Offices commonly use drop ceilings.
A drop or suspended ceiling involves lightweight panels suspended on a system of metal brackets. This ceiling hangs from the rafters or another ceiling above it. Drop ceilings hide damage or allow easy access to ducts or electrical wiring. The light fixtures that work with this type of ceiling also offer a number of benefits.
Fluorescent Lighting
Fluorescent bulbs use less electricity and produce less wasted heat, according to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Georgia State University. Using light bulbs designed to emit a wider spectrum of light color prevents the cool cast older fluorescent fixtures created. Combined with a decorative panel cover, a fluorescent fixture becomes more attractive. Fluorescent lighting panels fit perfectly into one or two grid squares in a drop ceiling. This makes them one of the most commonly used forms of lighting in this ceiling system.
Recessed Lighting
Special housings and efficient bulbs allow recessed lighting to reach better energy efficiency than other fixtures such as surface mounted incandescent bulbs, says Service Magic. These low-profile fixtures create a smoother surface and work on low ceilings where hanging light fixtures would interfere with furniture or movement through the room. A recessed light fixture contains a light bulb inside heat-resistant housing. This metal or plastic housing is installed flush with the drop ceiling surface. The cross bars of the ceiling system support the fixture.
Pendant Lamps
A pendant lamp offers decorative appeal as well as functional lighting. Pendant lamps hang as low or as high as you need them. Hanging a low pendant light over a desk or table gives you more precise lighting for detail work than a light source sunk into the drop ceiling. Pendant lamps work on drop ceiling systems because the relative light weight of the fixture allows it to be supported by the metal tracks that also hold the panels.
Surface Mounted Fixtures
Surface mounted as track fixtures or lighted ceiling fans give benefits like air circulation or adjustable spot lighting. Drop ceilings still offer the same options for surface mounted light fixtures with a little extra work. Installing a metal cable that attaches directly to the rafters above, or a piece of lumber between two metal rails, gives surface fixtures proper support, according to Popular Mechanics.
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