Advice on How to Light a Listed Building

Listed buildings are special properties in the UK that are preserved by conservation teams. The preservation keeps their historic qualities intact without compromising the building’s integrity. One of the ways to ensure the preservation of the building is through lighting. Lighting for listed buildings is crucial to get right, and in this article, we will give you the pointers you need to do so.

 

Why Do You Need to Consider Listed Building Lighting Carefully?

A building on the National Heritage List for England possesses historical or architectural significance and is quite old. The list means there may be planning and permissions obtained before you can even make minor changes such as installing an uplight outdoors. Listed buildings need a little extra TLC to be well-preserved, and lighting plays a role in that.

Not properly incorporating exterior and interior lighting on a listed building may not only disrupt the aesthetic appeal, but it could also corrupt the integrity of the building itself. Using low-profile fixtures will keep focus on the actual building and avoid harsh glares while still highlighting and ensuring visibility in the space.

Inside a listed building, there may be structural limitations that you have to navigate with your lighting. Generally speaking, it is recommended that you layer your lights to ensure even, balanced lighting despite this.

 

 

Do You Need Planning Permission Before Installing Lighting in a Listed Building? 

Most of the time, there are going to be lighting regulations for historic properties in place. This means that, yes, you will often need planning permission for lighting listed buildings.

A listed building has different categories, or grades, it can fall into: Grades I, II and II listed. Grade I buildings are considered buildings of “exceptional interest;” Grade II listed listings are considered important buildings that are above “special interest;” and Grade II proper listings are buildings of special interest.

To get permission for adding the best lighting for grade II listed buildings, you’ll first need to consider whether it:

 

• Requires any sort of drilling into historic materials
• Alters the appearance of the building in any way, even non-destructively
• Will show any visible cabling
• Will add external lighting in sensitive areas, like gardens
• Will impact the character of the building

 

If you answer “yes” to any of these, chances are you are going to need to obtain permission. To do so, get in touch with your local planning authority and talk to a conservation officer. Then, you can get the necessary documentation and begin shopping for your indoor and outdoor lighting.

 

Advice on How to Choose the Best Lighting for the Interior 

Whether you are looking for an outdoor wall light, interior wall light, ceiling light or other LED downlights, you should take the time to choose the proper light fixtures for the job. Before beginning, get familiar with the character of the building so you can figure out how best to preserve it.

Once you know what kind of listed building you are working with, you can begin shopping for interior lighting for listed homes. The general standard for different types of buildings are as follows:

 

• GEORGIAN OR REGENCY: In this style, heritage-sensitive lighting design requires using aged bronze and antique brass finishes on chandeliers and wall sconces.

• VICTORIAN: Victorian lighting for period interiors puts focus on opal glass and matte black finishes on pendant lights.

• TUDOR AND MEDIEVAL: Forged iron and wood accents make up the foundations of lighting that compliments period features.

 

Advice on How to Light the Exterior of a Heritage Property 

Whether you are looking for lighting design for stone facades or lighting for timber framed buildings, you first need to know how exactly to light the space and comply with the planning permissions and regulations.

Once permissions are obtained, you can begin adding gentle lighting to the space. Stick with subtlety and avoid flooding it with super bright lighting, especially with outdoor lighting for heritage properties. Warm white light maintains its soft and inviting feel.

To highlight architectural features in a historic building, use outdoor up and down wall light fixtures for columns and tall stretches of wall. You can also choose wall washing sconces that softly illuminate any textures, like brick or stone.

Be mindful of the material you are working with. Historic buildings may be in more delicate shape and require special handling when installing lighting. Try to avoid drilling directly into timber, brick or stone in these locations.

 

How to Layer the Lighting in a Historic Building  

Layering LED lighting for historic buildings is perhaps the most important tip anyone can give. Layered lighting ensures a balanced, even lighting scheme that makes the most out of all available space. It can highlight special areas of interest, create zones of activity and provide proper visibility.

Layered lighting is broken down into three elements: ambient, task and accent. With each of these layers working together, you can achieve a beautiful and well-balanced space.

Ambient lighting is the main foundation and is usually achieved through pendant lighting in historic buildings. Task light provides more focused illumination for completing certain activities and is usually found in the form of lamps in older homes. Finally, accent lighting highlights certain areas in the building. You will find it in cove and niche lighting in older homes.

