Warehouse lighting: LED design and installation
A warehouse is a special case for lighting: high ceiling, tall racking, narrow aisles, often cold or damp and frequently in continuous use. Properly designed LED warehouse lighting gives even light down the rack aisles, cuts energy costs and improves safety. ProfiElekter designs, installs and documents warehouse lighting as one accountable partner.
Warehouse lighting is not just swapping lamps
A warehouse has lighting challenges that ordinary office or shop lighting does not solve. The ceiling is high, racking blocks the light, aisles are narrow and deep, and the light has to reach both the floor and the rack faces evenly. Many warehouses run several shifts or around the clock, so the lighting has to be reliable and cheap to run.
Old metal-halide and sodium lamps consume a lot of electricity, give uneven light, run hot and restart slowly after a power cut. LED warehouse lighting solves these at once: lower energy use, even light, instant start and a long maintenance-free lifetime. The decisive factor is the design, the number, layout and aiming of the fixtures has to be calculated for the space and the racking.
Warehouse lighting is part of our wider industrial and office lighting service. We design, install and hand over the measurement reports needed for the use permit and audit.
Warehouse lighting requirements: how many lux a warehouse needs (EVS-EN 12464-1)
Every warehouse area needs its own light level. The EVS-EN 12464-1 standard sets the lighting requirements for workplaces, and we design warehouse lighting to it, area by area: storage, picking, loading area, packing, quality control and cold store. The table below gives typical target values; the exact solution comes from a lighting calculation.
| Warehouse area / task | Illuminance Ēm (lux) | UGR (glare) | Ra (colour rendering) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warehouse, occasional traffic (storage only) | 100 | 25 | 60 |
| Warehouse, continuous work / picking | 200 | 25 | 60 |
| High racking, rack aisles | 200 | 22 | 60 |
| Loading area, ramps | 150 | 25 | 40 |
| Packing and labelling | 300 | 25 | 80 |
| Quality control and receiving | 500 | 22 | 80 |
| Cold store, freezer store | 100–200 | 25 | 60 |
| Warehouse office, computer work | 500 | 19 | 80 |
Ēm is the maintained illuminance. In high racking the vertical illuminance on the rack face also matters, so labels and goods stay readable. Exact requirements depend on the current edition of EVS-EN 12464-1 and how the space is used; we verify them in the lighting design.
Which luminaires suit a warehouse
High-bay luminaire
High-output LED luminaire for warehouses over 6 m tall. Gives even light down the rack aisles.
Linear luminaire for rack aisles
Even lighting along the full length of narrow and lower rack aisles.
Moisture- and dust-proof (IP65)
IP65 or higher rated luminaires for cold stores, damp and dusty rooms.
Motion sensors and zone control
Light runs at full output only where work is happening, which cuts energy use significantly.
Emergency and escape lighting
Escape-route lighting and exit signs to the EVS-EN 1838 standard.
Design + measurement reports
Lighting calculations, as-built drawings and measurement reports for the use permit and audit.
The warehouse-specific factors we account for
Tall racking and narrow aisles. In a high warehouse, lighting the floor is not enough; the light has to reach the rack faces so labels and goods stay readable. We calculate the fixture placement and aiming so that no shadows or dark spots form in the aisles.
Cold store and freezer store. LED suits cold environments well, because low temperature tends to raise light output and lifetime. It is important to choose cold-rated drivers and a sufficient protection rating so that condensation and moisture don't damage the fixture.
Dust, moisture and washdown. For dusty and damp warehouses and washable areas we choose IP65 or higher. For explosive zones we install ATEX-certified fixtures.
Continuous operation and safety. If the warehouse runs several shifts, the lighting has to be reliable and maintenance-free. Even light and controlled glare (UGR) reduce forklift-driver and picker errors and improve safety.
