Category: News

What are the updates to the latest version of LG7? The latest version was published in January 2023 and supersedes the previous edition, which came out in 2015.

Here is an overview of the main two changes to the guide:

Home Offices

The introduction to the 2023 guide repeats a sentence from the introduction to the 2015 – “The office environment has changed considerably!” Not only has work on tablets and smartphones increased – adding to the flexibility that was started by people moving from working on fixed position PCs to laptops – hybrid working has also increased, and people may spend time working in their office, as well as off site, and from a home office. Indeed, home offices are now listed as a specific entry in the “Types of offices” section and they have their own challenges which are different from those of a traditional office space:

Positioning of desks in relation to windows and light sources needs to be considered as glare from daylight could cause the person issues. In addition a bedroom may have only a single pendant light source in the middle of the room. This could cause unwanted shadows – the person could even cast shadows onto their own desk.

The guide shows possible positions of desk to reduce these kinds of issues:

Figure 13.7 reduces potential of glare from the window, but shadowing could still be an possibility. There is the problem of having no distance to view in front of them.

Figure 13.8 still allows for optimum use of daylight and removes the potential of shadows from a single pendant light source in the middle of the room.

Another aspect that can affect the comfort of the person within the space is the décor. The surface reflectances will have an impact on the lighting deign and therefore the feel of the space. How a bedroom may be decorated may not be suitable for how a workspace should be, for example colours of walls or carpet.

Embodied and operational energy:

The guide suggests that a typical small to medium sized business could use approximately 25% of its total energy spend on lighting. This is a generalised view and so will vary from business to business. However, even as an estimate, this is not an inconsiderate cost.

The Guide refers to Part L of the building regulations, and also covers LENI, which has been mentioned in previous editions of the guide, as well as the options to add controls, and the different methodologies that are available.

For the first time the guide talks about embodied energy. The guide encourages the principles of the circular economy and the re-use of complete luminaires wherever it is possible to do so: “If they are in good condition and offer acceptable operational efficiencies”

The guide goes on to say that if luminaires are not suitable for re-use as complete units, it may be possible to change components. The example given is to replace control gear into existing bodies to avoid the embodied energy which would be used to produce a new luminaire body. The guide refers to TM66: Creating a Circular Economy for more information on this.

Good lighting design is important for any office space. Not only does it improve the aesthetic of the space, but it can also improve worker productivity and morale. If you’re a commercial interior designer looking to stand out from the crowd this year. Here are five of the most popular trends that we expect to see:

1. Biophilic Design

One of the biggest trends in office design over the past few years has been a focus on biophilic design—that is, incorporating elements of nature into the space to create a more calming and inviting environment. This trend is only going to continue in the coming years, with more and more office spaces incorporating natural elements like plants, wood accents, and stone features into their design. In terms of lighting, this trend manifests itself in the use of natural light as much as possible and the incorporation of LED lights that mimic natural light. Biophilic Lighting that incorporates natural elements such as plants and wood is becoming very popular too.

2. Mood Lighting

Gone are the days of sterile, fluorescent-lit offices. These days, businesses are increasingly incorporating mood lighting into their office spaces to create a more pleasant work environment. Mood lighting can be achieved using LED lights with different colour temperatures (cool white for a more energetic feel or warm white for a more calming atmosphere) or by using dimmer switches to adjust the brightness. RGB colour-changing lights are becoming increasingly popular to create moods and atmospheres in workspaces such as offices and universities. These lights can easily be controlled to create almost any colour in a room to aid, for example, concentration or relaxation.

3. Smart Connected Lighting

Smart technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in all aspects of our lives, and lighting is no exception. Smart lighting refers to lights that can be controlled remotely via an app. The commercial version of this is connected lighting which refers to a system of lights that are all connected and controlled via a central network and often powered over ethernet cables (PoE). This network can be controlled manually or through an app on your smartphone or automatically through the buildings management system.

One of the benefits of connected lighting is that it gives you complete control over the lighting in your office space. For example, you can program the lights to turn on and off at certain times, dim or brighten the lights based on the time of day, or even change the light colour to suit your mood or the task at hand.

4. Human-centric Lighting

Human-centric lighting is all about designing your office lighting around the needs of employees (hence the name). This includes considering factors such as the time of day, employee work patterns, and natural light sources when designing your lighting scheme.  By doing this, you can create a lighting scheme that helps employees stay productive and comfortable throughout the day by matching their circadian rhythm. For example, you might use brighter lights during the daytime hours when people are typically more alert and productive, and then switch to softer, dimmer lights in the evening to help people wind down as they finish up their workday.

