LED lighting in car parks – safe, cost-effective and compliant operation
Da Parkhausbeleuchtung meist im Dauerbetrieb läuft, zählt sie zu den größten kontinuierlichen Energieverbrauchern. Wirtschaftlich relevant sind daher nicht die Investitionskosten, sondern die Gesamtkosten über die reale Nutzungsdauer.
As car park lighting typically operates continuously, it is one of the largest ongoing energy consumers. From an economic perspective, the decisive factor is therefore not the initial investment, but the total cost over the actual service life.
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Cost effectiveness in car parks – operating costs are decisive
In parking structures, up to 75% of electricity costs are attributable to lighting alone. In addition, substantial costs arise from:
- Maintenance and lamp replacement
- Failures and fault rectification
- Outsourcing to external service providers
The economically decisive levers are therefore:
- High energy efficiency per square metre
- Long, real service life
- Minimised maintenance and replacement effort
LED retrofit instead of new luminaires – a strategic system decision
For operators, car park lighting is not a design choice but a system decision. The 1:1 replacement of fluorescent lamps with LED tubes (LED retrofit) in accordance with IEC/EN 62776 is the most cost-effective solution.
LED-Retrofit enables:
- Continued use of existing, tested and standardised luminaires
- Independence from luminaire manufacturers through standardised sockets (G5/G13)
- Replacement over decades without the need for qualified electrical personnel
By contrast, integrated LED luminaires and proprietary systems lead to:
- Complete luminaire replacement in the event of failure, resulting in rising costs and increased resource consumption
- Increasing disposal and replacement costs
- Long-term dependence on specific manufacturers
LED retrofit – measurable cost effectiveness over the service life
For investment decisions, the total cost of ownership (TCO) over the entire service life is decisive – not the initial purchase price.
Practically relevant effects of high-quality LED tubes for retrofit applications include:
- Significant reduction in energy costs
(1,000 fluorescent tubes → savings of up to €1 million over 8 years) - No investment in new luminaires or infrastructure
- Maintenance cost reduction of up to 80%
- Replacement possible by in-house personnel
- Standardised systems ensure long-term availability and independence
Technical criteria – quality determines operating costs
For public car parks, we recommend exclusively state-of-the-art LED tubes from Europe, compliant with the current EU Ecodesign Regulation.
Key criteria include:
- High energy efficiency (e.g. GLT LED TUBE up to 210 lm/W)
- Very long service life (e.g. GLT LED TUBE up to 130,000 hours)
- Instant, homogeneous light without flicker or delay
- Stable light quality over many years
Typical lighting requirements in parking structures:
- 75–100 lux for traffic and parking areas
- 75–300 lux for ramps and transition zones
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Control systems and complexity – why simplicity wins in car parks
Car parks require robust, fault-tolerant systems. In many cases, complex lighting control systems increase:
- Susceptibility to faults
- Maintenance effort
- Dependence on software and individual components
The high efficiency of modern LED tubes often makes elaborate control systems unnecessary. Simple systems with direct power supply are more operationally stable and cost-effective in the long term.
Sustainability as an operational advantage
In car park operations, sustainable lighting systems are not an environmental bonus but a clear economic factor:
- Simple lamp replacement in standardised lighting systems instead of single-use systems with integrated LEDs that must be completely disposed of at end of life improves economic efficiency
- Repairable lighting solutions instead of complete replacement conserve resources
- Reusable systems such as the GLT multi-use system deliver direct financial benefits
- Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), such as the EPD for the GLT LED TUBE, enable scientifically sound measurement of environmental impacts and form the basis for corporate sustainability and ESG reporting
Environmentally sound lighting solutions are therefore always the more economical option for car park operators in the long term.
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Standards & regulations for public car parks and underground garages
For operators of public car parks, it is essential to understand which standard applies and when, depending on use, accessibility and user groups.
Main standard
DIN 67528:2018-04 – “Lighting of public parking structures and public parking areas”
This is the central standard for freely accessible multi-storey and underground car parks. It defines minimum requirements for illuminance, uniformity, maintenance and operation. It applies regardless of whether daylight, artificial lighting or a combination is used.
The scope covers fixed lighting installations in public parking structures without restricted user groups.
Exclusion: Not applicable to parking structures within workplaces – in this case, DIN EN 12464-1 applies.
DIN EN 12464-1 – “Lighting of indoor workplaces”
This standard applies to parking structures within workplaces and is also relevant for interior areas, traffic routes, ramps and transition and adaptation zones.
Other relevant standards
- DIN EN 12665:2024-10 – Basic terms and criteria for specifying lighting requirements
- DIN EN 60598-1 – Safety requirements and testing of luminaires
- DIN EN 1838 – Emergency lighting
Product safety & EMC standards
- EN 55015 – Limits and methods of measurement of radio disturbance characteristics
- EN 61547 – EMC immunity requirements for general lighting
- IEC/EN 62776 – Safety requirements for LED tubes as 1:1 replacements for linear fluorescent lamps (LED retrofit)
Decision-maker summary for operatorsFor the cost-effective and standards-compliant operation of car parks:
Those who make the right decision today avoid high follow-up costs in 10–15 years. |
GLT LED TUBE: successfull LED retrofit in parking areas
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