Commercial Photometric Analysis
A photometric plan showing predicted foot-candle levels across the whole site — parking fields, walkways, entries, and building perimeter — so coverage is proven and even before anything is installed.
Commercial Outdoor Lighting Engineered to Code and Site
Exterior Lighting for Commercial Property
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Exterior Lighting for Commercial Property
Commercial outdoor lighting is the full exterior system for a business property — parking and area lighting, building facade and entries, walkways and amenity spaces — designed to a foot-candle standard, not by eye. Light TN designs and installs commercial outdoor lighting across Middle Tennessee to licensed contractor CE-D: 76580 standards, where safety, code, and the look of the property after dark all have to hold at once.
Commercial work has to be proven on paper before it goes in the ground. A parking field is designed to a measured foot-candle level with even coverage and no dark corners, because the dark corner is a liability. Facade and entry lighting carry the brand after hours. And the whole system is documented to local ordinance, IES standards, and energy code — with Dark Sky compliance where a jurisdiction requires it.
Commercial projects begin with a photometric plan and end with a commissioned, documented system. We were named Best Specialty Contractor in Middle Tennessee for 2025, and in 2026 we absorbed P.M. Lighting Nashville, bringing 25-plus years of commercial outdoor lighting history into one company. Light TN is a family-owned outdoor lighting design studio based in Burns, Tennessee.
Commercial outdoor lighting is the right service for:
- Retail centers and strip malls needing parking and storefront lighting
- Office buildings and business parks improving after-hours security
- Restaurants and hospitality lighting entries and outdoor dining
- Multi-family developments lighting parking, paths, and amenities
- Property managers wanting one reliable contractor across sites
What's Included
A commercial system is engineered, documented, and built to the property’s use and its code requirements. It includes:
Property-Type-Specific Design
Retail, office, hospitality, and multi-family properties light differently. Retail needs storefront draw and safe parking, hospitality needs warmth at the entry, a business park needs security and even coverage. We design to the property’s actual use.
Parking and Area Lighting
Pole-mounted fixtures spaced for uniform illumination without dark zones or hotspots, because uneven parking lot lighting is both a safety problem and a liability one.
Facade and Entry Lighting
The entry and facade are the property’s most visible brand elements after dark. We design the uplighting, accent, and entry hierarchy that make a commercial building read as cared-for at night.
Energy and Controls Engineering
LED systems with photocell and occupancy controls and scheduling, specified to cut a property’s exterior operating cost — an HID-to-LED conversion commonly cuts exterior lighting energy by half or more.
Code-Compliance Documentation
Designs documented to local ordinance, IES foot-candle standards, energy code, and Dark Sky requirements where a jurisdiction has them, so the system passes review and holds up to it.
Permitting and Coordination
Where a project needs permits, we prepare and submit the specification documentation to the municipality and coordinate installation around the property’s operating hours.
Commissioning and As-Builts
The system commissioned to the engineered plan and delivered with as-built documentation — fixture locations, circuits, and controls — so the property has a complete record.
Commercial Lighting Challenges We Solve
Parking Lots With Dark Zones
Uneven parking light with dark corners is a real safety and liability exposure, especially after hours. We design to a measured foot-candle level with even coverage, so the whole lot reads safe.
Aging HID Running High Energy Cost
Metal halide and high-pressure sodium fixtures common before 2015 burn far more energy than LED and degrade over time. We convert to LED with controls, commonly cutting exterior energy use by half or more.
A Facade That Looks Unmaintained
No facade lighting, mismatched fixtures, or poorly aimed uplights make a commercial building look neglected after dark. We design consistent facade and entry lighting that presents the property the way ownership intends.
Lighting Stuck in Procurement
Property managers often know the exterior needs work but get stuck between facilities, ownership, and procurement. We bring photometric documentation, energy analysis, and a clear scope that move a decision forward.
No Documentation on a Large Site
A multi-category exterior system with no records is unserviceable. We document the whole site — parking, facade, paths, and controls — so any future work starts from a plan.
Ideal Commercial Properties
Retail Centers
Office & Business Parks
Restaurants & Hospitality
Multi-Family
New Commercial Builds
Owner-Designed
Family-Owned
Licensed & Insured
Award-Winning Design
Lifetime Warranties
4.9-Star Rating
Design Before We Dig
500+ Projects Completed
How Commercial Outdoor Lighting Works
The Design-First Process
A commercial project takes more engineering up front than residential — photometric compliance, energy documentation, and permitting — and runs the same disciplined path each time.
Step 1: Commercial Site Assessment
Timeline: Week 1
A full site walk across parking fields, building perimeter, entries, pathways, and amenity areas, documenting existing fixtures, infrastructure, and the property’s code context.
Step 2: Photometric Design and Compliance
Timeline: 1–2 Weeks
A photometric plan showing predicted foot-candle levels across the site, verified against applicable codes and IES standards, with fixture specifications and an energy analysis you review before anything is built.
Step 3: Ownership Presentation and Approval
Timeline: Week 3
We present the complete design to ownership or management — photometric documentation, fixture specifications, energy savings, and scope — so the decision is made on full information.
Step 4: Permitting and Pre-Construction
Timeline: 2–4 Weeks
Where permits are required, we prepare and submit the specification documentation to the municipality and coordinate installation around your operating hours.
Step 5: Installation and Commissioning
Timeline: Varies by Scope
Installation to the engineered plan — pole setting, fixture mounting, underground conduit and wiring, transformer and controls — to licensed contractor CE-D: 76580 standards, then commissioned across the site.
Step 6: Documentation and Handoff
Timeline: On Completion
As-built documentation delivered for the whole site — fixture locations, circuits, and controls — and a walkthrough with your team.
