Office LED Panel

Office LED panel

The LED panel is the best-selling fitting in office lighting and also the one most often bought badly. Two fittings with the same format and the same wattage can deliver opposite results depending on the driver they use, the diffuser they carry and the glare control they declare.

We write for the people who buy the equipment: installers, refurbishment contractors, design practices and maintenance managers. We work with trade accounts, volume discounts and a personalised catalogue, and we prepare the DIALux calculation before you order. The full range is in LED Panels and you can open an account through Contact.

60x60 LED panel and long formats: which size suits each ceiling

The square format is the standard because it matches the grid of the most common suspended grid ceiling: it replaces a whole tile and sits flush without cutting any profiles. It is the LED panel specified in nine out of ten office floor projects.

Where the grid is elongated, the 120x30 cm LED does the same job and fits better over continuous rows of workstations; this format also covers corridors and circulation areas with fewer units. For large rooms and higher ceilings there is the 120x60 cm LED, which delivers the output of two fittings from a single connection point, and for small private offices and walkways the 60x30 cm LED does the job without over-lighting.

Modular ceilings accept any of these LED panel sizes directly. In a continuous plasterboard ceiling there are two routes: cut the opening to size or switch to the surface-mounted version, which is screwed on without needing an access ceiling. That version is also the answer when the refurbishment is done with the office still in use and the ceiling cannot be taken down.

The same LED panel can also change its installation type with the right accessory: the surface-mount kit, the frame to recess it and the suspension kit are all in this category, so surface mounting a fitting designed for a grid ceiling does not mean changing product reference.

The framed version and the surface-mounted version share the same optics: what changes is how they are fixed. And grid-ceiling recessed panels remain the cleanest option where the ceiling allows, because the fitting sits flush and does not break the ceiling plane.

In product listings you will see the same item written as 60x60cm or 60x60 cm LED, and sometimes as 60x60cm LED: avoid duplicating references because of a difference in notation.

UGR, CRI and visual comfort: the figures that separate a good panel from a cheap one

This is where you find out whether the LED panel can stay on eight hours a day without anyone complaining.

UGR is the Unified Glare Rating, and in offices with screens the benchmark is UGR19. A fitting that does not declare this figure may deliver the same lumen output and still be uncomfortable: what changes is not how much light it gives, but how it spreads it and how bright the emitting surface looks when viewed head-on. That visual comfort is what the 12464-1 standard pursues when it sets criteria for workplaces.

CRI, the colour rendering index, tells you whether colours look as they really are. An LED panel with a good CRI is what separates a meeting room where corporate material looks right from one where everything turns greyish. For office work a high value is not a luxury: it is what stops a printed document from showing a colour cast. In our premium series the colour rendering is above what is usual in generic products.

The diffuser is the third element of the LED panel. A well-made opal diffuser gives uniform light and hides the individual LED points; a poor one produces uneven brightness that you notice as soon as you walk in. Uniform light distribution across the working plane is exactly what you are buying in a panel: if you needed a concentrated beam, the answer would be another product family.

And the fourth, the SMD LED it uses: the chip determines the real efficacy in lumens per watt and colour stability over time. With high-efficacy LEDs, the output per watt lets you reduce the number of installed points. A high-efficiency LED panel means, in practice, fewer units for the same result, and that is the item that weighs most in the budget for a whole floor.

The light intensity that reaches the working plane also depends on mounting height: the same LED panel at 2.70 metres performs better on the desk than at 3.50, and that is calculated, not estimated. The light distribution in the room is the other figure in the calculation, and it is what tells you whether you need six fittings or nine.

Philips driver, wattage, CCT and dimming: what goes inside

In an LED panel, the driver is the component that fails most in cheap equipment and the one people look at least when comparing prices.

Many of our series use a driver from Philips, and others carry Philips electronics from the same family, and this is not a datasheet ornament: a stable driver eliminates flicker, keeps the output constant and extends the service life of the whole unit. A panel with a good LED and a poor driver fails just like a bad one, only later.

