Utility Areas

Communal utility areas such as laundry rooms, bin stores and storage areas need uniform low-glare lighting. A potential problem in laundry rooms is condensation because of the rapid fluctuations in temperature and humidity. Consequently in these areas a luminaire sealed to a minimum of IP44 is recommended.

CIBSE: SLL Lighting Guide 9 – Lighting for communal residential buildings 2013 recommends 200 lux for Utility Rooms. Lighting in laundry areas where residents are likely inspect their clothes and may read whilst waiting for washing to finish should have 3000-4000 K colour temperature and good colour rendering.

Presence detection is recommended to ensure the lighting is not left on when the room is vacated.