Practical control for occupied and operational premises
Commercial Lighting Controls for Workplaces Across Scotland
Occupancy and presence sensors, PIR and microwave detection, daylight dimming, zoning, timers, photocells, manual overrides and suitable DALI-based control for warehouses, factories, offices, public buildings, managed property and external areas.
WB starts with how each area is used, then selects the simplest maintainable control that will deliver the required result. Our commercial electricians can assess the fittings, drivers, circuits, switching and operating constraints, install and configure the agreed controls, test the real sequence with users and leave a useful settings record.

Use the simplest control that delivers the required result
A good control scheme should reduce unnecessary run time without leaving people in the dark, confusing the override route, affecting critical lighting or making a straightforward workplace dependent on unsupported software.
Practical controls
Sensors, zones, timers, dimming and overrides
New or existing lighting
Retrofit controls or include them in an LED upgrade
Operational delivery
Access, isolations, permits and phasing planned
Established 1989
Commercial and industrial electrical experience
Good Controls Follow the Space, the Task and the People Using It
HSE lighting guidance says lighting should suit the task and considers factors such as colour, contrast, glare, shadows and changes in light level. Controls therefore need to preserve useful light where and when it is required, not simply switch the maximum number of fittings off. Energy and cost outcomes depend on the connected load, baseline run hours, occupancy, daylight, tariff and settings, so any estimate should show its assumptions. New or altered work is considered against the applicable project design, product information and Scottish requirements. Emergency lighting, fire-safety interfaces, standby-power changeover and proprietary building software remain separately defined parts of the scope.
Commercial electrical contractor assurance and recognised accreditations
From one sensor to a coordinated workplace control plan
Commercial Lighting Controls, Sensors and Commissioning
Controls can be added during a lighting upgrade, retrofitted to suitable existing equipment or used to correct an installation that no longer matches the building. The specification begins with tasks, occupancy, daylight, layout, fittings, drivers and circuits, then defines what each zone should do.

Occupancy, Presence, PIR and Microwave Sensors
Install automatic-on presence detection or manual-on, automatic-off absence control where appropriate. PIR and microwave devices are selected for the room, mounting height, detection pattern, obstructions and adjacent areas, then sensitivity and time delay are commissioned around real use.

Daylight Dimming and Photocell Control
Use photocells or light sensors to switch or dim suitable lighting when useful daylight is available. The setpoint, sensor position, driver compatibility, maintained task lighting, local user control and response near windows or rooflights are considered before installation.

Zoning, Timers and Manual Overrides
Separate lighting by aisle, bay, room, department, shift or operational use instead of relying on one large switching group. Timers, time clocks, contactors, local switches, all-off functions and labelled manual overrides can be combined with a clearly agreed sequence.

Warehouse, High-bay and Industrial Controls
Control high-bay, racking-aisle, production and gantry lighting around mounting height, movement patterns, machinery, stock, traffic and maintenance access. Suitable dim-to-background or switched operation can be considered where the fittings, drivers and task allow it.

External Lighting and Dusk-to-Dawn Control
Coordinate external fittings with photocells, astronomical or conventional timers, dusk-to-dawn operation, occupancy sensing and manual override. Security, CCTV, vehicle and pedestrian use, neighbours and emergency routes are considered before lights are allowed to dim or switch off.

Existing Controls, DALI and Recommission
Investigate nuisance switching, unsuitable zones, drifting schedules, failed sensors, confusing overrides and controls that staff have bypassed. WB can work on suitable common control arrangements, including agreed DALI-based installation and commissioning, while proprietary head-end software and specialist platform work are identified and coordinated separately.
Three routes with different responsibilities
Choose the Simplest Maintainable Control Route
A storeroom sensor, a zoned warehouse and a building-wide interface should not be sold as the same project. WB defines the operating sequence, equipment boundary, commissioning access and ongoing owner before recommending the route.
01
Standalone and Local Control
Use switches, presence or absence sensors, photocells, timers, local dimming and contactors to control a room or fixed group. This is often the clearest retrofit where local adjustment, simple handover and minimal software dependence are priorities.
02
Zoned or Networked Lighting Control
Use a suitable addressable or coordinated system where several zones, dimming groups, scenes or central schedules need to change together. The scope identifies compatible drivers, control wiring, addresses, interfaces, licences, backups and who can alter the configuration later.
03
Coordinated BMS, Emergency or Standby Interface
Use a defined interface where lighting must coordinate with a BMS, emergency-lighting arrangement or standby supply. WB can complete the agreed electrical and lighting-control work and coordinate with the responsible system specialist. Advanced entertainment control, theatrical programming, AV show control and manufacturer-only software services are outside this page’s routine offer.

