When undertaking a new office design in Melbourne, the feature that is forgotten about time and time again is, more often than not, the lighting. Most people just assume that their existing lighting will be suitable for the design whereas others don't even consider it at all. This can cause all sorts of problems down the track, as your employees won’t be able to see properly.

• Control Contrast
  This can be achieved by choosing a lighting level that is only slightly more or less bright than your employee terminals. The human eye detects contrasts toward the centre of the grey scale – at either end of this scale (complete white light or total darkness) the eye will strain more. So, a white screen in a dark room will damage eyes over time.
   
• Minimise Reflections
  Try to minimise the reflections of direct lighting against shiny objects and surfaces. If your office uses stainless steel as a feature, for example, focus direct illumination away from these surfaces. This is important because reflections can distort the effect of otherwise good lighting, even if this distortion is unintended.
   
• Layer Illumination
  This can be achieved by allowing areas lit by a single fixture to overlap, which will create a more relaxed feeling in the workplace as the light blends together. The overall effect is that you will receive a greater level of light in the work environment and your employees will perceive the same environment to be more comfortable.
   
• Economic Resources
  The use of windows and skylights wherever possible can prove to be efficient and economic resources. Your office design should also include low wattage, energy-efficient compact fluorescent globes or LED spot fixtures if possible. As well as being much more environmentally friendly, it will be more cost effective.

The inclusion of lighting in office design in Melbourne is incredibly important if you want to ensure that your employees are able to complete their daily work as efficiently as possible. This is why lighting should be one of the main focuses whenever you decide to change your design, otherwise you will find eyestrain and other problems becoming more common.