How Many Watts Do I Need for An Office Light?

Fidel Martin
3 min readSep 23, 2021

The proper kind of lighting is essential when it comes to office illumination. According to guidelines published by the US General Services Administration (GSA), it has fixed certain illumination levels for different parts of the office complex. LED office lighting creates an ambient environment, and it is the first thing that comes to mind when the interior design is planned.

Proper brightness contributes to the health of a team member. In addition, light fixtures like LED panel lights or LED downlights boost the employees’ work productivity and efficiency. LED lights lead the way to reduce the energy consumption of a commercial complex or office floor.

Let’s now discuss how many LED fixtures are required to brighten the office space.

Standards for office lighting

According to GSA, The work environment generally requires a certain amount of lumen count to illuminate. For example, for a workstation, a minimum lumen count of 500 is required for efficient brightness. Similarly, the wattage requirement for LED office lighting starts from 40 Watts, 50 Watts and goes up to 72 Watts.

The layout of the office space is also essential for efficient lighting. LED lights deliver an even amount of brightness throughout the floor. The shadows that are cast due to the presence of cubicles are also taken into consideration.

Employee productivity and well-being

Harsh and dim lighting contributes to bad health. Fatigue and headache become common features. Insufficient brightness takes a toll on the employee’s health, and work productivity also decreases. Artificial LED lighting with the right amount of lumen count provides a much-needed boost to the employees. In addition, daylight colors like white and blue-white deliver much-needed natural brightness in artificial scenarios.

Accessible workplaces

In recent times the layout designs of office interiors have evolved a lot. From individual cubicles to open office spaces, LED lights bring ambient brightness, creating a sense of unity among the employees. Moreover, LED panel lights illuminate the workstation efficiently, and there is no chance of fatigue among the employees.

Brightness for computers/laptops

The office brightness levels play a vital role for the employees. For example, bright lights near computers or laptops make it difficult to see or read online documents. Another example is glare, the computer or laptop screen reflecting light on the employees’ eyes. It causes eye strain and fatigue to the employees. Task lighting of LED lights with adjustment positioning removes glare and makes the workstation efficient.

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