 

Why LED Lighting Is the Best Option for Listed Building Lighting 

When asking yourself how to light a listed building, one of the things you should be thinking about above all is the kind of bulb you will choose. Energy efficient lighting for listed buildings is especially important, and LED bulbs become the clear choice.

One of the most important benefits of LED lighting is that it won’t damage delicate materials or artwork like halogen bulbs could. LED lights do not generate a lot of UV lighting, so fading isn’t an issue. Furthermore, they don’t get hot and won’t burn the areas around them or cause a fire hazard.

LED lights are also incredibly energy efficient which could save you money on your electrical bills. They outlast tens of thousands of hours of use without needing to be replaced as well, saving you in upfront costs.

Their versatility is also to be celebrated. With so many different lighting colour temperatures and brightnesses, you have a wide variety of options for creating your lighting design scheme.

 

Advice on the Best CRI and Colour Temperature to Use in a Listed Building 

CRI and colour temperature for heritage lighting are remarkably important and should not be overlooked. Understanding both of these may yield a more pleasant visual result for your property.

CRI, or colour rendering index, is how well a light reflects the true colours of whatever it is shining on. Ratings of 80 or above provide a clear and accurate look at the colours and are preferred in areas like art galleries where clear visibility is required.

A high CRI in your listed building lighting will display all of the fine details and preserved colours of the items in the home more clearly. It is recommended that you choose lights with a CRI rating above 80 when possible.

Colour temperature, or CCT, is how we discuss how warm or cool a light is perceived to be. They exist on a spectrum between 1,000K and 10,000K, with warm lights numbered lower and cool lights, higher.

In heritage buildings, especially in bedroom lighting and hallway lighting, warm colour temperatures are recommended. They provide a more inviting and welcoming atmosphere that is easy on the eyes while still being bright enough to see by.

Why You Must Ensure You Preserve the Architectural Features of a Listed Building When Installing Lighting

Lighting a listed building is a careful process. These buildings are preserved and protected for everything from their architectural beauty to their historical significance, and even something as small as lighting can impact preservation efforts.

If you don’t properly light a listed building, you run the risk of damaging the building. This is because there are often old and delicate elements that need to be preserved. These include:

 

• Original stonework, wooden beams or brickwork
• Plaster mouldings, ceiling roses and cornices
• Period fireplaces, paneling and staircases
• Historic windows, archways, and door surrounds

Drilling into any of these can cause damage to the materials, hurting preservation efforts. In order to avoid making direct changes to the building itself, choose non-destructive lights. This means surface mounted fixtures, wireless systems or just retrofitting LED lamps.

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Lighting a Heritage Property 

It can be easy to make careless mistakes when doing something as delicate as lighting heritage buildings. Below, we will discuss lighting mistakes to avoid in listed buildings to help you avoid them.

 

• NOT USING IP RATED LIGHTING: For heritage sites especially, having waterproof lighting is key. Much of the time, these old buildings are not insulated very well, so moisture can get in. IP ratings on bathroom lighting fixtures are particularly important.

• IGNORING NATURAL LIGHT. Be sure you are not overpowering the natural rhythm of light in the room. Don’t install bright ceiling lighting in intimate, naturally dim spaces, for example. Also, pay attention to the window treatments that may impact the diffusion of light.

• NOT ADHERING TO REGULATIONS. Get familiar with the regulations surrounding listed lighting so you are installing lights according to law. Get in touch with a conservation officer to ensure you are well-prepared before you begin.

 

Tips on Lighting a Timber-Framed Listed Building 

Buildings with timber frames are among the most beloved types of historic buildings. Jacobean halls, Tudor farmhouses, medieval cottages and beyond all favor timber framing, giving them a rich character.

The wood element means unique challenges for lighting it, however. To light the property well, follow the tips below:

 

• Avoid recessed fittings in places with beams and shallow ceiling voids
• Limit the cable routes that you run
• Irregular surfaces, including uneven walls and ceilings
• Layer the lighting to ensure even, uniform illumination throughout

 

Conclusion

Listed buildings are a special type of property in the UK that are protected and preserved by conservation groups. Lighting a listed building can be a challenge because of this. In this article, we’ve explored how to light various types of listed buildings, as well as outlined information on the different regulations that must be adhered to.