What Sets Us Apart
Commercial work pairs design judgment with commercial electrical capability and documented compliance — a combination most residential installers and most electrical contractors do not bring together.
Design and Commercial Electrical, Together
Commercial exterior lighting needs both design expertise and licensed commercial electrical capability. We bring both under one license, CE-D: 76580, so the photometric design and the installation come from the same hands.
Award-Winning, With 25 Years of Commercial History
We were named Best Specialty Contractor in Middle Tennessee for 2025, and in 2026 we absorbed P.M. Lighting Nashville, adding more than 25 years of commercial outdoor lighting history across the region into one company.
One Contractor Across the Whole Site
Properties with several exterior lighting categories — parking, facade, pathway, landscape, and signage — often juggle multiple vendors. We design and install all of it under one contractor, so the site is coordinated and the documentation is in one place.
TRUSTED BY HOMEOWNERS ACROSS MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Our clients' feedback reflects our focus on thoughtful design, professional installation, and outdoor systems that perform exactly as intended.
Light TN's talented team delivered exceptional outdoor lighting design, showcasing a remarkable blend of creativity, attention to detail, and professionalism that exceeded our expectations. Their vision and commitment to quality shone through in their implementation of stunning low voltage landscape lighting that truly enhanced the aesthetic of our outdoor space.
Cynthia Williams
I’ve had the chance to work closely with Daryl and the Light TN team through branding and creative projects through my company, Proof Branding, and I can confidently say they run a first class operation. Daryl is thoughtful, professional, and truly cares about the quality of his work and the experience his clients have. Light TN is clearly built on expertise, attention to detail, and pride in what they do. If you’re looking for a team you can trust and enjoy working with, I would highly recommend Daryl and Light TN.
Matt Cheuvront
Daryl with Light TN, was very professional and very helpful towards questions and concerns about the lights operations and programming ability, including installation. Once installed the light strips blended right in with our homes trim being unnoticeable during the daytime or when not in use. 5 Star experience, dealing with Daryl and Light TN.
john covington
We have been using Daryl and his services since 2020. We feel much safer with our beautiful lighting and it’s also makes it very easy taking dogs out at night. One of many benefits. Highly recommend Daryl and Light TN!
Irina “Ira” Hines
4 months agoI used Light TN service on two different properties. Excellent outcome both times. A very professional service at a fair price.
Bob Pelt
Darryl at LightTennessee is great! He’s always quick to respond very professional with his services and the work that he does do is top notch!
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ABOUT LIGHT TN
Light TN is an outdoor lighting design and installation company based in Burns, Tennessee, serving Nashville and communities throughout Middle Tennessee. Founded in 2020 by Daryl Bentfield, Light TN specializes in landscape lighting, architectural lighting, permanent roofline lighting, smart outdoor lighting systems, and outdoor audio. Light TN has completed over 500 custom installations and maintains a 4.9-star Google rating across 100+ verified reviews. The company is a licensed Tennessee contractor, BBB accredited with an A+ rating, and a certified BlueHopper permanent lighting installer.
Daryl Bentfield is the owner and principal designer of Light TN, with over 25 years of professional design experience including a background in production and visual storytelling before specializing in outdoor lighting. Daryl personally designs every project and works on site with his crew during installation.
Investment and Pricing
How much does commercial outdoor lighting cost? It varies widely by property type, the existing infrastructure, the fixture count, and the scope — a parking-lot LED retrofit, a facade lighting package, and a full new-construction exterior are very different projects. A Light TN commercial system is scoped to the site after a photometric assessment, and you get an itemized number before any work begins.
Key Cost Factors
Property size and fixture count are the primary drivers, along with the type of work — pole-mounted parking lighting, facade and entry, or full-site new construction — whether existing poles and infrastructure can be reused, the controls and energy package, and the permitting a jurisdiction requires.
Project Investment Ranges
Commercial projects are scoped to the site by property type, fixture count, and existing infrastructure rather than fixed tiers — a parking retrofit, a facade package, and a new-construction exterior price very differently. You receive an itemized investment with your photometric plan, and the on-site assessment is complimentary.
What's Included
Commercial photometric analysis, property-type-specific design, parking and area lighting, facade and entry lighting, energy and controls engineering, code-compliance documentation, permitting coordination, licensed installation, commissioning, and as-built documentation.
Payment Terms
Terms are set per project scope; a deposit is due at approval with the balance at agreed milestones and completion. We accept cash, checks, major credit cards, Zelle, and Venmo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Light TN serves retail centers and strip malls, standalone restaurants, office buildings and business parks, hospitality properties, and multi-family developments across Middle Tennessee, handling parking, facade, pathway, and amenity lighting under one contractor.
Light TN commercial lighting is scoped to the site by property type, fixture count, and existing infrastructure rather than fixed packages, so a parking retrofit and a full new-construction exterior price very differently. The on-site assessment is complimentary, and you get an itemized number with your photometric plan.
Yes. Light TN designs HID-to-LED conversions for commercial parking and area lighting, commonly cutting exterior lighting energy by half or more, with photocell and occupancy controls and a photometric plan that proves even coverage.
Yes. Light TN produces photometric plans documenting foot-candle levels across the site and designs to local ordinance, IES standards, energy code, and Dark Sky requirements where a jurisdiction has them.
Yes. Light TN prepares and submits specification documentation to the applicable municipality where a project requires permits, and coordinates installation around your operating hours.
Yes. Light TN designs and installs every exterior lighting category — parking, facade, pathway, landscape, and signage — under one contractor and one license, CE-D: 76580, so the site is coordinated and documented in one place.
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Light TN designs and installs custom outdoor lighting systems for homes and properties across Middle Tennessee. Every project starts with a consultation, a custom plan, and a commitment to doing the work cleanly — with results that hold up over time.