Absence or Presence Detection
When specifying occupancy detectors, the choice between presence and absence detection for different spaces can make a big difference in user-friendliness and the amount of energy saved. Our recommendations on this page are designed to help with this decision.
We have based our recommendations on the BRE Digest 498, a guidance document for selecting lighting controls in order to comply with the Building Regulations Part L2A and L2B. It classifies six different types of area when considering lighting control by looking at the way the space is used and how people expect the lighting to be controlled.
| Absence detection | Presence detection | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices | Cellular office |  |
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| Open plan office | |
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| Meeting room | |
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| Industrial | Factory production area | |
|
| Small workshop | |
|
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| Large workshop | |
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| Warehouse aisle | |
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| Plant room | |
|
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| Storeroom | |
|
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| Hospitals | Hospital ward (multi-person) | |
|
| Hospital ward (single person) | |
|
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| Consulting room | |
|
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| Storeroom | |
|
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| Education | School classroom | |
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| Lecture theatre | |
|
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| Bed sitting room (student accomm.) | |
|
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| Storeroom | |
|
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| Public amenities | Toilet | |
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| Bathroom | |
|
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| Restroom | |
|
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| Libraries | Public library | |
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| Library (bookstack) | |
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| Storeroom | |
|
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| Circulation areas | Corridor | |
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| Atrium | |
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| Staircase | |
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| Hotels | Foyer | |
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| Hotel lounge | |
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| Hotel bedroom | |
|
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| Storeroom | |
|
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| Commercial | Shop | |
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| Restaurant | |
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| Sports hall | |
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| Airport terminal | |
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