LED Lighting for Agricultural Buildings: Lux, Fixtures and Costs for Machine Sheds, Stores and Yards
LED lighting for machine sheds, crop stores and farm yards: lux per area to EN 12464, the right luminaire per height, costs for a machine shed, dust and explosion protection, funding and a real project with figures.
Short answer: a machine shed or crop store needs 100 lux for parking and storage and 200 lux where machines are loaded and operated. Up to 6 m, use IP65 LED tri-proof lights; above 6 m, LED high bays of 100W to 200W. The luminaires for a machine shed of 800 m² cost about €530 at 100 lux and about €810 at 200 lux. Below: the lux values per area, the luminaire per height, what dust means for your choice, a real project and the funding in Germany.
- Lux to EN 12464-1: 100 for storage, 200 for loading and operating machinery and for feed preparation, 300 for a repair corner.
- Luminaire by height: tri-proof lights up to 6 m, high bays of 100–150W at 6–8 m, 150–200W at 8–12 m.
- Choose IP65 or higher against dust and moisture. Livestock buildings need ammonia-resistant luminaires.
- Grain, flour and feed dust can be explosive: silos, mills and conveyors may be ATEX zones.
- Real project: an agricultural trader cut the connected load by 55% and saves €15,498 a year.
How many lux does an agricultural building need?
EN 12464-1 has its own section for agriculture, and EN 12464-2 covers the yard. These are maintained minimum values; plan a new installation with a maintenance factor of 0.7 to 0.8, because dust settles on the luminaires.
| Area | Lux | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Machine and equipment shed, parking | 100 | Storage value |
| Loading and operating conveyors and machinery | 200 | EN 12464-1, agriculture |
| Feed preparation, dairy, utensil washing | 200 | EN 12464-1, agriculture |
| Repair corner, maintenance | 300 | As in a workshop |
| Grain, potato and bulk stores | 100–200 | Higher where goods are sorted or loaded |
| Livestock buildings | 50 | Standard minimum; dairy cows need far more, see the barn guide |
| Farm yard | 20 | EN 12464-2 |
| Open equipment sheds, loading areas | 50 | EN 12464-2 |
Light for animals follows different rules: see Barn and Livestock Lighting.
Which luminaire at which height?
| Height | Luminaire | Power | From (incl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3–6 m | LED tri-proof light 150 cm, IP65 | 45–55W | €14.95 |
| 6–8 m | LED high bay | 100–150W | €43.95 / €53.95 |
| 8–12 m | LED high bay | 150–200W | €53.95 / €65.95 |
| Yard, loading area | LED floodlight, IP66 | 50–400W | by size of the area |
The full power overview per height is in Which LED High Bay Do I Need?
Most-chosen luminaires for agricultural buildings
What does it cost?
Luminaires only, prices including VAT, calculated with the formula number = (lux × m²) ÷ (lumens per luminaire × 0.8 × 0.6):
| Building | Target | Luminaires | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine shed, 800 m², 6 m | 100 lux | 12 × high bay 100W | approx. €530 |
| Same shed, work on machines | 200 lux | 15 × high bay 150W | approx. €810 |
| Store, 400 m², 4 m | 100 lux | 14 × tri-proof light 150 cm 45W | approx. €210 |
Installation comes on top. The detailed method with spacing is in Warehouse Lighting Calculation.
Dust, moisture and explosion protection
- Dust and moisture: choose IP65 or higher and closed, smooth housings. Open cooling fins collect dust and chaff.
- Ammonia: in buildings with animals or slurry, ammonia makes ordinary plastics brittle. Use ammonia-resistant luminaires there.
- Explosive dust: grain, flour and feed dust can form an explosive atmosphere. For silos, mills and conveyor systems the operator records in the explosion protection document whether a zone 21 or 22 applies; only luminaires with matching ATEX marking are allowed there. See ATEX and Ex-Proof LED Lighting.
- Yard: aim floodlights downwards so that drivers of tractors and lorries are not dazzled (see Outdoor Lighting for Business Premises).
A real project: Stassen Landbouwproducten
The agricultural trader Stassen Landbouwproducten relit about 15,000 m² of storage halls, silo buildings and yard. 110 old luminaires were replaced by 20 LED high bays of 200W, 85 LED tri-proof lights of 45W and 5 LED floodlights of 1000W.
- Lighting levels: 100 lux in the storage halls, 300 lux in the silo areas, 100 lux outdoors.
- Connected load: 12,825W instead of 28,200W, 55% less.
- Electricity: 43,050 kWh and €15,498 less per year.
- Investment in the luminaires: €8,058, half of it covered by funding; paid back after just over three months.
The full figures are in the project report Stassen Landbouwproducten.
Funding in Germany
The federal programme for energy efficiency in agriculture and horticulture supports investments in energy-efficient technology; LED lighting can be eligible as part of a CO₂-saving investment after energy advice. Applications go through the Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe (FNR). The programme is in high demand and application windows can be closed for a time, so check the current status before you order and apply before the work starts: BMLEH, Bundesprogramm Energieeffizienz.
Frequently asked questions
Which lighting suits a machine shed?
Up to 6 m IP65 LED tri-proof lights, above that LED high bays of 100W to 200W. Choose 4000K and plan 100 lux for parking and 200 lux where you work on machines.
How many lux does an agricultural building need?
To EN 12464-1: 100 lux for storage, 200 lux for loading and operating machinery and for feed preparation, 300 lux for repair work. Livestock buildings have a standard minimum of 50 lux.
Which IP rating do I need?
IP65 for sheds and stores with dust and moisture, IP66 outdoors. In livestock buildings the luminaires must also resist ammonia.
Do I need explosion-proof lighting in a grain store?
That depends on the zone classification. Grain and feed dust can be explosive; if the operator's explosion protection document defines a zone 21 or 22, only ATEX luminaires for that zone are allowed.
What does the lighting for a machine shed cost?
For 800 m² at 6 m, the luminaires cost about €530 at 100 lux and about €810 at 200 lux, including VAT. Installation comes on top.
- EN 12464-1 – Lighting of indoor work places (agriculture) and EN 12464-2 – Outdoor work places (farms).
- BMLEH: Bundesprogramm zur Steigerung der Energieeffizienz und CO₂-Einsparung in Landwirtschaft und Gartenbau.
- Clightstore project data: Stassen Landbouwproducten, 2026.
Last checked: November 2026, Nick Cuppens, Clightstore.
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