Programme outlined for ICEL Emergency Lighting Conference 2026

Running from 9.45 am until 4.00 pm (with registration commencing at 9.00 am) and sponsored by the Society of Lighting and Lighting (itself part of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers), conference covers a wide range of topics relevant to emergency lighting. These include the following:

9.50 am-10.10 am

The Risk of Being in the Dark: Human Behaviour, Safe Escape Routes and the Reality of Sudden Darkness

When environments are suddenly plunged into darkness, reduced visibility, disorientation and stress significantly affect movement and decision-making, often challenging assumptions of how people believe they will respond.

Luminaire positioning, glare control and light distribution play a critical role in visibility, while modern behaviours such as the use of smart phone torches can introduce glare, disrupt visual adaptation and serve to reduce the effectiveness of emergency lighting.

This session will demonstrate how key design decisions, including increased illuminance at fire points and other points of emphasis, changes of direction and hazard areas are rooted in supporting real human behaviour under stress rather than theoretical compliance.

10.10 am-10.30 am

Emergency Lighting in High-Occupancy and 24/7 Environments

Emergency lighting in high-occupancy and continuously operated environments such as airports, transport hubs, large public buildings and care settings is presented with a unique array of design challenges. In many of these spaces, evacuation isn’t always immediate or practical, while lighting must support both safe movement and controlled occupancy.

The focus is on when a ‘Stay Put’ or phased evacuation strategy may be appropriate, particularly so in environments such as assisted living and Care Homes where occupant vulnerability, familiarity and mobility must always be carefully considered. Design decisions should be driven by occupancy, risk profile and operational use, always ensuring that emergency lighting solutions reflect real building conditions rather than a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach.

10.30 am-10.45 am

Fire Risk Assessors’ Perspectives: Priorities, High-Risk Areas and Defining Escape Routes

Emergency lighting is often designed to meet standards, but then assessed against real building risk. Viewing systems through the lens of fire risk assessors reveals how escape routes, critical zones and lighting performance are interpreted in practice.

The focus is on how those risk assessors evaluate stairwells, primary escape routes and specific locations, and also how decisions are made around route definition, prioritisation and compliance.

Understanding this perspective provides key insight into how standards are applied, where they are effective and where further clarity or improvement may be required.

10.45 am-11.00 am

Q&A Panel

11.00 am-11.30 am

Networking break

11.30 am-11.50 am

Beyond the Commissioning Phase: Operational Excellence in Emergency Lighting

Emergency lighting doesn’t end at the commissioning stage. Long-term performance, verification and maintenance are essential for ensuring that systems continue to operate reliably when needed.

The focus is on how end users and maintenance teams can move beyond basic ‘pass or fail’-style testing towards structured and data-driven maintenance strategies, including automated testing, centralised monitoring and integration with modern facilities management systems.

Recent updates to BS 5266-1 reinforce the overriding need for periodic verification of light levels across the system lifecycle, ensuring that performance is maintained rather than assumed.

Emphasis is placed on maintaining verified light levels, robust inspection regimes and a clear and defensible compliance trail that, importantly, aligns system performance with legal and regulatory obligations.

11.50 am-12.10 pm

Standards, Regulations and What’s Coming Next

Emergency lighting is entering a period of significant regulatory and technical change. Updates to core standards, evolving fire safety legislation and new technologies are reshaping how systems are designed, specified and maintained.

The focus here is on the October 2025 update to BS 5266-1, key developments within BS EN IEC 60598-2-22 (including lithium-ion battery safety) and the growing role of Adaptive Emergency Escape Lighting Systems.

Understanding these changes is essential for maintaining compliance, while also supporting ‘Net Zero’ objectives and delivering safe and future-ready emergency lighting systems.

12.10 pm-12.30 pm

Q&A Panel

12.30 pm-1.45 pm

Networking lunch

1.45 pm-2.10 pm

Defining the ‘Responsible Person’

Social housing providers, local councils and residential landlords are responsible for life safety systems within multi-occupancy buildings, including flats, apartments and high-rise housing blocks. In these environments, emergency lighting is critical within stairwells, corridors and shared escape routes rather than within individual dwellings.

While design, installation and maintenance duties are often delegated to contractors and consultants, accountability remains with the designated ‘Responsible Person’. The focus is on what duty holders must understand, verify and challenge when managing emergency lighting across communal areas, particularly so where multiple stakeholders are involved.

Consideration is also given to how emergency lighting aligns with other life safety systems, including fire detection and alarm systems, and how consistent approaches may be applied across residential portfolios.

2.10 pm-2.30 pm

Compliance in Emergency Lighting: Making Sure it’s Right First Time

Achieving full compliance in emergency lighting begins at the design stage, not at commissioning. Decisions made early on in a project directly influence installation quality, system performance and any requirement for costly remedial work.

The focus is on aligning requirements across BS 7671, BS 5266-1 and BS EN 1838, while addressing real-world challenges encountered during installation and handover. Attention is given to co-ordination with other building services, ownership of space and priority of systems, ensuring that emergency lighting is integrated effectively and performs as intended under emergency conditions.

2.30 pm-2.50 pm

Q&A Panel

2.50 pm-3.20 pm

Networking break

3.20 pm-3.55 pm

Leadership Panel: The Future of ICEL and Emergency Lighting

Change in the emergency lighting domain is being driven by advances in technology, evolving regulation and increasing expectations around safety and sustainability. Here, senior industry leaders will explore the future direction of emergency lighting in the UK, including discussion around smart building integration, Artificial Intelligence-assisted systems, data-driven maintenance and the role of sustainability within life safety systems.

The discussion will provide ICEL with an opportunity to share emerging ideas and proposals, while at the same time inviting input from across the industry. Attendees will have the opportunity to contribute their suggestions, challenge current thinking and provide feedback that helps to inform and underpin ICEL’s future priorities and industry direction.

3.55 pm-4.00 pm

Closing statements

4.00 pm-5.00 pm

Networking and refreshments

*Register to attend the ICEL Emergency Lighting Conference 2026 by visiting the Lighting Industry Association’s website at www.thelia.org.uk