LED Lighting for a Commercial Hall: Lux per Zone, Fixtures per Height, Number per 100 m² and Cost

Short answer: you light a commercial hall zone by zone. Storage needs 150–200 lux, workshop and production 300–500 lux, the office attached to it 500 lux. Up to 6 m ceiling height you hang waterproof LED battens or light lines, above that LED high bays of 100W to 200W. Budget roughly € 1.5 to € 3 per m² of floor for the fixtures, and expect a payback of one to two years when replacing fluorescent or discharge lamps. Below: the standard values, fixture choice per height, number per 100 m², real projects and what it costs.

How many lux does a commercial hall need?

A commercial hall is rarely one room with one function. Storage, production or workshop, dispatch and an office usually sit under the same roof. EN 12464-1 gives a maintained value per activity and labour inspectorates test against it. Using the same lux value everywhere means too many fixtures in storage and too few in the workshop.

Zone in the hall	Lux (maintained)	UGR max.	Ra min.
Storage of large, uniform goods	100–150	25	60
Storage with racking and order picking	200–300	25	60
Dispatch, packing, indoor loading zone	300	25	80
Workshop, rough and medium work	300	25	80
Production, assembly, fine work	500	22	80
Quality control, colour inspection	750–1,000	19	90
Office and canteen in the hall	500 / 200	19 / 22	80
Forklift routes	150	28	40

All values must still be reached after years of use, so plan new with a maintenance factor of 0.7 to 0.8. The full lux table is in How Much Lux Do You Need?

Which fixture at which height?

Ceiling height decides the fixture type. Below 6 m high bays are too bright and too concentrated; linear fixtures work better. Above 6 m the light from a waterproof batten no longer reaches the floor with enough intensity.

Height	Fixture	Power	Beam angle	From (incl. VAT)
3–4.5 m	Waterproof LED batten 120 or 150 cm	30–55W	120°	€ 10.95 (60 cm) to approx. € 30 (150 cm)
4.5–6 m	Waterproof batten 150 cm or linear high bay	55–100W	90–120°	approx. € 30–45
6–8 m	LED high bay	100–150W	90–120°	€ 43.95 (100W) / € 53.95 (150W)
8–10 m	LED high bay	150–200W	90°	€ 53.95 / € 65.95
10–12 m	LED high bay	200–240W	60–90°	€ 65.95 / € 98.95
Racking aisles narrower than 4 m	Linear high bay with aisle optic	150W	30×90°	approx. € 74–127

Round or linear: UFO or Linear LED High Bay?. The full power-per-height overview is in Which LED High Bay Do I Need?

How many fixtures per 100 m²?

With the formula number = (lux × m²) ÷ (lumen per fixture × 0.8 × 0.6) you arrive at these guide values. Light walls and a white roof give some margin, dark walls and tall racking need more.

Zone	Target	Fixture	Per 100 m²	Fixtures per m²
Storage at 6 m	200 lux	High bay 100W, 15,000 lm	2.8	approx. € 1.25
Workshop at 7 m	300 lux	High bay 150W, 22,500 lm	2.8	approx. € 1.50
Production at 8 m	500 lux	High bay 150W, 22,500 lm	4.6	approx. € 2.50
Production at 10 m	500 lux	High bay 200W, 30,000 lm	3.5	approx. € 2.30
Workshop at 4 m	300 lux	Waterproof 150 cm 55W, 7,700 lm	8.1	approx. € 2.40

The detailed calculation with spacing, maintenance factor and zoning is in Warehouse Lighting Calculation.

Most chosen fixtures for commercial halls

What does LED lighting for a commercial hall cost?

Three typical halls, fixtures only, prices incl. VAT:

Hall	Layout	Fixtures	Cost
500 m², 6 m, small workshop with storage	300 m² storage + 200 m² workshop	8 × 100W + 6 × 150W	approx. € 675
1,000 m², 8 m, production with dispatch	600 m² production + 400 m² dispatch	28 × 150W + 12 × 150W	approx. € 2,160
2,000 m², 10 m, logistics with office	1,700 m² racked storage + 300 m² office	40 × 200W + 60 panels 62×62	approx. € 3,780

Installation is extra: your electrician charges per fixture, and above 5 m a lift is needed. All product prices are in What Does LED Lighting Cost?

What do you save?

A 1,000 m² hall with 40 HPI fixtures of 400W (approx. 440W with ballast), 2,500 operating hours a year, € 0.25/kWh: 44,000 kWh or € 11,000 a year. With 40 LED high bays of 150W that becomes 15,000 kWh or € 3,750. The saving of € 7,250 a year pays for the € 2,160 of fixtures in under four months; including installation usually within the year. Motion sensors in storage and daylight control under roof lights add another 30–50 %. Run your own numbers in LED Payback Period Calculator.

Several countries reduce the net investment through tax schemes, such as the Energy Investment Allowance (EIA) in the Netherlands; check the current conditions before ordering.

Five things that often go wrong

1. One lux value for the whole hall. Zone it. Storage at 500 lux is wasted money, production at 200 lux is an inspection problem.
2. High bays below 5 m. Too bright, too concentrated, dazzling. Use waterproof battens or light lines there (see Choosing LED Tri-Proof Lights).
3. Fixtures above the racks instead of above the aisles. The light lands on the top pallet, the bottom one stays dark.
4. No sensors in zones that are often empty. A storage hall then burns eight hours a day for nothing.
5. Emergency lighting forgotten. In an LED retrofit the old fixtures with emergency modules often disappear (see Emergency Lighting).

Frequently asked questions

How many lux should a commercial hall have?

Under EN 12464-1: 100–200 lux for storage, 300 lux for workshop and dispatch, 500 lux for production and assembly, 500 lux in the office. These are minimum values that must still be reached after years.

What is the best lighting for a commercial hall?

Up to 6 m waterproof LED battens or light lines, from 6 m LED high bays. In narrow racking aisles linear high bays with aisle optics. Choose 4000K and a fixture with Ra 80 or higher.

How many LED high bays do I need per 100 m²?

As a guide: 2–3 high bays of 100W for storage at 200 lux, 3 of 150W for a workshop at 300 lux, 4–5 of 150W for production at 500 lux. A lighting plan gives the exact number.

What does LED lighting cost per m² of hall?

For the fixtures roughly € 1.25 per m² for storage up to € 2.50 per m² for production, incl. VAT. Installation by your electrician comes on top.

How fast does LED pay back in a commercial hall?

When replacing fluorescent or HPI at 2,500 hours a year, usually within one to two years including installation. The fixtures themselves are often paid back in a few months.

Is there a subsidy for LED in a commercial hall?

Depending on the country: tax allowances such as the EIA in the Netherlands, increased investment deduction and regional premiums in Belgium. Conditions change regularly; check them before ordering.

Can I hang the fixtures myself?

The mechanical mounting yes, the electrical connection to 230V or 400V must be done by a licensed electrician according to national wiring regulations.