Great Lighting for Safer, Comfortable & Energy-Efficient Spaces
Great lighting makes spaces safer, more comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing while saving energy.
At enlighten, our team of specialist lighting designers ensures your lighting matches how your space is used, complies with Australian standards, and looks exactly the way you want.
How We Work
1. Understand the Space and Its Tasks
We start by learning what happens in the space—meetings, office work, technical work, sport, public circulation—and what atmosphere you want (warm and welcoming, bright and focused, dramatic and bold).
From this, we determine:
- Brightness: How much light is needed on surfaces
- Colour of Light: Warmer or cooler (measured in Kelvin)
- Colour Accuracy: How true colours appear (high CRI/TM‑30)
2. Select the Right Lighting Types
We combine four approaches to achieve the right effect:
- Ambient Lighting: Even, general illumination
- Task Lighting: Brighter, targeted light where work happens, with strong glare control
- Accent Lighting: Highlights and contrast to draw attention and create depth
- Decorative Lighting: Luminaires chosen for visual impact as well as light
3. Design for Efficiency and Control
We balance quality with efficiency:
- Use less power per area (low W/m²)
- Maximise light per watt (high efficacy)
- Smart controls: Sensors (daylight, occupancy, motion) and dimming deliver light only when and where it’s needed
4. Coordinate with Your Project Team
We read and work from your architectural plans (floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, elevations, and sections) and coordinate with other services to avoid clashes—HVAC, fire, AV, and structure—so the design installs smoothly.
5. Model Before You Build
We use professional software to “test drive” the design:
- AGi32: Light simulations, compliance checks, and 3D visuals/renders
- AutoCAD: Precise plans
- Revit (BIM): Whole-building coordination
This reduces rework and gives you confidence in the outcome.
6. Comply with Australian Standards—Without Fuss
Your design will meet the relevant standards and codes, including:
- AS/NZS 1680: Interior/exterior workplace lighting
- AS/NZS 1158: Roads and public outdoor areas
- AS/NZS 2560: Sports lighting
- AS/NZS 2293: Emergency lighting
- AS 4282: Control of obtrusive light/spill
- NCC Section J (J7): Energy efficiency
We also design to support Green Star, NABERS, and WELL objectives for sustainability, comfort, and reduced light pollution.
7. Plan for Buildability and Maintenance
We confirm mounting methods (surface, recessed, suspended), ensure the proposed luminaires suit your ceiling and structure, and locate fittings to simplify installation and future maintenance. Where helpful, we conduct site visits/audits.
What You Receive
- Lighting plans and reflected ceiling plans ready for tender or construction
- 3D visuals/renders that show how the space will look
- Compliance summary with the relevant Australian standards
- Energy and controls strategy (sensors, zoning, dimming)
- Luminaire schedule (quantities, optics, wattage, finishes, accessories)
- Coordination notes for other trades to avoid clashes
Why Clients Choose Us
We don’t just “put boxes of lights in a ceiling.” We design around how your space is used, then specify or customise luminaires to deliver comfort, safety, and energy performance—with documentation that makes approvals and installation straightforward.
Quick Glossary (Plain English)
- Lumens (lm): How much light a lamp emits (total light output)
- Lux (lx): How much light reaches a surface (brightness where you need it)
- Colour Temperature (Kelvin): Warm (cosy) to cool (crisp) appearance of light
- CRI / TM‑30: How accurately colours appear under the light (higher is better)
- Glare Control: Techniques that reduce harsh, uncomfortable brightness
- Efficacy (lm/W): How efficiently a light turns power into light (more light, less energy)
Watch this space for our next quarterly update, where we’ll delve deeper into how lighting science integrates with the latest technology to create exceptional designs.