In terms of wattage, the standard square LED panel ranges between 36W and 48W depending on the output required, with 40W as the most common value on office floors. There are also multi-wattage series that let you select the power on the fitting itself during installation, so a single reference covers rooms with different heights and floor areas.

Dimming for the LED panel has to be decided before you buy. Our dimmable fittings come in TRIAC for simple installations, in 0-10V and in DALI for zone control and integration with the building management system, and some models work with a remote control when wiring a wall control is not worthwhile. Getting this wrong is the most expensive mistake: adding dimming later means replacing the whole fitting.

The energy efficiency of a modern LED panel is not read in watts but in the ratio between consumption and useful output. That is the lighting technology that has displaced everything before it in offices, and the reason LED lighting has taken over even in installations that were still working.

Switchable CCT completes the picture. A single panel with three or four selectable colour temperatures lets you decide on site whether a room goes in 4000K for work or 3000K, the warm white for reception and staff canteen, and halves the number of references you need to keep in stock. The RGB LED panel models with app control cover multi-purpose rooms where colour is used as a signal, not as general lighting.

Surface-mounted or recessed LED panel in a suspended ceiling: where each version performs

In open-plan areas, grid-ceiling office LED panels with UGR19 and neutral white are the default solution, repeated in a regular layout to achieve even lighting without dark patches.

In meeting rooms, one large-format LED panel or two medium dimmable units work better, so the level can be lowered during a presentation. In reception, the surface-mounted fitting with a white frame blends better with continuous ceilings and leaves room for a pendant alongside without competing with it. Those decorative LED lamps and the technical panel share the work: one adds character, the other provides the light level.

In plant rooms, archives and industrial kitchens in staff canteens, ease of cleaning comes first: there, a ceiling-mounted fitting with a closed diffuser holds up better than a recessed one with an open frame. In office kitchens and kitchenettes, neutral white is also advisable so as not to distort the colour of food.

In corridors and circulation areas, an elongated LED panel in rectangular format covers more metres with fewer units and gives a more orderly reading of the route.

Panel-based lighting solutions cover, across the four sizes, practically any office floor. When you need to go beyond that, such as very high ceilings, exposed ceilings or accent lighting, another supporting luminaire comes in, but the bulk of the floor area is handled by this type of fitting.

From fluorescent to panel: lumen for lumen, the replacement we are asked for most

Half the offices that call us still have fluorescent tube fittings in grid ceilings. The changeover always follows the same pattern and it pays to plan it properly.

The artificial lighting of an older office was done with tubes, and that traditional lighting based on fluorescent technology has three problems that LED solves in one go: high consumption, flickering start-up and constant tube replacement. Compared with those conventional fittings, a modern LED fitting delivers more light per watt, starts instantly and maintains its output throughout its service life hours, around 50,000 in quality series.

Replacing with an LED panel does not require touching the ceiling. The old fitting is removed and the LED panel goes into the same tile opening, with the quick and easy installation that a grid ceiling allows. The accessories needed for installation, such as frame, surface-mount kit or suspension wires, are ordered together with the fitting so the job does not stop.

The energy saving shows on the first bill, but the argument that convinces the maintenance manager is a different one: no more changing tubes. Each replacement means a visit, a ladder and a person; in a building with hundreds of points, that recurring cost outweighs the difference in equipment price.

Even so, it is worth reviewing the lighting conditions before swapping each old fitting for an LED panel. A badly sized fluorescent installation does not improve by changing the technology: if the light distribution was poor, it will still be poor with new fittings.

What to check on the datasheet before placing the order

There are four lines on the datasheet that decide the purchase and that hardly anyone compares between two references at the same price.

The first is the real output, in lumens, not the wattage. Two fittings with identical consumption can differ by several hundred lumens depending on the chip, and that difference translates directly into how many units each room needs.

The second is the colour temperature range. If the series has selectable CCT, check how many settings it offers and whether the selector is still accessible once the fitting is installed: a switch on the top face means taking the fitting down to change it.

