Lux in Elevators: How Many Do You Really Need?

When it comes to elevator lighting, you often hear phrases like:
"It looks bright enough to me."
The problem is that light is not measured by perception.
It is measured by a precise value: lux.
And that is exactly where you should start when designing or modernizing an installation.

What are lux?

Lux indicate the amount of light present on a surface.
In practical terms, they allow us to determine whether an environment is properly illuminated or not.
To measure them, a specific instrument is used: a lux meter.
Only an actual measurement can determine whether an installation complies with regulatory requirements.

What does the standard require for elevators?

When it comes to elevator lighting, there is no single value.
Each area has different requirements.

Inside the elevator shaft
The standard requires:
- 50 lux at 1 meter above the cabin
- 50 lux at 1 meter below the cabin
- 20 lux in all other areas of the shaft
This is why LED strips installed along the shaft are commonly used today, providing an effective and quick-to-install solution.

Inside the cabin
The cabin is the area that users see and interact with every day.
Here, the minimum required illuminance is:
- 100 lux measured at 1 meter above the floor.
This value ensures adequate visibility and safe use of the space.

Inside the machine room
The requirement is even higher.
The standard specifies:
- 200 lux.
This level is necessary to allow maintenance and technical operations to be carried out safely.

Important: the standard does not say you must replace the lights

There is one aspect that is often overlooked.
When working on an existing installation, for example during a modernization project, it is not mandatory to replace all the lighting.
What matters is verifying that the existing illuminance meets the required values.
The right question is not: "Are the lights new?"
But rather: "Are the lux levels compliant?"

The 5 lux that make you think

There is one figure that deserves some reflection.
The standard requires at least:
- 5 lux for the cabin emergency lighting.
On paper, the requirement is met.
But let's imagine a real situation.
Power outage. Elevator stopped. People trapped inside.
Five lux correspond to a very small amount of light.

This raises an important question.
Is it enough to simply meet the minimum requirement?
Or can we do something more for the people using the elevator?
This is why it often makes sense to use:
- lighting fixtures with integrated backup batteries
- dedicated emergency lighting kits
- systems capable of providing higher light levels during a power outage
Because an emergency situation is not an ordinary moment.
And proper lighting can make a significant difference.

The right light is not the one that turns on

It is the one that remains available when it is truly needed.
And that is why, when talking about lux, knowing the number is not enough.
You need to understand what lies behind that number.

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If you want to verify whether your installation truly complies with illuminance requirements, or if you want to improve the lighting inside an elevator cabin → book a call with us
Because the difference is not simply having light. It’s having the right light at the right time.