How to improve Office fluorescent lighting: The 5 Secret-tricks

How can I improve the lighting in my office

Do you want to know how to improve office fluorescent lighting? Well, you’ve reached the right place. 

This guide will drop so much knowledge bombs related to fluorescent light bulbs that by the end of it, you will be ready to give a lecture on the subject.

Anyways, jokes aside, we will discuss some cool things regarding the fluorescent lights, how to use them the best, and some general things asked by many people on the internet. So with that said, let’s get started:

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If you want to know how to improve office fluorescent lighting that is too bright then we have a few tips up our sleeves, have a look at them below:

  • Barriers: One of the most commonly used ways to block the direct bright fluorescent lights in the office is by placing fabric over the cubicle for some shade. You can also use an umbrella if that’s possible.
  • Screen Protection: If you are feeling the strain in eyes while working then both the bright office light and the light from your computer are contributing to this. So we suggest you also use a screen guard on your computer screen.
  • Controlling Light: If you sit in an area where there is a window and the lighting for office space affecting you is not covering the entire office, you can also use a dimmer to control that light’s intensity. But you need to discuss this idea with people who sit near you as they can be affected by this.
  • Use Special Glasses: These are very different from the computer or sunglasses. Light sensitivity glasses can block the fluorescent lights and provide your eyes with less intense light.

You can also use some special fluorescent light covers to decrease the brightness but then again, all of your office mates need to agree to this.

Why do offices usually have harsh fluorescent lighting instead of softer light bulbs?

Before we move towards discussing how to improve office fluorescent lighting in 5 tips, you need to know why offices have fluorescent lights in the first place. Well, the simple answer is because they are better than incandescent lights. 

The incandescent lights would consume 60 watts to generate 8-900 lumens while the compact fluorescent light fixture can do the same in just 15 watts or less.

This saves office expenses which reflect on profits. Plus, the fluorescent lights have a higher lifespan than incandescent, so that’s a plus as well. 

Now you must be thinking, why not shift to LED then? Well yes, LEDs are better than fluorescent in many ways, but they are costlier as well. Therefore, businesses opt for fluorescent lights for their low upfront costs.

Office lighting guide: How can I improve the lighting in my office in 5 simple tips?

Wondering how to improve office fluorescent lighting? Well, we have some awesome tips for you to get the best out of your fluorescent lighting for office space, have a look at them below:

the best fluorescent lights to have in an office
  1. 1
    Use CFL: The compact fluorescent light bulbs offer better light, colors and energy-saving, and the best part is that they are very cheap, so your upfront cost won’t be very high. You can just screw these bulbs into standard sockets so no need to get special fluorescent light fixtures.
  2. 2
    Use Natural Light: You cannot deny the benefits of natural light. It is better than any kind of artificial light, plus it is better for your eyes too. So try to let the light from the window in and only use enough compact fluorescent light bulbs that make up for the remaining amount of light needed in office after getting the natural light.
  3. 3
    Purposeful Lighting: Different areas in the office require different kinds of lights. It is imperative that lighting is used as per the need. This means if you put too strong lights on the ceiling that are illuminating the whole desks of employees, it can lead to glare. This will have a negative impact on people’s health. So keep the lumen count in mind with respect to the size of the office space.
  4. 4
    Install a Control System: One of the benefits of using the control systems for lights is that they can save energy. If the natural light is enough for the office, you can dim the bulbs, which will obviously save energy. Plus, your employees can adjust the light amount as per their needs and convenience, which will increase work efficiency as well.
  5. 5
    Zone Different Areas with Lights: You can also use different types of fluorescent lighting for office space to focus on different parts of the office. For instance, over-sized pendants can be used to illuminate large tables like in conference rooms, and spotlights can illuminate stairs or corridors etc.

If you have already lights in place and you want to reduce their glare, you can use fluorescent light covers to do so as well.

Can our office lighting be too bright?

Now that you know how to improve office fluorescent lighting, you might be thinking of placing lots of them in the office which will also make the lights very bright and in our opinion, it’s not a good idea. Too much light can cause eye strain leading to headaches and overall lower productivity.

Now we cannot suggest you how many lumens your office space needs as we don’t know how big it is. However, we would suggest that you use a dimmer with your fluorescent light bulbs to adjust the light to a level where it is not too bright and not too dim as well.

And if your lights don’t have dimmer, but you want to bring their brightness down, you can use some fluorescent light covers as well.

What kind of fluorescent bulbs are best in an office environment?

fluorescent bulbs are best in an office environment

There are different kinds of fluorescent light bulbs that are used in office space, but we suggest you use CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs which are more energy-efficient and last longer than incandescent bulbs.

As for the color temperature, we suggest you get a bulb that has a closer to 4200k temperature, which is cooler than a desk lamp but warmer than daylight.

This kind of light is more convenient for eyes, and many offices use it as well.

Do fluorescent lights use a lot of electricity?

No, they don’t! And as mentioned at the start of this article, CFL bulbs use a lot less energy as compared to incandescent bulbs. If we use a CFL bulb in office, it should generate 800 lumens in just 15 watts which is not bad.

However, if we use incandescent lights, you can expect to get 800 lumens in 60 watts. Now you can be the judge of which one uses a lot of electricity.

How to make fluorescent lights look better?

If you want to know how to improve office fluorescent lighting in terms of looks, then we suggest that you use some fancy fluorescent light fixtures. They come in different styles, and you can select the one as per your office setting to make it pop.

Secondly, you can use some fancy fluorescent light covers or films with different designs or colors to make a glowing scenery out of it. These things can not only make the lights look better but add to the décor of your office as well.

Is there any advantage to using fluorescent light bulbs with the advent of LEDs?

There is no doubt that LED lights are better than fluorescent lights in terms of longevity and energy efficiency.

However, LED lights come with a pretty hefty price tag. So if you are installing lights in the whole office but don’t have much money, getting LED lights can put a dent on your budget.

As for the compact fluorescent lights, they are not that bad. They are energy efficient as well, plus they have good light spread and colors. And the best part is that you can get them at a more affordable cost.

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What type of lighting is best for offices?

Best office lighting for eyes:

Some of the best lights for eyes include LED and CFLs. LEDs are expensive, but CFLs are more affordable. And you can also add some fluorescent light covers on them to further reduce any glare they have.

Best lighting for office with no windows:

If there is literally no light coming from the sun in your office, then you can only mimic the sunlight to get a feel of a natural one. You can do that using fluorescent lights of higher color temperatures which should be between 4700k and 6500k.

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Conclusion

Now that you know how to improve office fluorescent lighting in your office, all that remains is you get the lights from Amazon and also some cool fluorescent light fixtures if you want to add to the décor. And don’t worry too much if you mistakenly get a higher amount of lumens than needed, you can always use a fluorescent light fixture to reduce glare.

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Last update on 2023-05-29 at 17:33 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API