Hallways and common areas are the arteries of any school building—spaces students and staff pass through frequently throughout the day. Lighting here sets the tone and provides consistent visibility, comfort, and safety. During summer and holiday downtime, upgrading hallways and common areas in schools to LED lighting can be a strategic move with high impact.
There are solutions for any budget. Read on for a Good / Better / Best summary of ways to improve lighting in hallways and common areas while also saving money. Many utilities offer rebate opportunities, making the upgrade even more cost-efficient. (Check out Keystone’s Rebate Tool for more information.)
GOOD
LED Tube Retrofits
A straightforward upgrade is to replace fluorescent tubes with UL Type B LED tubes. These tubes bypass the ballast and wire directly into line voltage, eliminating one of the most failure-prone components of fluorescent fixtures. This ensures fewer maintenance headaches and more consistent lighting performance.
Benefits:
- Easy installation
- Low cost to replace legacy lamps
- Great energy savings – LED can save upwards of 40% in energy costs over fluorescent tubes
- Long life means less maintenance
BETTER
Flat Panel Retrofit Kits
For improved aesthetics and performance, consider using flat panel retrofit kits. These kits allow you to maintain existing fixture housings while installing a modern flat panel light. The result is a sleek, uniform appearance that elevates the look and feel of your hallways without extensive construction. Keystone Future Fit kits feature Power and Color Select, allowing for adjusting wattage and CCT in the field, for additional flexibility. With Power and Color Select, you can increase or decrease the wattage and change the color temperature to best reflect the needs of a space.
Benefits:
- Clean look
- Uses the existing fixture mounting, so there’s no need to breach the plenum or disturb ceiling tiles
- Reduced install time
- With customizable wattage and CCT, you can use one fixture model for the entire building no matter the lighting need
BEST
New Flat Panels with Integrated Controls
The most advanced approach involves replacing outdated fixtures with all-new LED flat panels that include integrated lighting controls. Keystone’s flat panels with SmartLoop sensors offer occupancy sensing and daylight harvesting, which can be managed wirelessly via app. Additionally, Keystone offers flat panels with emergency battery backup built into the frame—removing the need for separate emergency circuits and simplifying compliance.
Benefits:
- Outstanding energy savings
- Smart control options allow for different settings in different parts of the building
- Built-in emergency backup for safety, with panel matching style of other models
Conclusion:
No matter your budget or goals, upgrading school hallway and common area lighting to LED is a smart investment that enhances safety, aesthetics, and efficiency. From simple tube retrofits to advanced smart flat panels, every step up delivers greater long-term value—and with available utility rebates, the return on investment comes even faster. With thoughtful planning and the right solutions, your school can make the most of downtime and emerge with brighter, better spaces.
Ready to Brighten Your School?
Regardless of the upgrade option you choose, these LED lighting suggestions will help your school improve lighting throughout your facility. Get in touch with us to learn more about Keystone products for general school lighting.
