Bespoke emergency lighting designs for commercial spaces

Emergency lighting is an essential aspect of building design, providing illumination when normal lighting fails due to power outages or other emergencies. 

Rather than taking away from or competing with a space’s design, incorporating the right emergency lighting into architectural lighting can enhance the functionality and aesthetic appeal of a space without compromising safety – allowing architects to create a safer, more visually appealing environment for occupants that performs in the event of an emergency.

“While the form and aesthetic of the emergency luminaire is important, a key consideration is the length of time the emergency lighting needs to last before requiring maintenance, especially with the battery technology used as it is this vital part that has a defined service life. Often these spaces can be problematic for accessing luminaires, so a designer can specify using a battery technology that delivers a minimum 10-year life cycle which limits disruptive maintenance activities and delivers the lowest cost of ownership to the end user who has managed the asset in the years to come.”

When designing and manufacturing bespoke emergency solutions, Clevertronics performs a rigorous process to ensure the design meets all requirements.

Integrating an emergency lighting solution into luminaires requires a detailed technical evaluation assessment as emergency lighting is required to meet performance criteria above that of general luminaires,” says Murray.

“Sometimes lighting designers need to understand if a selected light fitting has the potential to be converted with an emergency lighting function before an assessment can take place. Our customer service team will be able to help with estimates concerning likely performance and configuration. If a selected third-party luminaire looks promising, then a typical assessment will be carried out including but not always limited to building a working sample and testing in accordance to AS/NZS2293.3 for thermal and light output.”

In architectural spaces, Clevertronics regularly provides small format exit signs – only 100mm high – that provide wayfinding in a range of mounting options including suspended, wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted and columns. These allow designers to discreetly deliver compliance without having exit signs dominating the space.

“Designers can use very small emergency lights with custom finishes to match the materials they are installed into, and the battery packs powering them can be specified to be installed remotely in locations that are easier to access – a common solution for areas with high ceilings and bespoke floors that make the use of access platforms problematic.”

For outdoor spaces also requiring wayfinding signage and emergency lighting such as rooftop bars, apartment common spaces and outdoor quiet spaces where users leave the space via the building, Clevertronics has collaborated with leading architectural lighting companies to integrate their revolutionary emergency solutions into various styles of architectural luminaires. This ensures that the integrated solutions are not only visually appealing but also compliant with AS/NZS2293 standards.

“Most outdoor lights require remote mounted emergency battery packs which in certain applications can be installed a considerable distance away so designers should consider where these might be located for future maintenance.”

Buildings and defined areas within them that require emergency lighting are covered by the National Construction Code (NCC) and not in the AS/NZS2293 standard for exit and emergency lighting design and installation. 

“While the NCC advises where exit and emergency lighting is to be used, it refers to the AS/NZS2293 standard to design criteria,” says Murray. “The purpose and function of emergency lighting is understood by designers and we do encourage professionals dealing in these applications to be referencing the current version of AS/NZS2293.1-2018 which documents the methodology to create a compliant lighting plan.” 

For example, an emergency light needs to be placed within 2m of the approach side of an exit sign unless that exit has the dual function of also providing useful light to the floor during a power failure. Most Clevertronics exit signs are dual-purpose and carry the AS/NZS2293 classification to guide designers about the floor area they cover.

“Another consideration that should be thought of at the design stage is how long will the emergency luminaire or exit sign last before servicing is needed. All too often a budget, short-life fitting is used to save money during the initial building program which inevitably leads to higher ownership costs for the end user in the form of more frequent service activity throughout the lifetime of the fit-out. This also indirectly leads to higher carbon emissions and e-waste generated by the need to send technicians to site. 

“Choosing fixtures that deliver the longest periods between servicing inherently cost less to own and deliver a better environmental outcome over the 10, 15, and 20 years the system is operating. We have many case studies that prove using a long-life luminaire and battery delivers real cost benefits to the end users.”

An example of this is that of the 2,500+ emergency lights from Clevertronics installed at Marvel Stadium in 2012, over 97 per cent of them remain untouched and in service. 

To learn more about using Clevertronics’ bespoke emergency lighting solutions for your next commercial project, get in touch and explore the range of products.