By Michael Walsh, Vice President of Elevator Construction Consultants, STO Building Group
Across the country, our project teams have been encountering a recurring and frustrating issue: LED lighting. Despite its many benefits, LED lighting is routinely failing to meet the minimum code-mandated lighting levels in elevator machine rooms, pits, and lobby sills. What seemed like a simple upgrade to more energy-efficient fixtures has turned into a costly challenge and potential safety issue.
The Illusion of Compliance
When you stand directly beneath a newly installed LED fixture, the light feels bright. The foot-candle (fc) meter might even read above code requirements. But step just a few feet away, and the numbers drop—fast. In space after space, we’re seeing readings well below the required:
- 19 fc in elevator machine rooms (ASME A17.1 §2.7.9.1).
- 10 fc at the pit floor (ASME A17.1 §2.2.5.1).
- 10 fc at elevator lobby sills (ASME A17.1 §2.11.10.2).
To meet these requirements, we often find ourselves doubling the number of planned fixtures, erasing the cost and efficiency advantages that made LEDs attractive in the first place. So, what’s really going on?
The Problem: LED Light Doesn’t Behave Like Its Predecessors
The root of the issue lies in how LED light is distributed. Unlike incandescent or fluorescent fixtures, which emit diffuse, multidirectional light, LEDs are precise and focused. Most of the time, that quality would sound like a strength, but in tight, complex environments like elevator systems, it can easily become a liability.
Here are some key factors to consider:
- LEDs are point sources, meaning each chip emits light in a tightly focused beam. This means LED bulbs create intense brightness directly underneath, rapid fall-off in adjacent areas, and very sharp shadows.
- Traditional bulbs scatter light. Incandescent and fluorescent sources glow from a broader surface and fill in shadows with soft, ambient spill, which ultimately improves visibility even in low-contrast areas.
- Machine rooms and pits have dark, absorbent surfaces. These don’t reflect LED light well, deepening the shadows and further reducing uniformity.
- Multiple shadows compound the problem. Arrays of small LED emitters create layered, confusing shadows that make visual work difficult and reduce perceived brightness.
Without realizing these differences upfront, teams often resort to simply adding more lights. However, this “solution” often increases installation costs, adds to energy use, crowds ceilings, reduced maintainability, and complicates coordination with other trades and systems.
A Smarter Design Approach: Light for the Space, Not Just the Specs
To restore both code compliance and safety, we need to shift our mindset. More light isn’t always better—better light is better. Here are some practical design adjustments you and your team can make to solve for the LED lighting issue:
- Specify for uniformity, not just output. Look at average-to-minimum ratios, not just peak fc readings. Require photometric analysis in all elevator-adjacent spaces.
- Choose fixtures that prioritize beam spread. Use wider beam angles or diffused optics and consider indirect/direct fixtures that bounce light off ceilings.
- Use larger, more diffuse luminous sources. Replace slim LED strips with broader panels or linear troffers to mimic the evenness of fluorescent systems.
- Refine placement and layout. Space fixtures closer together to overlap beams and offset from equipment to reduce harsh shadows.
- Add targeted task lighting. Mount local lights on machinery or door frames and use integrated sill lighting to directly meet code at the threshold.
- Improve surface reflectance wherever possible. Light-colored, matte finishes on ceilings and walls can significantly boost perceived light and reduce contrast.
Raising Awareness to Improve Outcomes
This isn’t just a contractor issue. Architects, lighting designers, engineers, and owners all need to understand the implications of LED light behavior—especially in safety-critical environments. The assumption that “more lumens = more light” oversimplifies a complex interaction between technology, code, and human vision.
By aligning design intent with real-world lighting behavior, we can avoid costly rework and ensure compliance from the outset. LEDs can still deliver their promised benefits when applied with a true understanding of how they perform in confined, technical spaces.
About Michael Walsh
Michael Walsh is Vice President of Elevator Construction Consultants and a recognized expert in vertical transportation with over 36 years of experience in the elevator and escalator fields. His career includes senior roles at LF Driscoll and Citywide Elevator Consultants, where he led complex modernization and construction projects nationwide. A certified elevator mechanic and National QEI Certified Elevator Inspector licensed in multiple states, Michael holds more than 20 certifications across various elevator systems. He also serves on four National ASME Code Committees, contributing directly to the development of industry safety and performance standards.