5. Sustainable Lighting

Sustainable lighting refers to any type of lighting that is environmentally friendly and uses energy-efficient technologies. This might include LED lights, which use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, or solar-powered lights that rely on renewable energy sources instead of electricity from the grid. But most often it refers to retrofit lighting which is the process of upgrading or replacing existing lighting systems in buildings to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and improve the overall lighting quality and performance of the space. Usually by replacing old technology in the existing fitting with more energy-efficient technology such as LEDs.

Not only is retrofit lighting better for the environment by using fewer materials and reducing waste going to landfill, but it can also help save your business money on energy costs in the long run. As more businesses start to focus on sustainability, we expect to see sustainable retrofit lighting become even more popular in the years ahead. Many lighting companies offer retrofit services and Synergy Creativ is no exception. Check out Revitalite for more on our retrofit lighting services.

With so many different trends to choose from, there’s sure to be a lighting design that’s perfect for your office space. Whether you’re looking to incorporate biophilic elements, create a mood with your lighting, or take advantage of smart technology, there are plenty of options to choose from. These are just five of the latest office lighting design trends that we expect to see in 2023. By incorporating these trends into your office space, you can create a more productive, comfortable environment for your clients while also helping to protect our planet for future generations.

2023 is fast approaching so let’s take a look back at some of our favorite projects that we have been lucky enough to be involved in this year. Check our out top 10 of 2022 below.

1. University of Hertfordshire – King Edwards Hall –  Vincent+Gorbing, Pexhurst Services Limited and Design Selectric. A deeply cool bespoke LED linear project with RGB colour-changing uplight.

2. BMC Software by KLEC Services Limited, Creatif Architectural Products Ltd, Turner Legg Consulting Ltd.

Combining LED linear lighting, acoustic baffles and pendants for a really striking statement ceiling.

3. Incspaces by Design Tonic Ltd

The images for this one speak for themselves, a truly stunning project

 4. Shakespeare Martineau by office Innovations

Bright colours, biophilia and acoustic lighting, what’s not to like?

5. The Trainline Oktra, AGL Electrical 

Oktra makes the design of this cool corporate HQ look effortless.

6. DPS Games

Bespoke project to create this gaming company’s logo in light.

7. Worldwide Clinical Trials by Office Innovations

We love the pastel shades in this workspace and the way acoustic panels reflect the shape of the hexagon lighting. A really beautiful finish from Office Innovations.

8. 10 Fleet Place, London by Current Affairs Electrical Contractors Ltd

IP65-rated led linear tube lights are used here to stunning effect outside 10 Fleet Place, London.

9. Keybridge

Custom finish LED linear and some cool signage.

10. LKAB labs – Senarrio

A very cool power-over-ethernet (POE) project in Derby. Delivering smart lighting for energy saving.

The workplace is changing. With more people working remotely than ever before, businesses are starting to re-evaluate their office space needs. So, what does the future of the workplace look like? Here are a few office design trends to keep an eye on.

1. Flexible workspaces – As more people work remotely, there will be a need for more flexible workspace options. Businesses will start to offer coworking memberships and shared office space to accommodate employees who don’t come into the office every day.

2. Modular furniture – With flexible workspaces comes modular furniture. Desks, chairs, and partitions will be designed to be easily moved around so that they can be reconfigured to fit the needs of each individual workspace.

3. Biophilic design – Biophilic design is all about incorporating nature into the workplace. This could mean anything from adding plants and greenery to using natural materials like wood and stone in the design of the space.

4. Connected technology – In the future, all office technology will be interconnected and controlled by a central system. This will make it easy to adjust lighting, temperature, and other environmental factors based on the needs of the people in the space.

5. Collaborative spaces – As more people work remotely, there will be a need for more collaborative spaces in the office where employees can come together to brainstorm and work on projects together. These spaces will need to be designed with acoustics in mind so that they can be used for both small group meetings and large presentations.

6. Greater emphasis on acoustic design – Post-pandemic hybrid working has revealed that coming back to the workplace can be a very noisy experience. Particularly as many of us have spent two years working remotely in peaceful environments. (Homeschoolers accepted!)

Employers now recognise a need to supply workspace that provides the same level of focus and concentration as the home often does. In addition to this, there is a greater focus on wellbeing and health than ever before as employers try to entice workers back into the office.

The workplace is changing, and office design is changing with it. Gone are the days of traditional cubicle farms and stuffy offices. In their place are flexible workspaces, biophilic design, and connected technology that allows businesses to create an environment that meets the needs of their employees—whether they’re in the office or out of it. So, if you’re planning on redesigning your office space in the near future, keep these trends in mind!

Contact us today to discuss on-trend lighting, acoustics and biophilia for your office design project.