Tenant fitout lighting creates more confusion than almost any other commercial lighting scenario. Who’s responsible for what? What can tenants change? Who pays for upgrades?

After working on dozens of tenant fitouts across office, retail, and industrial spaces, here’s how to navigate the complexities.

The Basic Split

Most commercial leases divide building elements into:

Base building: Landlord provides and maintains. Typically includes the core lighting infrastructure—main distribution, building services, common areas.

Tenant area: Tenant responsibility, either provided by landlord to a base standard or by tenant to their own specification.

The grey areas: Ceiling grids, HVAC integration, fire services interaction—often unclear who owns what.

Every lease is different. The building’s age, quality, and the landlord’s approach create huge variations.

Base Building Lighting Provisions

What landlords typically provide:

Premium grade buildings: Base building lighting to a published specification—often 400 lux, 4000K, UGR<19, with DALI controls. Tenants can use it as-is or modify at their cost.

A-grade buildings: Similar, though specification may be less generous.

B-grade and lower: Highly variable. Some provide complete lighting; some provide only power and the tenant does everything.

Industrial: Usually minimal—high bay lighting for the warehouse, basic lighting for any office component.

Before planning tenant lighting, understand exactly what the base building provides.

Reading the Fitout Guide

Every quality commercial building has a fitout guide. This document specifies:

• What lighting is provided as base building
• Technical requirements for tenant-installed lighting
• Connection requirements to building systems
• Any lighting that tenants cannot modify
• Approval processes for tenant work

Get the fitout guide early. Read the lighting section carefully. Many tenant conflicts with landlords stem from not following the fitout guide.

Common Tenant Modifications

Changing Fitting Locations

Tenants often want different lighting layout than the base building grid:

• Meeting rooms need different lighting than open plan
• Breakout areas want different atmosphere
• Reception desks need focal lighting

This typically involves:

• Removing some base building fittings
• Adding tenant fittings in new locations
• Connecting to the existing control system (if compatible)
• Ensuring adequate light levels throughout

The landlord usually requires base building fittings to be stored for reinstatement at lease end.

Upgrading Specifications

Even when base building lighting is adequate, tenants may want:

• Better colour rendering (CRI 90+ for creative industries)
• Tunable white capability
• Higher light levels in intensive work areas
• Feature lighting for brand expression

These upgrades are typically tenant cost, tenant responsibility.

Adding Feature Lighting

Reception features, brand lighting, architectural highlights—these are almost always tenant additions. Budget separately from functional lighting.

Control System Integration

This is where projects often stumble.

If the building has DALI or similar controls:

• Tenant fittings should be DALI-compatible
• Address assignment needs coordination with building management
• Scene settings may need configuration
• Emergency lighting integration is usually mandatory

If the building has basic switching:

• More freedom for tenant control approaches
• But also more responsibility for tenant to commission

Building Management System integration:

• Some buildings require all lighting to connect to BMS
• This can dictate products and installation approaches
• Get clarity early

For buildings with sophisticated building automation, the integration requirements can be substantial. Tenant fitout lighting becomes part of a larger connected system. Sometimes this requires working with the building’s technology partners or bringing in specialists who understand the broader integration picture.

The Make Good Obligation

Most leases require tenants to “make good” at lease end—return the premises to original condition.

For lighting, this means:

• Reinstating base building fittings removed by tenant
• Removing tenant-installed features
• Repairing any damage from tenant installations

Implication for fitout decisions: Every modification has a make good cost at the end. Minor changes are often worth it; major changes need careful cost-benefit analysis.

Some tenants negotiate amendments to make good requirements. If you’re installing valuable lighting that improves the space, the next tenant might want it. Negotiation is possible.

Working With the Landlord

Successful tenant fitout lighting requires good landlord relations:

Submit your lighting plans early: Approval processes take time. Delays here delay the whole fitout.

Follow the specification: Non-compliant products create problems. If you want to deviate, discuss it before ordering.

Coordinate with building contractors: The landlord’s building services team often needs to be involved for any BMS integration or base building modifications.

Document everything: Photos before and after. Records of what was removed and stored. This protects you at make good time.

Cost Allocation

Tenant fitout lighting costs depend on the scenario:

Using base building lighting unchanged: No tenant cost (included in base building provision)

Minor modifications (moving some fittings, adding supplementary lighting): Tenant pays for the modifications

Significant redesign: Tenant pays for tenant work; may need to fund base building changes if required

Premium specifications: Tenant pays premium over base building standard

Build realistic lighting budgets. I often see fitout budgets with inadequate lighting allowance because someone assumed base building provision would be sufficient.

Quick Quality Checks

When evaluating tenant lighting proposals:

Light levels: Are they adequate for the work being done? 400 lux minimum for office work.

Glare control: UGR specification appropriate for the tasks?

Colour rendering: CRI appropriate for the industry? (Higher for design, healthcare; standard for most offices)

Controls: Do they meet building requirements? Provide flexibility tenants need?

Emergency lighting: AS/NZS 2293 compliance?

Energy efficiency: Does it meet Green Star or NABERS targets if the building requires it?

Getting Expert Help

For complex fitouts, consider engaging a lighting designer. They add value by:

• Optimising light levels and quality
• Creating atmosphere appropriate to brand and culture
• Navigating technical requirements
• Specifying appropriate products
• Coordinating with architects and interior designers

For simpler fitouts, an experienced commercial electrical contractor can often handle lighting without separate design input.

For tenants moving into buildings with sophisticated automation systems, understanding the technology integration requirements is important. AI consultants Sydney and similar building technology specialists can help navigate complex building system requirements, though for most standard fitouts this level of expertise isn’t needed.

Final Thoughts

Tenant fitout lighting is a coordination exercise as much as a technical one. Understanding the building’s requirements, working within the landlord’s framework, and planning for make good from the start prevents problems.

Start with the fitout guide. Build realistic budgets. Coordinate early with building management. And remember that the lighting has to work well for the people using the space every day—that’s the point of the exercise.

James Thornton has been working in commercial lighting for 18 years and is based in Australia.