Engineering Custom Anti-Glare Highbays for Planet Fitness Australia
When Planet Fitness Australia came to us, they had a problem that off-the-shelf lighting couldn't solve. Standard commercial highbays were creating uncomfortable glare for gym members — particularly during floor exercises and bench workouts where people look directly upward.
They needed high light levels without the glare. That's a tricky balance.
The Problem with Standard Highbays
Most commercial highbay lights are designed for warehouses and factories, where glare isn't a major concern. In a gym environment, the requirements are completely different. Members are lying on their backs, looking up at the ceiling for extended periods.
Standard diffuser panels reduce glare but also cut light output by 20-30%, creating dark spots across the gym floor. Planet Fitness needed something purpose-built.
Our Engineering Approach
Our team developed a custom anti-glare highbay from the ground up. We started by modelling the light distribution patterns needed for a typical Planet Fitness floor plan, accounting for equipment layout, ceiling heights of 6-8 metres, and the specific areas where members exercise facing upward.
Rather than using a standard diffuser, we engineered a proprietary optical lens system that redirects light at controlled angles. This prevents direct line-of-sight glare while maintaining uniform distribution across the floor.
The result: a UGR (Unified Glare Rating) below 19 and 150+ lux at floor level with minimal hot spots.
Built for Gym Environments
Gyms are tough on equipment. Vibration from heavy weights, humidity from HVAC systems, and dust accumulation all take their toll. Our highbay was designed with IP65-rated housing, vibration-resistant driver mounting, tool-free lens removal for easy cleaning, and powder-coated aluminium for long-term corrosion resistance.
National Rollout
After successful pilots at the first two locations, the design was approved for national rollout. We've now supplied and installed our custom highbays across 16+ Planet Fitness locations and counting.
The results speak for themselves — zero glare complaints from members, 40% energy reduction compared to the previous systems, and a less than 0.5% failure rate across all installations.
What This Means for Your Project
The Planet Fitness project is a good example of what's possible when lighting is engineered for the specific environment. Whether you need custom optics, specific IP ratings, or unique form factors, our in-house design capability means we can develop a solution tailored to your needs.
Talk to us about custom lighting for your commercial or industrial space.