Emergency Lighting Luminaires Selection Guide
Emergency lighting is regulated in Articles 70-73 of the Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings; operating time and illuminance are essential when choosing.
This guide explains what to look at when choosing products in the Emergency Lighting Luminaires category.
What the regulation requires of emergency lighting
In Turkey, emergency lighting and guidance are regulated in Articles 70-73 of the Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings (Binaların Yangından Korunması Hakkında Yönetmelik). The provisions that directly affect luminaire selection are as follows:
- Operating time: At least 60 minutes when normal lighting is cut off; at least 120 minutes in buildings where the occupant load exceeds 200.
- Illuminance: At least 1 lux on the center line of the escape route at floor level. At the end of the operating time, it must not fall below 0.5 lux at any point; the ratio between the highest and lowest illuminance must not exceed 40 to 1.
- Supply: Provided either by self-contained luminaires with their own battery, charging circuit and mains monitoring, or by luminaires fed from a central battery unit. The regulation requires self-contained battery luminaires in escape corridors and stairs in first- and second-degree earthquake zones.
In buildings where 120 minutes is required, models with a 1.5-hour (90-minute) duration do not meet the time requirement; models with a 3-hour duration are chosen. Exiway Light product names do not state the duration; for these models, verify the duration from the manufacturer data. The number and placement of luminaires are determined by the emergency lighting project, and the current text of the regulation is the basis.
Luminaire types in this category
All of the products are of the Schneider Electric brand:
- Exiway Light: Non-maintained luminaires with selectable luminous flux steps; with IP42 and IP65 housings.
- Exiway Smartbeam: Flush-mounted and surface-mounted models; with corridor or open area (anti-panic) optics, 1.5 and 3 hours.
- Smartled Activa: IP65 housing, 3 hours; the product name gives separate lumen values for non-maintained and maintained operation.
- EasySign: Maintained guidance luminaires; with 24 m and 30 m visibility distance.
The difference between corridor optics and open area optics
Corridor optics spread the light in a long, narrow band along the axis of the escape route; this allows the distance between two luminaires in a corridor to be increased. Open area (anti-panic) optics distribute the light evenly in all directions and are used in large volumes without a defined escape route, such as halls and assembly areas. Two luminaires with the same lumens but different optics create a different illuminance distribution on the floor; for this reason, luminaire spacing is determined not only by lumens but by the layout data the manufacturer gives for that optic.
Visibility distance and mounting of a guidance luminaire
The regulation requires guidance signs to be white on a green background, the sign height to be no less than 15 cm, and the sign to be placed at a height of 200-240 cm above the floor. The maximum viewing distance is 200 times the sign height for internally or back-illuminated signs and 100 times for externally or edge-illuminated ones; additional signs are placed for farther points. Accordingly, the 15 cm lower limit corresponds to 30 m for an internally illuminated sign. The 24 m or 30 m value in the product name is the visibility distance given by the manufacturer; for 24 m models, verify the pictogram height and the illumination method from the technical datasheet.
For illuminated exit signs and spotlights, you can also look at the LED Guidance and Safety Luminaires category.
IP42 or IP65
An IP42 housing is protected against solid objects larger than 1 mm and against vertically dripping water at an inclination of up to 15°. An IP65 housing is dust-tight and protected against water jets. IP42 is preferred in dry indoor spaces such as office, school and residential corridors, and IP65 models in car parks, production areas and dusty or wet spaces; the required rating is determined in the project according to the ambient conditions.
Cabling and converting an existing luminaire
According to the regulation, the mains connection of luminaires that can provide emergency lighting on their own can be made with the same type of cables used for normal lighting. In systems fed from a central battery or a generator, however, the connection between the central unit and the luminaire is made inside metal installation conduit or with fire-resistant cable. Halogen-free cable does not mean fire-resistant cable; for the distinction, see the article is halogen-free cable fire-resistant.
