Designing Smarter Workspaces: How RJA Electrical Transforms Offices with Custom Electrical Solutions

September 15, 2025

In today’s fast‑paced business world, the environment in which employees work matters a great deal. Lighting, security, reliability, compliance, sustainability all of these contribute not only to comfort and safety but to productivity, perception and long‑term cost savings. At RJA Electrical, based in Stonehaven, Aberdeen, we specialise in transforming office environments with fully custom electrical solutions. We offer everything from CCTV installation and monitoring systems, to emergency lighting, electrical testing, maintenance, and complete design & installation services. This article explores how well‑designed electrical systems can make workspaces smarter, what standards must be met, and how RJA Electrical ensures excellence in every project.

Why Custom Electrical Design Matters in an Office

Offices today are more than rows of desks and fluorescent lights. With increasing demand for energy efficiency, flexible workspaces, tighter safety regulations, and integrated technology (e.g. access control, monitoring, communications), having an electrical system tailored to your needs can offer:

Improved safety and compliance — avoiding hazards, meeting legal obligations
Enhanced energy efficiency — reducing utility costs and environmental footprint
Greater flexibility — able to adapt to changing layouts, expansions, or tech upgrades
Better comfort and productivity — lighting levels, control of glare, and calm, secure environments improve wellbeing and efficiency

RJA Electrical sees each office as unique — design begins with understanding what the space is used for, how people move through it, what technology is in play, and what safety and regulatory requirements apply.

Key Components of a Smarter Workspace Electrical Design

Here are the core areas that RJA Electrical often focuses on when designing a custom electrical system for offices:

Lighting Design & Emergency Lighting Working lighting — ambient, task, accent — tailored to the layout and usage of rooms. Plus emergency lighting systems that ensure safe evacuation paths and comply with legal standards.
Electrical Testing & Compliance Ensuring wiring, panels, sockets, circuits are fit for purpose, safely installed, correctly certified. Regular testing (EICR reports, periodic inspections) helps identify when electrical panel upgrades may be necessary to handle increased power loads or improve overall system safety.
CCTV & Monitoring Systems Custom security systems: solution design, camera placement, monitoring, integration with access control.
Maintenance & Support Beyond installation: routine checks, preventive maintenance so that small issues don’t become big ones; ensuring longevity of installed systems.
Emergency & Safety Systems Alarm systems, emergency lighting, exit signage, power backup where needed. Standards must be met so that in an emergency, the system works.
Sustainability & Energy Efficiency LED lighting, motion sensors, smart dimmers, efficient cabling, perhaps integrating renewable power or backup.

Relevant Regulatory and Safety Standards in the UK

Custom design must respect UK laws and regulations. Some of the most important are:

Standard / Regulation	What It Covers	Why It Matters for Offices
BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations)	Design, selection, erection, and verification of low voltage electrical installations. Ensures wiring, protection, and safety are fit for purpose.	Required for legal compliance; protects against fire and electrical shock risks.
BS 5266‑1 (Emergency Lighting Code of Practice)	Location, duration, testing and maintenance of emergency lighting systems.	Ensures that in a power failure or emergency, escape routes, exits, and signage remain visible.
Health & Safety (Safety Signs & Signals) Regulations	Signage requirements including visibility in emergencies.	Helps people safely evacuate; legal duty for workplace safety.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989	Requires that all electrical systems and equipment used at work are safe and maintained.	Non‑compliance can lead to accidents, liability, higher insurance cost.
Building Regulations (Scotland / England / etc)	Fire safety, building safety relating to escape routes, lighting, wiring — includes Approved Documents / Technical Handbooks.	Local building control requires that systems meet these standards before occupation or inspection.

Typical Workflow: From Concept to Completion

Below is a standard workflow that RJA Electrical follows when designing and installing custom electrical solutions for offices. This ensures projects are efficient, compliant, and matched to client needs.

Initial Consultation & Site Survey Meet the client, inspect the space, note existing electrical infrastructure, layout, building constraints, use of rooms, safety risks, and special features (e.g. server rooms, secure areas).
Needs & Risk Assessment Understand how the office is used (hours, occupancy, technology), identify hazards, evaluate escape routes and emergency lighting needs, assess current compliance, and plan for future expansions.
Design Phase Produce layout drawings for wiring, lighting, security, monitoring etc.; choose components (lighting types, camera types, control systems), plan power loads, select energy efficient options.
Specification & Approval Prepare specs that meet or exceed BS standards; obtain any necessary approvals from local authority or building control; perhaps involve fire safety consultants, architects or insurers if needed.
Installation & Commissioning Install wiring, lighting, cameras, emergency lighting etc.; safety checks; test all systems; perform commissioning (e.g. verifying that emergency lighting stays on for required duration, lighting levels are sufficient etc.)
Handover & Documentation Provide client with documentation: test certificates (EICR, other relevant), maintenance manuals, logbooks for emergency lighting, warranties. Train anyone who’ll need to operate or monitor the systems.
Ongoing Maintenance & Monitoring Scheduled checks, preventive maintenance, monitoring (e.g. CCTV), periodic retesting and adjustments as needed. Ensure system stays compliant even if office layout or use changes.

