Reception Areas

Reception areas need to create the right impression, so the lighting should be carefully selected to achieve a welcoming, pleasant environment.

Feature lighting is needed to illuminate displays or logos, without causing glare in display screens; as well as high quality general lighting with a good vertical component to illuminate the faces of both the visitor and the receptionist.

A receptionist often fulfils several tasks, some are switchboard/screen based and others are paper based, so the lighting must be suitable for these tasks.

If there is a seated waiting area, then sufficient illumination is required to allow visitors to read whilst waiting.

Emergency Lighting

The emergency lighting standard, BS 5266-1, recommends a higher emergency lighting level (15 lux) on the receptionist’s desk if it is the receptionist’s duty to call the emergency services.

Illumination Levels

Recommended Illumination Levels - CIBSE: SLL Lighting Handbook 2018

Reception desk top: 200 lux
Working surface on receptionist’s side of desk: 300 lux
Entrance/waiting areas: 100 lux at floor level, 200 lux vertical on principal vertical surfaces, 200 lux in seated waiting areas where casual reading is done