Landscape lighting fixtures are a key part of commercial property design. They can make a huge impact on the look and feel of your premises, helping to do everything from light a path to highlight important signage and more.
Installing outdoor lights for commercial sites is more involved that fitting garden lighting for a domestic property. Many people can install garden lighting themselves, as these are usually low voltage lighting systems or wireless lights that are easy to fit.
Outdoor lighting for even small commercial properties requires skill, expertise and planning. That’s why businesses throughout Leeds call in experienced commercial electricians like HG Electrical. Keep reading to find out more about how we carry out outdoor lighting installation projects and how we can transform your outdoor space.
Plan Your Outdoor Lighting Design
The first step in any installation is to make a plan. This means designing the rough layout for the lights, so we know where they’re going to be positioned.
The right placement for your outdoor lighting will depend on what you want to achieve with it. Whether you want pathway lights to illuminate a walkway, security lights to put-off potential intruders or signage lighting to illuminate your branding and important instructions, HG Electrical can help you plan your perfect landscape lighting display.
Alongside deciding where the lights will be, you also need to plan for your transformer location and where the electrical wiring will be stored, if you’re choosing wired lighting. While wireless landscape lighting is available, for large commercial sites you may still need some wired lights to provide the full ambiance you want.
Get Permission
During the planning stage, you also need to consult local building regulations and consider if your outdoor lighting installation requires planning permission. Small outdoor lighting solutions might not need permission, but will need to abide by regulations and not disturb others or overlook neighbouring buildings.
For large commercial installations, you may need planning permission, and your installation will have to comply with relevant building regulations. If your commercial property is a listed building then you may also need further permission to make any changes to it. Your electrician can discuss this with you and help to ensure you have the relevant permission before the work starts.
Choose Your Light Fittings And Fixtures
Once you have an outdoor lighting installation plan to work from, you can start selecting the right lights to turn your ideas into reality. There are many different types of outdoor lighting available, each with its own unique features, so you’ll need to discuss what you want and your electrician can show you the options. Some solutions, such as LED bulbs, can give a bright light while also being more energy efficient, as can solar powered outdoor lights.
As well as light fittings, you also want to consider finding the right tools and other electrical components, such as wiring and transformers.
The right wiring is particularly important, as you need to make sure you choose the right gauge. Most outdoor lighting wire is between 8 and 16 gauge, but 10 or 12 gauge is usually chosen for larger installations to avoid voltage drop.
If you’re working with HG Electrical, our team will discuss all the options with you and then provide the perfect solutions to help achieve your desired result.
Install The Transformer
A transformer is a passive component that transfers electrical energy from the main power supply to the appliance that will use it: in this case, your outdoor lights. It reduces the higher voltage used inside your commercial building into the lower voltage needed for most outdoor lighting systems.
Installing a transformer for a commercial property should be undertaken by a qualified electrician who can ensure that the lighting cables are fitted to the correct terminals and that the new transformer is completely safe and ready to use.
Fit The Lights
With the transformer fitted, you can start to install the lights. Commercial lighting systems often require expertise and specialist equipment, such as cherry pickers for installing outdoor lights on rooftop signage or high in trees.
Fitting lights can also take time, as it can mean installing lots of light bulbs and running wires from different areas.
By working with HG Electrical, you can save time and effort, while getting the best possible outcome for your landscape lighting project.
Perform A Final Test
Once your new outdoor lighting has been installed, you’ll need to test it to check that it works correctly and that it gives the look you were aiming for.
Make sure you test the lights when it’s darker outside, so you can get the full effect. Some accent lighting fixtures are more portable than others, so you might be able to move them around your outdoor space to get the look you want.
Others might need to be fitted into a particular position, so for these you need to make sure you’re happy before they are fully installed, usually by discussing their position with your electrician.
After you’ve checked and are happy that your new lights provide the atmosphere you wanted and are fully functioning, you’ll need to book an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). If you work with HG Electrical to install your landscape lighting, we’ll do this testing as part of the service.
Get Expert Landscape Lighting Installation From HG Electrical
As this article shows, installing outdoor lights for your commercial property can be a big job, and its important that everything is fitted correctly.
At best, badly fitted outdoor lighting will create a dingy ambience and won’t create the look you desire. At worst, poorly installed landscape lighting could cause damage to your entire electrical system.
As mentioned previously, in the UK all businesses also need EICRs for all large lighting installations to ensure the safety of their premises, which can only be carried out by a registered electrician.
That’s why HG Electrical is here to help businesses throughout Leeds ensure they get the best outdoor lighting display possible.
Our qualified electricians can install landscape lighting on properties of any size or type. We have extensive experience working in a range of commercial sectors, including education, healthcare, hospitality, retail and more.
In addition to installing outdoor lights, we can also carry out all aspects of commercial electrical work, including electrical installations, LED lighting installations for the interior and exterior, emergency lighting, electrical maintenance, rewiring and refurbishments.
To book your site survey and get the landscape lighting installation and other commercial electrical services your business needs, contact us on 0113 824 1881 or by emailing sales@hg-es.co.uk. Together, we can create a bright future for your Leeds-based business.
