Commercial lighting design balances illuminance compliance with energy efficiency, glare control, and the brand or workplace experience the tenant wants. A 1990s office troffer plan no longer meets modern UGR (unified glare rating) expectations or the productivity literature on cooler 4000K task lighting balanced with warmer 3000K break-out zones. Retail wants tunable accent lighting to merchandise stock without colour shift. Hospitality wants warm, low-UGR circulation lighting with controllable dimming for the day-part. Millar Electrics designs commercial lighting layouts to AS/NZS 1680 illuminance targets, specifies controls appropriate to the site, and installs to the builder's programme.
Designing the layout
We design with Dialux or AGi32 — illuminance, uniformity, and glare modelling for every zone. The output is a luminaire schedule, a layout drawing, and a lux plot showing compliance with the relevant clause of AS/NZS 1680. Where the brief is design-led (retail, hospitality, showroom), we work with the interior designer's mood board and translate it into specifications that hit both the visual brief and the code.
Controls strategy
For larger or BMS-integrated sites we specify DALI-2 with addressable luminaires, daylight sensors at perimeter zones, occupancy sensors in store rooms and toilets, and time scheduling against trading hours. For smaller sites Casambi BLE mesh delivers most of the same outcomes without a wired controls bus. For simple zones, phase-cut trailing-edge dimming with PIR sensors does the job at lower cost. We match the protocol to the use case rather than over-specifying.
Emergency and exit lighting
Most commercial premises require emergency escape lighting and exit signage to AS 2293. We design the layout, select luminaires (single-point self-contained or central-battery system), document the test regime, and certify on completion. Six-monthly function tests and annual full-duration tests are then handled under a maintenance contract, or scheduled separately.
Builder coordination
Lighting installation only goes well if the rough-in cabling is in before plastering, the ceiling cuts are in the right places, and fit-off happens after cabinetry. We attend site meetings, coordinate with the builder's programme, and keep written progress notes. For tenancy fit-outs we manage the interface with the fit-out company and any landlord requirements.