Most people’s 2023 resolutions revolve around fitness, finances and general self-improvement. But word on the street is that all the cool councils and authorities are focused on something different this year: lighting design! 

Why, you ask? 

Well, lighting design consultants provide expert advice in all things lighting, enabling them to identify and prevent any potential bumps in the road — and ensure you can deliver on your project demands, whatever the installation.  

Whilst having a lighting consultant onboard any project is a good idea, they’re a must-have for any modern lighting project. For example, lighting consultants are crucial to the development of smart cities, which are becoming a highly popular way to increase footfall in tired areas and give a new lease of life to local businesses.  

In such projects, solutions like energy-efficient, colour-changing LEDs and motion sensors can help councils and authorities juggle innovation with aesthetic value, cost, sustainability and safety.  

So, update your resolutions list and check out our top tips for finding the right lighting consultant 

BROWSE THEIR SERVICES LIST

Even the most established lighting consultants won’t be of any use to you if they don’t offer the services you require. So, a services list is a good place to start looking. 

Most projects are multifaceted, so we recommend you opt for a lighting consultant with a wide range of services. And don’t fret if you don’t know exactly what you need just yet — the good ones will be able to help you. 

CHECK THEY’RE WITHIN YOUR BUDGET

Avoid any nasty surprises and get a lighting design quote to find out how much you can expect to pay for a lighting consultant from the get-go. 

You’ll need to know a few things about your project before you get started (check out our blog post for our tips), but think carefully about your budget. If you want to cut costs down the line, you’ll pay more upfront to cover the most efficient products. It’ll be worth it in the end, though — we promise! 

FIND OUT A BIT ABOUT THEIR APPROACH

There’s no ‘one size fits all’ for lighting consultants. Whilst some projects simply need plans put into action, others require advice throughout the process. 

We suggest you look for lighting consultants with a collaborative approach to lighting design, as this ensures they’re working with (not for) their clients to achieve the most accurate and effective result (psst, that’s what we do). 

TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THEIR PORTFOLIO 

Always make sure your lighting consultant can talk the talk AND walk the walk by looking at their portfolio. If you don’t see any relevant experience, then consider looking elsewhere. 

The relevance of a lighting consultant’s portfolio is particularly important for projects in areas of natural beauty (AONB) or ecologically sensitive spaces, where regulations are most strict. We’d know — we’ve got a long list of successful case studies with tricky requirements!  

ENSURE THEY’VE GOT A GOOD BREADTH AND DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE

No lighting consultant can oversee a great lighting project without knowledge of the latest and greatest lighting solutions or industry standards (like the BS 5409, which we recently wrote a blog about). 

Look for proven knowledge of this kind of thing on their website. And if your project has niche requirements, look for specialist teams. For instance, our Lighting Impact and Planning Team allows us to specialise in the environmental side of lighting design 

READ ALL THE REVIEWS

Recommendations can tell you a bit about whether to trust a lighting consultant. So, for ultimate peace of mind, it’s best to find some evidence to back up their claims.   

Our position as one of the largest independent lighting consultants in the UK is bolstered by our client testimonials and award wins, like the Commission for Dark Skies ‘Good Lighting’ award we earned for our Dorothy House project! 

Keen to find out more about DFL? Take a look at our lighting design consultancy services or get in touch via info@dfl-uk.com or +44 (0)1962 855080.