The third is the mounting hardware included. Some series come with the recess frame as standard and others need it ordered separately; the same goes for the suspension wires. It is the number one cause of a job grinding to a halt on a Friday afternoon.

And the fourth is the warranty attached to that specific reference, which is not always the same across the catalogue. It is worth checking when the order is large, because on a floor with hundreds of points the difference between three and five years is real money.

What you gain by buying your office LED panel here

The first argument is the calculation. A badly sized LED panel cannot be fixed afterwards: either there is too much light and you have overpaid, or there is too little and you have to go back to site.

The second is component quality. We work with high-quality series where the chip and the driver are declared on the datasheet, because an LED panel is judged by what it has inside, not by the price on the box. The light source and its power supply account for ninety per cent of the result. Send us the floor plan and the ceiling height and we will tell you how many units you need, on which grid and what average level you will get on the desks. With that, the quote stops being an estimate.

The third is the warranty. Depending on the product we offer up to five years, with a 3-year warranty as standard and a 5-year warranty on several 60x60 panel series. In an installation with hundreds of points, that cover is worth more than any one-off discount.

And the fourth is continuity. We work with complete product families so you can replace a unit two years from now without the room looking mismatched, and so that an extension fits in with what is already installed.

To open a trade account, send the registration form and your company or sole trader documentation to our sales email. Once your account is active you get trade prices, discounts that grow with volume, a personalised catalogue with your details and the option to apply for a credit line with deferred payment, subject to approval. For resellers we offer blind shipping and dropshipping with the catalogue connected to their shop.

Shipping costs are calculated in the basket according to weight, volume and zone, and are shown before you confirm; the Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla require DUA customs processing and prior contact. Returns are handled through RMA from the customer area, with the return carriage paid by the customer.

The LED panel you install today has to still be available in two years' time, and that is our commitment. A well-chosen office LED panel outlasts the refurbishment that installed it, and that is exactly what you are buying: years without having to climb back up to the ceiling.

Frequently asked questions about office LED panels

Which size should I order if my ceiling has standard tiles?

The one that matches the tile, usually the large square format. Check on site: some grids are 62.5 cm and need an adapter frame, and that detail changes the order.

Is it worth specifying UGR19 across the whole floor?

In areas with screens, yes. In archives, toilets and storerooms you can lower the requirement, and there the criteria become robustness and maintenance.

Can I surface-mount a panel designed to be recessed?

Yes, with the matching kit, which is sold separately and ordered with the fitting. There is also a suspension kit if the ceiling is exposed or very high.

What is the difference between a framed panel and a surface-mounted one?

The framed one is recessed and sits flush with the ceiling; the surface-mounted one is screwed on and projects a few centimetres. The first needs an opening, the second does not. The lighting result is equivalent if the fitting is the same.

Do dimmable panels work with any control system?

No: each model declares its protocol. Tell us what is in the distribution board before ordering and we will confirm which series fits, because a fitting bought for a different protocol cannot be adapted afterwards.

How do I choose the wattage without overdoing it?

With the calculation, not the catalogue. Tell us the floor area, ceiling height and use, and we will tell you which LED panel covers that room and how many units you need for the required light level. Going up in watts just in case costs you twice: on the purchase and on the monthly bill.

What is the difference between a premium panel and a basic one?

The LED it uses and the driver that powers it. In a premium LED panel, the uniform lighting holds for years without shifting in tone; in a basic one the output drops sooner and the colour drifts. What LED makes possible today is precisely that stability, and it is what you cannot see on installation day.

Which panel should I order for a meeting room with a projector?

A dimmable one, ideally with control from within the room itself. During the presentation the level is lowered without switching off, and restored afterwards. It is the difference between a room that gets used and one where someone always ends up switching off half the circuits by hand.

Can you supply enough for a whole floor in one go?

Yes, and it is best to tell us the full scope up front. Once the reference is confirmed we reserve stock for every phase and make sure the last floor is not supplied with a different series.