What is in the guide
- Survey the site
- Set the light level for each zone (BS EN 12464-1)
- Mounting height and spacing
- High bay or linear fitting
- Controls and sensors
- Emergency lighting
- Installation without stopping the operation
- ESOS, funding and tax notes
- How to calculate your savings
- What to ask a supplier
- Why component quality matters
- Next step: a free lighting survey
What are the best LED lights for a warehouse?
There is no single best fitting, because a warehouse has several kinds of space. In most buildings the right answer is a mix:
- Open floors, marshalling and loading areas: a round (UFO) high bay with a wide beam, such as PS-UFO-MAX, switchable on site to 100, 150 or 200 W at 200 lm/W.
- Narrow racking aisles: a linear high bay with an aisle optic, such as PS-CURVE, which puts light on the floor and the rack faces.
- Areas where people look up: a low glare fitting, such as PS-MILD with UGR below 19.
- Washdown and harsh areas: a sealed IP69K fitting, such as PS-CORROSION.
Whatever you choose, compare the lumens and lumens per watt of the complete fitting, ask which LEDs and driver are inside, add sensors where zones are empty, and ask for a lighting design before you order. Our LED high bay lights buyer's guide compares the options in detail.
Warehouse lux levels at a glance
Light levels for UK workplaces are set out in BS EN 12464-1:2021. These are maintained values: what the installation must still deliver as the fittings age, not the level on the first day. Racking aisles also need vertical light on the rack faces so that labels can be read at every level.
| Area | Maintained illuminance (BS EN 12464-1:2021) |
|---|---|
| Store and stock rooms | 100 lux (200 lux if continuously occupied) |
| Gangways between racking, manned | 150 lux at floor level |
| Gangways between racking, unmanned | 20 lux at floor level |
| Storage rack faces | 200 lux, measured vertically |
| Packing, dispatch and handling areas | 300 lux |
| Loading bays | 150 lux |
Read more in which lux levels are recommended and racking aisle lighting.
The warehouse LED lighting upgrade checklist in brief
- Survey the site: mounting heights, layout, racking, existing fittings, hours of use, daylight, circuits and access.
- Set a target for each zone to BS EN 12464-1, including vertical light on rack faces.
- Mounting height and spacing: there is no reliable rule of thumb from ceiling height to wattage, so ask for a lighting design.
- Choose the fitting: UFO high bays for open areas, linear high bays for aisles, and the right IP, IK and temperature ratings.
- Controls: presence and daylight sensors where zones are empty or near rooflights.
- Emergency lighting: check the design against BS 5266-1 and BS EN 1838 when the layout changes.
- Installation: out of hours or phased work, qualified electricians to BS 7671, WEEE disposal of old lamps.
- Compliance and funding: ESOS Phase 4 (qualification date 31 December 2026, notification of compliance due by 5 December 2027), and current grant and tax options.
How to work out the saving
The energy saving comes from three numbers: the wattage saved per fitting, the number of fittings and the hours a year the lights are on.
Energy saved (kWh a year) = fittings x watts saved per fitting x hours a year / 1,000. Multiply by your own unit rate for the cost saving, and divide your quoted project cost by the annual saving for the simple payback. The guide works through the method with figures that are clearly marked as an example, and our LED savings calculator does the sum with your own numbers.
Questions to ask a supplier
- What is the lumen output of the complete fitting, and the lumens per watt at the wattage we will run?
- Which LEDs and which driver are inside?
- What is the stated lifetime, and to which method (for example L80B10, TM-21)?
- Will you provide a lighting design with maintained lux levels for each zone?
- How long is the warranty, and who stands behind it in the UK?
The guide lists 12 questions in full.
Why component quality matters
The LEDs and the driver decide how efficient a fitting is and how long it lasts, so a named component maker is a useful quality check. PS-UFO-MAX uses Lumileds LEDs with a Sosen driver (driver efficiency above 93%), PS-CORROSION uses Bridgelux LEDs with a Tridonic driver, and PS-ATEX-HIGHBAY uses a Meanwell driver. Every Polaris product carries a 5-year warranty.
Frequently asked questions
What is in the warehouse LED lighting upgrade guide?
A 15 page PDF with a 12 step checklist: site survey, BS EN 12464-1 light levels for warehouse areas, mounting height, high bay or linear fittings, controls and sensors, emergency lighting, installation, ESOS and funding notes, a worked savings method, questions to ask a supplier and why component quality matters.
What are the best LED lights for a warehouse?
Usually a mix: round (UFO) high bays with a wide beam for open floors and loading areas, and linear high bays with an aisle optic for racking aisles. Compare the lumens per watt of the complete fitting, ask which LEDs and driver are inside, and ask for a lighting design before you order.
How many lux does a warehouse need?
BS EN 12464-1:2021 gives 100 lux for store and stock rooms (200 lux if continuously occupied), 150 lux for manned gangways between racking, 200 lux vertically on rack faces, 300 lux for packing and dispatch areas and 150 lux for loading bays.
How do I calculate the saving from a warehouse LED upgrade?
Energy saved in kWh a year = number of fittings x watts saved per fitting x hours a year / 1,000. Multiply by your unit rate for the cost saving. The guide works through the method with clearly labelled example figures.
Is the guide free?
Yes. Fill in the short form and you can download the PDF straight away.