Outdoor lighting should be 3000K CCT or less. 2700K or 2200K are better choices. It is critical to remember, light at night is affects all creatures. To only base outdoor lighting spectral specifications totally on human vision is ecological folly, especially when there are no humans present. Even for humans, lighting should be red-shifted as the day wanes so it doesn’t shift or disrupt human circadian timings. The science is in and the dominos are falling. Light as a stimuli, or as information, controls life’s timings. Blue light at night is no good for plants, animals, or humans. Plenty of cost effective, just as efficient options exist.
Adaptive lighting controls, either at an institutional level or with home lighting is not hard to accomplish. It does take some forethought to make sure the lighting devices you choose have the capability to dim or even change CCT at scheduled times or in ‘sensed’ conditions. To ignore this ability overlooks one of the greatest strengths of modern LED outdoor lighting devices. So much energy could be saved. Ecological pressure on plants and animals in the proximity of the lights could be relieved. Just because we save a little bit on energy costs by using LEDs doesn’t mean lighting should be left on at high levels throughout the whole night. That is piggity wastefulness.
The brightness of lighting can be easily reduced by using the proper lighting device to focus or redirect wasted light to where it is needed. We can do with a lot less light than realized. Just like you don’t play your stereo as loud as it can go…. well, sometimes that’s ok! To try to make the outside at night like daylight is is so messed up. It wastes energy and does no one any good.
While much is to be said for computer aided design, I have found most outdoor lighting and street lighting requires a verification and confirmation to assure the light is properly targeted and the source is controlled for glare and intrusion and safety. Choosing the proper luminaire for the setting is an incredibly important part of this. In addition, assuring the aim and shielding is correct will yield a reduction in the wattage required because the shield is made to redirect light from the source onto the target area. No light is wasted. If you are concerned about energy, carbon emissions, and climate change then common sense says targeting a light and choosing a well designed luminaire will be very important. How much energy can be saved with the proper light design? I measured it at about 75%. Pretty low hanging fruit in the fight to reduce energy use, yes? Proper targeting also controls the intrusion into the environment from the blue spectrum, which is confirmed by science to cause 2-3 times the damage in the environment than the red end of the spectrum. Be cautious though, excess light at night, from any part of the spectrum is unnatural. The amount of light AND the spectral emissions both matter. Common sense and science meet!
Before installing or replacing a light, determine if light is needed. Consider how the use of light will impact the area, including wildlife and the environment. Consider using reflective paints or self-luminous markers for signs, curbs, and steps to reduce the need for permanently installed outdoor lighting.
Lighting, especially in institutional or road and street lighting situations should be especially thought through and verified. It’s lighting the public has no control over. There’s no switch on the wall to turn it off. How does the lighting fit into the wholistic scene. Does the lighting make an improvement in the lighting situation or is it intrusive and cause additional safety, health or environmental problems. Light at night brings drastic change into the environment so it is important to think deeply about what that change will cause and if unintended consequences will happen. LED’s will be around for far too long if mistakes are made in their implementation. Whoever implements the lighting remains the responsible party, right? Do it correctly, because it matters! It’s an ethical, moral choice.
The Ecological Consequences of Artificial Light at Night is a book written by Dr. Travis Longcore and Catherine Rich in 2006. As a dark sky advocate, Travis’s writings (https://travislongcore.net) have influenced my thoughts on light pollution and outside lighting for a long time. If you want to know the skinny on light pollution and it’s effect on plants and animals, this book is a primary read. It’s not easy going but very informative. Lighting, like in my picture, will have consequences in the natural world. This was 10pm so it’s all from the high kelvin LED vintage style lighting at the new development, Legacy Park, in Mechanicsburg, PA. For instance, do you know how many photoreceptors plants have, what each one does, and how they inform the plant about its current environmental conditions? I dare you to read the book. See if it changes your perception of light at night as a nuisance to light as a powerful stimuli and incredibly disruptive pollutant in nature.
The IDA released some new guidance for lighting responsibly. There are five simple considerations to follow. Responsible means that we are responsible to know the consequences of our actions and that we are accountable. The new guidelines are to be taken as parts of a whole and not individual parts where we can pick and choose which ones are convenient and which ones we can ignore.
