents engaged to sell a client’s home will suggest that the homeowner put some thought into the landscape of their home before it goes on the market. The fact is that landscaping can raise the value of a home by as much as 14% when reselling.
Exterior lighting design offers a wide variety of choices to homeowners, depending upon, not only their preferences, but also the uses of the outdoor space where the lighting will be installed. For the backyard of a home where there are children living, because of the amount of traffic in and out, a brighter type of lighting would probably preferred, for obvious reasons. However, for a home where there are no children in the yard on a regular basis, the lighting requirements would be very different. Lower lighting creating a more welcoming atmosphere is usually the choice in that type of location. Many homeowners will have dimmers, or timers, installed that connect to their outdoor lighting, so that it can be controlled consistently without their having to take the time to do it themselves.
The differences between residential and commercial outdoor lighting includes adhering to certain regulations, whether they be set down by the neighborhood or by the residential or commercial development in which the lighting will be installed. Commercial lighting will probably be used for a residential complex, such as condos, in which case the common consideration will probably be to keep the parking lot and walkways into and out of the buildings well lit. For safety and security reasons, brighter lighting would be the choice for those areas. However, owners and managers of these developments are also concerned with making the property show well at night. Therefore, some softer lighting around the landscaping and common areas would also be necessary. Residents of these developments do not want their home to seem too industrial; however, building entrances and stairways must be well lit, as well as conform with safety regulations.
There are decisions to be made when installing proper lighting in offices and work spaces that will directly influence the people who will be spending hours there every day. Studies have shown that at least 68% of workers are not happy with the lighting in their work places. Having windows in the office also plays an important role in how well people feel, both at work and outside of work. Another study revealed that people whose work places have windows actually get an average of 46 more minutes’ sleep each night than do people whose work places are windowless.
