Workplace innovation has been changing the European office landscape into mostly open spaces, where enhanced interaction between people is combined by efficient use of space. However, challenges are found in offering individual preferred conditions in these multi-user spaces, especially when dealing with shared systems.

Previous studies clearly show the benefits of personal control as a means to achieve individual preferred lighting. Most of these benefits were demonstrated in private offices or situations where users have a “personal” light source.

Lighting systems in open offices are often designed as a regular grid of luminaires to deliver uniform lighting. This often results in a luminaire grid that does not match the desk arrangement, making it challenging to offer personal lighting controls. By grouping luminaires, users could be offered consensus control. The question is whether consensus control brings advantages rather than disadvantages.

This paper presents the results of a field study evaluating consensus light control in an open office 14 users experienced a reference no-control condition and a condition with control over a zone of luminaires. Data was collected by objective measurements as well as subjective surveys and interviews.

This study shows that consensus control in an open office improves satisfaction of individual users with the light quantity and quality. Even though the controllable light is shared, consensus among users results in an improved lighting environment for the majority of users. Selected illuminances in the condition with controls were on average lower than in the reference condition, resulting in lower energy usage by lighting.