Case Examples: How Smart Design Solves Common Office Problems

Here are several typical challenges and how RJA Electrical’s custom designs address them:

Problem	Solution by Custom Design
Glare, flicker, or poor lighting in meeting rooms	Use layered lighting (ambient + task), LED fittings with good colour rendering, dimmable lighting controls so brightness adapts to need.
Outdated emergency lighting failing during drills	Redesign per BS 5266‑1, replace or add luminaires, ensure backup battery capacity, schedule full‑duration tests.
Security blind spots and vandalism risk	Proper CCTV design: placement to cover blind spots, good resolution cameras, lighting for night/low light, integration with access entry systems.
Excess energy bills from lighting and inefficient electrical loads	Use LEDs, motion sensors, automatic dimming, remove redundant circuits, efficient cable layouts to reduce losses.
Disruption during renovations or layout changes	Modular wiring / cabling, use of trunking or raised floor/ceiling voids to allow changes; flexible lighting & power layouts that anticipate change.

Best Practices for Office Electrical Solutions

For offices in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, or anywhere, RJA Electrical follows these best practices to ensure a high‑quality, future‑proof result:

Always design for more than the minimum — meeting standards is essential, but designing a bit beyond (higher lighting levels, better fixtures, redundancies) often gives better longterm satisfaction.
Component quality matters — use certified equipment: cables, switches, sockets, lighting fittings, CCTV cameras, emergency luminaires that have appropriate ratings.
Energy efficiency by default — low energy fittings, intelligent controls, timers, daylight sensors where possible.
Clear documentation and certification — ensure EICR, test certificates, logbooks are properly kept; clients should have them for safety, insurance, building inspections.
Flexibility & scalability — anticipate that offices may need to reconfigure or expand; design so changes are easier and less disruptive.

How RJA Electrical Stands Out

At RJA Electrical, transforming workspaces isn’t just about meeting requirements; it’s about delivering systems that feel seamless, reliable, and tailored to each client. Here’s how:

Comprehensive service — from the smallest test to full scale installations (rewiring, lighting, security).
Industry accreditation and standards driven — every piece of work and every piece of equipment is accredited to meet industry standards, ensuring safety, reliability, and compliance.
Customer‑led customisation — listening carefully to what clients need, then designing systems that suit their workflow, aesthetics, and budget. Whether it’s for a small local office or a larger commercial site, the aim remains the same: solutions that work now and in the future.
Local expertise & responsiveness — being based in Stonehaven means quicker response times for service & maintenance across Aberdeenshire. Local conditions, building types and regulatory practices are well understood.

Sample Layout: Electrical Design Specification Table

Below is a sample table of a design specification for a mid‑size office (approx. 200 m²) to illustrate how various elements might be specified and weighted in a custom design.

Element	Specification	Notes / Justification
Main Lighting	LED panels, 4000K colour temperature, CRI ≥ 80, dimmable circuits	Good light quality, reduces glare, energy‑efficient
Ambient Lighting Level	300 lux in work areas; 500 lux in meeting/conference rooms	To support visibility and reduce eye strain
Emergency Lighting	BS 5266‑1 compliant, luminaires on all escape routes, battery backup for 3 hours	Safety and compliance requirement
Security Cameras	HD resolution (1080p+), night vision capability, full corridor & entry coverage	Prevent security blind spots
Rewiring / Cabling	Use of modern flame‑retardant cables, proper earthing and bonding, adequate load capacity on circuits	Safety, future tech demands
Power Outlets / USB Points	Ample sockets & USB power at desk level; separate circuits for high‑load equipment (printers, servers)	Convenience + electrical load safety
Monitoring / Control Systems	Centralised control for lighting & security; optional occupancy sensors	Energy savings and system visibility

Implementation Timeline & Cost Factors

When undertaking such custom designs, offices often ask: how long, and how much? Several factors influence this:

Size of the office (area in m²)
Existing electrical infrastructure condition — older wiring may require replacement
Complexity of installation — number of lighting fixtures, security cameras, monitoring systems, emergency lighting etc.
Regulatory / inspection / certification requirements — obtaining approvals, scheduling inspections etc.
Choice of components — premium vs basic fittings; integrating smart or sustainable features adds cost but often lowers running costs

A rough typical timeline for a medium‑sized office (say 150‑300 m²) might be:

Site survey & design: 1‑2 weeks
Specification, approvals: 1 week
Installation & commissioning: 1‑2 weeks
Handover & documentation: few days

Costs will vary widely depending on location, standards, component choices; but investing well up‑front often reduces ongoing maintenance costs and avoids expensive fixes later.

Conclusion

Designing smarter workspaces is no longer a luxury — it’s essential for safety, efficiency, sustainability, and staff wellbeing. Offices with well‑designed electrical systems not only meet legal obligations but create environments where people can work more comfortably, securely, and productively.

RJA Electrical, from Stonehaven, delivers all‑round custom electrical solutions — design, installation, maintenance, testing, and emergency systems — ensuring that each workspace is tailored, safe, efficient, and built to last. Whether you’re refurbishing, expanding, or simply upgrading your office, partnering with experienced professionals means peace of mind, compliance, and results that shine both in the short term and for years to come.

If you’re considering transforming your office, now is a great time to explore what custom electrical design can do for your business.