A normal lighting luminaire can be converted into a self-contained emergency lighting luminaire with an emergency kit fitted inside its housing or right next to it; the kit's compatibility with the luminaire's LED power must be verified from the manufacturer data.
Order notes
Products are sold by the piece. Pictogram sets and mounting kits are separate items; verify from the manufacturer data which pictogram comes with the luminaire and add the required direction pictogram to the order. A code starting with OVA is a Schneider Electric reference and can be used directly in the site search.
Comparison and selection table
| Selection Criterion | Maintained Emergency Luminaire | Non-Maintained Emergency Luminaire | Emergency Exit Sign Luminaire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Mode | Illuminated continuously on mains & battery | Illuminates only when mains supply fails | Marks escape routes & exits (EN 1838 pictogram) |
| Battery Autonomy | 1 hour or 3 hours (Ni-Cd / LiFePO4 pack) | 1 hour or 3 hours emergency backup | 1 hour or 3 hours battery duration |
| Ingress Protection | IP20 (indoor) or IP65 (parking/damp areas) | IP20 / IP40 (corridors) or IP65 weatherproof | IP20 / IP40, single-sided or double-sided legend |
| Typical Application | Auditoriums, public halls, windowless areas | Stairwells, plant corridors, electrical rooms | Exit doors, fire stairs, corridor intersections |
Frequently asked questions
In which buildings and spaces is emergency lighting mandatory?
According to Article 72 of the Regulation on Fire Protection of Buildings, emergency lighting is required on all escape routes, in assembly areas, in elevators and escalators, in electrical distribution and generator rooms, and in enclosed car parks. Hospitals, nursing homes, educational buildings, hotels and dormitories, buildings with an occupant load above 200, high-rise buildings and windowless buildings are also within this scope. For the full list, refer to the current text of the regulation.
For how many minutes must an emergency lighting luminaire stay lit at minimum?
The regulation requires emergency lighting to last at least 60 minutes when normal lighting is cut off. In buildings with an occupant load above 200, this duration is at least 120 minutes. A 1.5-hour luminaire provides 90 minutes of operating time and a 3-hour luminaire provides 180 minutes; in a building where 120 minutes is required, a 1.5-hour model does not meet the time requirement. The required duration is determined in the project according to the building's occupant load.
How many lux should emergency lighting provide on the escape route?
According to the regulation, at least 1 lux must be provided at floor level at every point along the center line of the escape route. At the end of the operating time, this value must not fall below 0.5 lux at any point, and the ratio between the highest and lowest illuminance must not exceed 40 to 1. The luminaire spacing that meets these conditions is found by a calculation using the manufacturer's optical data.
What is the difference between maintained and non-maintained operation?
A non-maintained luminaire is off while mains power is present and switches on automatically when normal lighting is cut off; it is used in corridors and spaces whose normal lighting is provided by separate luminaires. A maintained luminaire is also lit in normal operation; the EasySign guidance luminaires in this category are of this type. For models that can operate in both modes, the product name gives a separate lumen value for each mode; use the value of the operating mode to be used in the calculation.
At what height from the floor is an emergency exit guidance luminaire mounted?
The regulation requires guidance signs to be placed at a height between 200 cm and 240 cm above the floor. The sign height cannot be less than 15 cm. The viewing distance is taken as 200 times the sign height for internally or back-illuminated signs and 100 times for externally or edge-illuminated ones; an additional guidance sign is needed for points beyond this distance.
Can an existing LED luminaire be converted into an emergency lighting luminaire?
The regulation allows a normal lighting luminaire to be converted into a self-contained emergency lighting luminaire by fitting an emergency conversion kit inside its housing or right next to it. The kit feeds the LED from the battery when mains power is cut off. The kit's compatibility with the luminaire's LED power and driver, the luminous flux it will provide and its operating time must be verified from the manufacturer data, and the result must be compared with the values in the emergency lighting project.