The sequence matters as much as the device list
What a Useful Lighting Controls Proposal Should Make Clear
A useful proposal describes what each zone should do during normal hours, low occupancy, cleaning, overtime, daylight, manual override, a control fault and any agreed power-changeover condition.
- Areas, tasks, occupancy patterns, operating hours, daylight, known complaints and required outcomes
- Existing fittings, LED drivers, circuits, controls, dimming protocol, connected loads and retained equipment
- Control sequence by zone, including presence or absence mode, setpoints, time delays and dim levels
- Sensor type, location, detection pattern, mounting height, obstructions and risk of unwanted detection
- Switching devices, contactors, relays, control panels, local switches, overrides and intended failure state
- Emergency, security and critical lighting that must remain independent, or any agreed interface boundary
- DALI, BMS, network, gateway, software, licence, access, backup and third-party responsibilities
- Access equipment, permits, isolations, phasing, commissioning checks, labelling, settings record and handover
A five-stage route for a room, building or estate
From Wasted Run Hours to Controls That Work in Practice
The process starts with the behaviour required in each area, not a preferred product. It can support a focused retrofit, a lighting upgrade or a phased multi-site programme.
01
Define the Waste or Usability Problem
Confirm where lights run unnecessarily, where users lack control, which areas cause complaints and what must remain available for safety, security, cleaning, overtime or operational continuity.
02
Survey the Lighting and Operating Conditions
Review the fittings, drivers, circuits, existing switches and controls, connected loads, mounting heights, detection conditions, daylight, layouts, work patterns, access and any emergency, standby, BMS or hazardous-area constraints.
03
Choose and Prove the Control Route
Define the zones and operating sequence, then compare standalone, wired, addressable or coordinated options. A representative room, aisle or bay can be used as a pilot where settings, detection or compatibility need proving before wider rollout.
04
Install, Configure and Test
Plan isolations and access, install the agreed equipment, label controls, configure sensitivity, time delays, setpoints, dimming and overrides, then test the intended sequence under realistic conditions with the relevant site users.
05
Record, Hand Over and Review
Provide the agreed electrical certification, zone or device information, settings, test observations, limitations and user handover. After layouts, shifts or occupancy change, the controls can be reviewed and recommissioned rather than quietly bypassed.
Lighting controls connect several parts of the installation
Controls Have to Work With the Lighting, Circuits and Operating Plan
A sensor that is well suited to one area can perform poorly in another. The intended behaviour depends on compatible fittings and drivers, correctly grouped circuits, suitable switching devices, detection and daylight conditions, manual control, emergency or standby requirements and the people who use the space.
- Fittings, drivers, dimming protocols, load characteristics, retained equipment and replacement plans
- Circuits, switches, contactors, relays, control panels, local overrides and distribution interfaces
- Sensors, daylight heads, timers, setpoints, timeouts, dim levels, zone boundaries and operating sequences
- Emergency, security and standby supplies, changeover behaviour, essential-load priorities and safe fallback
- DALI, BMS, network, software, gateway, licence, remote-access and specialist-system interfaces
A controls project can become the start of useful site familiarity. The same survey can support the parent Commercial and Industrial LED Lighting service, Lighting Upgrades, Lighting Maintenance and Repairs, External Lighting, Emergency Lighting Installation, separately scoped Emergency Lighting Testing, Backup and Standby Power, Electrical Maintenance and CompEx and Hazardous-area Installations. Familiarity gives later work a stronger starting point, while every instruction still receives its own scope.
Information That Improves the First Review
You do not need a finished control design before getting in touch. Useful starting information includes:
- Site, areas, tasks, operating hours, occupancy patterns and the waste or usability problem to solve
- Existing fitting, driver and control makes, model numbers, photographs, drawings and recent alterations
- Layout, mounting height, obstructions, daylight, zone boundaries, local control and staff complaints
- Required normal, cleaning, overtime, low-occupancy, override, fault and out-of-hours behaviour
- Emergency, standby, BMS, DSEAR, permit, access, isolation and phased-delivery constraints
Different patterns of use need different control behaviour
Practical Lighting Controls for Operational and Managed Premises
Mounting height, task, occupancy, daylight, machinery, traffic, public access, environmental conditions and emergency arrangements all affect the appropriate solution.