How warehouse lighting saves energy
The biggest saving comes from two places: replacing old lighting with efficient LED, and smart control. In rarely used rack aisles and corridors, motion sensors keep the fixtures at full output only when someone is present, which often cuts energy use in those areas by 30 to 60 percent. Near doors and skylights a daylight sensor can dim the fixtures when there is enough natural light.
In the design we use lighting calculations (for example DIALux) to reach the required lux level with the smallest possible installed power. That way you neither overpay nor end up under-lit. For example, in the Maardu port industrial lighting project energy use fell roughly 3 to 4 times, and even more with the automation.
Who warehouse lighting is for
- Owners and managers of warehouse and logistics buildings
- Operators of cold stores and freezer stores
- Manufacturers with their own warehouse space
- E-commerce and retail distribution centres
- Developers and construction companies for new warehouse buildings
The warehouse lighting project process
Site survey
We review the warehouse: ceiling height, racking layout, aisle width and use.
Lighting calculations
We calculate the illuminance level (lux) area by area and select suitable fixtures.
Design and quote
We prepare the lighting design, an energy estimate and a clear quote.
Installation
We install the lighting in stages, with minimal downtime on an operating warehouse.
Measurements and handover
We carry out the measurements and hand over the reports and as-built drawings.
17+ years of experience with industrial and warehouse sites
ProfiElekter has worked in technical building systems for over 17 years. We have upgraded lighting in industrial and warehouse buildings, including the Maardu port area, where we replaced ~700 old fixtures with LED industrial fixtures. We are licensed to work independently and hold all the required qualifications.
Maardu port: ~700 fixtures, roughly 4× lower energy use
We upgraded the industrial and warehouse lighting in the Maardu port area (~50,000 m²). We replaced ~700 old metal-halide fixtures (250–400 W) with 150 W LED industrial fixtures and added motion sensors and zone-based control. Energy use fell roughly 3–4 times, and even more with the automation. The large project was completed in about 1.5 months.
Warehouse lighting, FAQ
It depends on the task. A warehouse with occasional traffic around 100 lux, continuous picking around 200 lux, packing and labelling around 300 lux, and quality control and receiving 500 lux. The values come from EVS-EN 12464-1; we calculate the exact level from how the space is used.
A high-bay is a high-output LED luminaire for tall spaces, typically warehouses over 6 m ceiling height. It gives even light down the rack aisles. Lower spaces and narrow aisles suit linear luminaires that light the full length of the aisle evenly.
LED suits cold environments well, because low temperature tends to raise LED light output and lifetime. The key is to choose cold-rated drivers and IP65 or higher rated luminaires so that condensation and moisture don't damage the fixture. We design the cold-store lighting specifically for that environment.
Yes. For dusty, damp and washdown warehouses we install IP65 or higher rated luminaires, and for explosive zones (for example certain chemical and dust warehouses) ATEX-certified luminaires. We choose the rating based on the site environment.
In rarely used rack aisles and corridors, motion sensors and zone-based control often cut lighting energy use by 30 to 60 percent, because the fixtures run at full output only when someone is present. Combined with an LED upgrade the total saving is even larger.
Yes. Where possible we work in stages on an operating site, zone by zone, so the warehouse can keep running and downtime stays minimal. We agree the schedule before work begins.
It depends on the current lighting, the burning hours and the electricity price. Replacing old metal-halide and sodium lamps with LED and motion sensors often reduces lighting energy use several times over. For example, in the Maardu port project energy use fell roughly 3 to 4 times. We calculate the payback from your site data.
See also
Industrial & office lighting
The full lighting service: production halls, commercial buildings, offices and car parks, from design to installation.
See the serviceDocumentation & audit
Measurement reports, as-built drawings and the documentation required for the use permit.
See the serviceProduction hall lighting
Flicker-free machining, assembly and inspection lighting for production halls.
See the serviceAsk for a warehouse lighting quote
Describe your warehouse, ceiling height, racking layout and current lighting, and we'll explain how a lighting upgrade pays off and prepare a quote.