A number of scientists have said, Light is one of the most powerful stimuli on Earth. We should carefully consider and limit the use of outside light at night. Responsible lighting is how we can safely implement light at night while minimalizing the effect on the world around us.
I decided it was time for a second time around for the Nightlights light pollution blog site. Hopefully, it will serve to raise awareness of the problems and dangers to all life caused by light pollution and over-lighting the night. It's a timing thing. Since everything is connected to everything, and with light being one of the most powerful stimuli on Earth, will we eventually learn to pay closer attention to what we do with our lighting? This is not light as a nuisance issue but light as a biological and ecological arranger and orchestrator.
When I started looking into all things lighting, I found myself understanding through my context of audio engineering.
Today, I listened to a Waves webcast with Andrew Scheps, a famous engineer/producer, who did the engineering on hit songs we all know. One of the take-aways was using mid/side EQ. Piano is always a problem in a mix. Piano, at one time or another, covers ALL the available frequencies. Mixes with heavy piano are really tough. It is difficult to find the perfect level where the piano track is up enough in the mix while not masking the guitars, bass, drums, or even vocals. The solution is to use a mid/side EQ. On a piano track, you would cut the piano’s conflicting frequencies in the middle pan, where bass, kick/snare drums and vocals live, and boost those frequencies on the left/right sides. Now, the piano can be heard at a lower level, doesn’t mask or hide the other instruments, and makes a good mix easier to reach. Everything can be heard and the mix has a beautiful clarity to it.
How does this apply to lighting design? I would suggest that instead of lighting up a whole landscape with brilliant lighting, one can dim lights, use other CCT’s, or even do away with luminaires where they have no real use or purpose, and put focused light on specific targets. Such a strategy would render a better solution, provide clarity for vision, performance, and true safety.
When you brilliantly light everything, a lighting design becomes just like a bad audio mix. When everything is lit the same, contrast is lost, intelligibility is lost. Important details are lost in the blaze of light. Poor lighting design is just like a mix where everything is just too loud and intelligibility is lost. Nothing stands out. It’s just loud and certainly not pleasurable to listen to. Things like pedestrians, road obstacles, crosswalks, dangers should be illuminated at night, maybe even with different CCT lighting to help them stand out. Surrounding those important targets should be lit differently to increase the contrast. Pedestrians, walkways, dangers need to be the focus of illumination, not the side of buildings, landscape and certainly not the sky.
Today’s lighting strategy is to just make everything brighter and brighter, louder and louder, then we’ll be able to see everything and we’ll all be safe. That is so very wrong. Such a strategy certainly doesn’t work in audio production and I don’t believe it works in lighting design either.
Light well and prosper! (Please stay well and safe, everybody)
I love being a musician. Sometimes, it is easier for me to say things with my instrument rather than words. A musician has another language to speak with. A musician has another language to pray with.
While we are fortunate and have no family members sick with COVID-19 and no close friends have had their families impacted, the stories from other states and countries are full of the sadness of those who are suffering and of those who we have lost to this disease. Each person is special, created to carry the gifts, skills, and love to their family and friends. More they are loved and held precious by their families. More than economics, this loss is about people. The loss is greater than we know.
People are worried about jobs, how they’ll pay their bills, personal and family safety and comfort. Those are normal concerns in a time like this. It is not a time to be afraid. There is nothing in fear and panic that will be of any help to us.
For me, it is a time to pray and ask God to lift this pestilence from the Earth. Science has it’s place and in time, science will help us. Logistics will keep the things we need available as best as possible. Other than that, there is not much we can do but follow guidelines, which are common sense for this situation. Do what makes sense and don’t be afraid. Let’s roll.
As I read stories about those we’ve lost to COVID-19, my heart was moved to play something from deep inside, well beyond the construct of words and logical thought. It’s a space I invite you all into, to stop and consider, and join in praying with me, if you would. To express our sadness and requests to the only One who can truly deliver us from the pestilence of COVID-19. If you are a believer, then pray. If not, pray anyway. God hears us all. He surely sends the rain and sun to bless and sustain everyone, not only just believers.
Please listen and pray. Be strengthened and comforted. Don’t be afraid.
Requiem – Dedicated to the ones we’ve lost to COVID-19 and all the people who are suffering from the disease and the loss of loved ones.
Night Lights 