Lumeitalia

Caricamento

Il caricamento sta impiegando più tempo del previsto.

Torna alla home

Lumeitalia

The questions we receive about industrial warehouse lighting

Short answers to the most frequent technical questions on industrial warehouse lighting collected by the technical office.

Corsie di un magazzino con scaffalature alte e illuminazione LED
Corsie di un magazzino con scaffalature alte e illuminazione LED. Immagine illustrativa generata con AI.

Overview

This note collects the technical questions most often received by Centro Studi Lumeitalia about industrial warehouse lighting, with concise answers and references to the applicable standards. In production halls, light affects work quality, safety and fixed costs: it is one of the few measures with a measurable payback on the energy bill.

Applicable standards

The regulatory reference for industrial warehouse lighting is not a single document but a coordinated set of standards covering performance, safety and environmental impact. In design practice the following documents drive the main choices.

  • EN 12464-1 — lighting of indoor work places.
  • Italian Legislative Decree 81/2008 — workplace safety and lighting requirements.
  • EN 1838 — emergency lighting.

Which requirements apply?

The applicable references are those cited in this article; the choice of category or performance level depends on the intended use and must be justified in the design report. There is no absolute correct value: there is the right value for the case analysed, with its written justification.

How is the luminaire selected?

After defining requirements, not before. Selection is based on a photometric distribution suited to the geometry, compatibility with site environmental conditions, the planned control system and maintainability. The photometric file of the actually proposed luminaire is the document that makes the choice verifiable.

How long does a design review take?

Reviewing requirements and calculation assumptions on a documented project takes days, not weeks. Timescales stretch when the survey of the existing condition is missing or requirements were never declared: in that case the review becomes a redesign.

Who to contact

For reviewing requirements, specifications and verification protocols the Lumeitalia technical office is available. Technical requests can be addressed to the contacts published in the site contact section, stating the application field and available documentation.

Recurring critical points

The difficulties that most often emerge in industrial warehouse lighting projects are not about product selection, but about defining requirements and verifying results.

  • Matching levels to the real visual tasks of each production area.
  • Handling high ceilings and racking that create shadows.
  • Integrating daylight without compromising uniformity.

Design approach

An orderly method drastically reduces variations during works and disputes at commissioning. Three choices make the difference from the earliest stages.

  • Zoning by visual task with differentiated requirements per department.
  • Optics chosen for mounting height and structural pitch.
  • Daylight harvesting on perimeter bays and skylights.

Parameters to verify

  • Maintained illuminance — EN 12464-1 — per department visual task
  • UGR — EN 12464-1 — glare limit per workstation
  • Colour rendering — EN 12464-1 — minimum required for the task
  • Emergency lighting — EN 1838 — escape routes and critical points

Most frequent mistakes

Non-conformities found at commissioning almost always come from three causes: requirements not declared or declared without a reference standard, calculation run on idealised geometry, and an optimistic maintenance factor. All three can be avoided at zero cost during design.

Key takeaways

A industrial warehouse lighting project holds up over time when requirements are declared, the calculation reproduces real conditions and on-site verification follows an agreed protocol. Component selection matters, but comes later: without measurable requirements even the best product delivers a result that cannot be demonstrated. Centro Studi Lumeitalia makes its technical office available to review requirements and design checks.

Methodological note: This content is written for technical information purposes by Centro Studi Lumeitalia and does not replace the lighting design or a full reading of the standards cited. Applicable performance values are those of the standards in force at design time.

Domande frequenti

How much light does a warehouse need?+

It depends on the visual task: EN 12464-1 differentiates storage, assembly lines and quality control, with increasing illuminance, UGR and colour rendering requirements.

Should existing light points be reused in a retrofit?+

Only if the existing grid meets uniformity requirements: LED often allows fewer points, but this must be confirmed by calculation.

Where should a industrial warehouse lighting project start?+

From a written definition of performance requirements and verification conditions: this step drives every later choice and makes the result either disputable or defensible at commissioning.

Which documents should be requested from the supplier?+

Photometric files of the proposed luminaires, declaration of conformity, lifetime data declared per IES LM-80 with its conditions, the maintenance schedule and warranty terms.