| By following a few basic principles of parking lot | | | | Dark sky laws have been passed in most major |
| lights recommended by RLLD Commercial Lighting, | | | | cities. These regulations have precipitated changes |
| you can quickly determine what your client will | | | | in a number of luminaire types, and parking light |
| need and choose fixtures from any number of | | | | fixtures are among those most significantly |
| US light fixture manufacturers. The following | | | | impacted by this legislation. New luminaires favor |
| points are a few things to keep in mind that will | | | | semi-cutoff or full cutoff designs that direct the |
| make the process easier for both you and your | | | | light downward into a predictable foot candle plot. |
| clients. | | | | Fixtures also feature advanced reflectors and |
| #1-As a general rule, it is best to use American | | | | optics that diffuse intense light into a more even |
| made parking lot lighting fixtures for garages and | | | | spread of photons. This prevents light from spilling |
| lots. | | | | out of the parking area into adjacent streets and |
| The quality controls mandated by multiple layers | | | | buildings, and it also works to reduce glare that |
| of government, and the warranties that major US | | | | was common in more primitive fixture designs |
| manufacturers back their products up with, are | | | | that relied upon high levels of light as opposed to |
| unsurpassed in most of the world. Using American | | | | precision placement of light. |
| made parking lot lights also offers your client the | | | | #4-Parking lot lighting needs to be as energy |
| best engineering, maintenance, and replacement | | | | efficient as possible without sacrificing the quality |
| options available on a domestic and local level. It | | | | of light. |
| helps ensure that parts can be maintained and | | | | The most obvious for this is reducing your clients' |
| expeditiously replaced if something does go | | | | power bills as much as possible. While the cost of |
| wrong, because we are dealing with domestic | | | | a parking light upgrade may intimate many |
| entities who can deliver parts in a timely manner | | | | organizations, technology already exists that can |
| without the complications of overseas shipping. | | | | pay for such an investment. LED parking lights can |
| #2-Most cities mandate that parking lot lighting be | | | | operate on solar batteries or standard low voltage |
| evenly distributed at 3-4 foot candles throughout | | | | transformers and have already proven |
| the lot. | | | | themselves to produce better lighting in some |
| Many businesses might not be aware that their | | | | cases than other parking lot fixtures, as well as |
| parking lot lighting levels have fallen below | | | | lowering costs of operation by 60-80%. Solar |
| minimum levels. This happens when lamps | | | | lighting poles are an entirely new innovation that |
| deteriorate over an extended period of time. | | | | requires no electricity from the public energy grid. |
| When this happens, lighting levels become uneven | | | | #5-Parking lot lighting may require a highly |
| and pockets of shadow form. Adjacent areas of | | | | aesthetic element in certain situations. |
| brightness distort perspective, and drivers find it | | | | In some environments, this will matter much |
| difficult to accurately judge distances. Pockets of | | | | more than others. College campuses, public |
| shadow form when foot candles drop below | | | | schools, and government buildings should be lit |
| acceptable levels and become dangerous potential | | | | with fixtures that offer a design element that is |
| hiding places for vandals and assailants. | | | | complimentary to the geometric proportions and |
| If you have found that your client's parking lights | | | | architectural style of the adjacent buildings. Retail |
| are not generating the required level of lighting, or | | | | stores require aesthetic architectural and parking |
| determine that illumination is being unevenly | | | | lot lighting to attract customers. The only thing a |
| distributed throughout the facility, the first step in | | | | person may see when they drive by is the |
| correcting the problem is to have a photometric | | | | parking lot, and decorative lighting fixtures that |
| analysis conducted on the facility. This will chart | | | | are professionally designed and finished with |
| where foot candle levels need to be improved to | | | | attractive colors will often be enough to catch a |
| overcome problem areas of shadow, and it | | | | person's eye. |
| greatly help in choosing fixtures that provide | | | | Corporate headquarters often look much better |
| optimal directional placement of lighting into parking | | | | and more professional with aesthetic or |
| areas where obstructions are present or where | | | | decorative parking lights in the very front of the |
| the facility features and irregular design. | | | | building where investors, clients, and visitors are |
| #3- Parking lights may need to be replaced to | | | | most likely to park. Warehouses and factories |
| prevent your client from violating dark sky laws. | | | | require the least amount of decoration, but still |
| The dark sky movement has gained global | | | | require their parking lights to look professional and |
| momentum and shows no signs of slowing down. | | | | presentable. |