External Areas, Car Parks and Multi-site Estates
Coordinate photocells, timers, sensors and manual control across entrances, walkways, yards and car parks. Multi-site standards can create consistency while keeping each property’s hours, neighbours, CCTV and safety needs visible.
A straightforward control measure inside a wider electrical relationship
Practical Sensor Lighting Within Long-term Multi-site Support
WB Electrical has supported Scottish Opera since 2015 across four Glasgow locations serving rehearsal, production, workshop, storage, welfare, office and external uses. The published work includes sensor lighting in toilets and kitchens, high-level and low-level lighting, car park lighting, emergency lighting, distribution, maintenance and testing. It shows the value of understanding how individual rooms operate while keeping each new electrical task separately agreed and controlled.
Client since 2015
Four Glasgow locations
Practical answers for facilities, property and operations teams
Commercial Lighting Controls FAQs
These answers cover everyday commercial controls, sensor selection, retrofits, commissioning, DALI and BMS boundaries, backup-power interfaces, energy estimates and existing-system faults.
What commercial lighting controls does WB install?
WB can install and commission suitable occupancy and presence sensors, PIR and microwave detectors, absence controls, photocells, daylight dimming, timers, time clocks, zoning, contactors, local switches, manual overrides, all-off functions and compatible DALI-based arrangements. The final choice depends on the fittings, drivers, circuits, space, task, operating pattern and level of central control required.
What is the difference between PIR, microwave, presence and absence detection?
PIR devices respond to changes in infrared energy and generally depend on a suitable view of movement. Microwave sensors emit and detect radio-wave reflections, which can help in some high-bay or obstructed areas but may also detect movement beyond the intended boundary, depending on the product and construction. Presence control normally switches on automatically and off after vacancy. Absence control requires a manual-on action and then switches off automatically. WB selects and tests the method for the actual space.
Can controls be added without replacing every light fitting?
Often, yes. Standalone sensors, timers, photocells, contactors or local zones can be retrofitted where the existing fittings, drivers, switching, wiring and loads are suitable. Dimming may require compatible drivers and control wiring, and some older or mixed equipment can make selective replacement more dependable. The survey should distinguish what can be retained from what needs alteration.
How do you stop sensors switching lights off while people are working?
The control sequence is based on how people move and work, then proved on site. Sensor type, detection pattern, mounting height, location, sensitivity, time delay, dim-to-background level, zone size and manual override all matter. A representative room, aisle or bay can be piloted before a wider rollout, and settings can be adjusted after genuine user feedback rather than leaving staff to bypass the system.
Does WB install DALI controls or connect lighting to a BMS?
WB can undertake agreed installation, alteration and commissioning of suitable common DALI-based lighting controls. DALI-2 includes standardised input-device categories for occupancy and light sensors. Where lighting must connect to a BMS, WB can define and complete the agreed electrical interface and coordinate testing with the BMS provider. Proprietary head-end software, manufacturer-only access, advanced analytics and entertainment or show-control programming need the relevant specialist and a clearly assigned responsibility.
Can lighting controls work with emergency lighting or backup power?
Yes, where the interface has been deliberately engineered. Normal controls must not defeat the required emergency-lighting operation. If selected lighting also uses a backup or standby supply, the load, required operating duration, essential-circuit priority, changeover method, control state after transfer and restoration sequence need to be established. Emergency-lighting installation and testing remain separately defined scopes.
How much energy can commercial lighting controls save?
There is no responsible single percentage for every site. The opportunity depends on the connected lighting load, current run hours, occupancy, useful daylight, zoning, tariffs and final settings. WB can document the baseline and proposed sequence, estimate avoided run hours or reduced output with stated assumptions, and compare options. Actual performance should be reviewed after commissioning rather than presented as a guaranteed saving.
Can WB repair and recommission existing sensors and controls?
Yes. WB can investigate failed or badly positioned sensors, nuisance operation, unsuitable time delays, drifting timers, incorrect zones, failed contactors, incompatible drivers, control wiring and agreed DALI-based faults. Where proprietary software, licences or manufacturer access are required, the scope will identify what WB can complete and what needs the original controls specialist. Existing controls can also be included in planned lighting maintenance.
Key takeaway: Useful smart lighting is usually a clear operating sequence, compatible electrical equipment, correct commissioning and a handover that the site team can understand, not the greatest possible quantity of software.
Share the site, current lighting behaviour and result you need
Request a Commercial Lighting Controls Review
WB Electrical will review the areas, tasks, operating hours, existing fittings, drivers, circuits, controls, access and integration constraints before recommending a practical survey, pilot, repair, retrofit or wider installation route.
Helpful Information for a Lighting Controls Review
- Company, site address and responsible facilities, property or operations contact
- Building or site type, areas involved and whether this is one premises or several
- Where lights run unnecessarily, switch incorrectly, cause complaints or lack useful local control
- Tasks, operating hours, shifts, cleaning, overtime, public access and low-occupancy periods
- Existing fitting, LED driver, sensor, timer, controller and dimming type where known
- Approximate fitting count, zone count, mounting heights, daylight and main obstructions
- Required presence, absence, dimming, timer, zone, override and out-of-hours behaviour
- Existing circuits, switches, contactors, control panels, DALI or BMS information
- Emergency, security, standby-power, essential-load or safe-fallback requirements
- MEWP routes, stock, machinery, permits, isolations and hazardous-area information
- Drawings, photographs, previous settings, fault history and staff feedback available
- Survey, pilot, repair, retrofit, rollout, budget or procurement timescale
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