The demand for sustainable landscape lighting is growing with people wanting to socialise outdoors but also wishing to protect the very environment that they are enjoying.
Whether its for someone’s garden or a hospitality business wanting to offer alfresco dining and drinking we are all seeking to make the most of our outdoor spaces.
But we are rightly concerned about the environment and most councils insist that outdoor lighting meet their DarkSky initiatives to avoid light pollution and help protect nocturnal wildlife.
Read on for six ways you can make landscape lighting more sustainable.
Tip 1: Think about design
Your first question should be does it need lighting? If the answer is yes, then what needs lighting and what can we leave in shadow? Don’t over light an area. Remember our eye is drawn to light and it needs balancing with shadow.
While there must be enough light for people to move around the space safely, too much will ruin any sense of intimacy that you customer is hoping to create.
First, think about the ambient or background lighting to provide a soft atmospheric feel. Next think about what you want to highlight. You may for example want to pick out certain features for emphasis whether this is architectural or as part of the planting.
Accent lighting used to highlight certain features can also double up as safety by highlighting the edge of a patio or steps.
Tip 2: Avoid light pollution
To be a good neighbour and meet most council’s DarkSky requirements you should only light the area that needs it. You must avoid any light spillages that can cause glare, so think about what you are lighting and the beam angle you are using.
Luminaires with asymmetric beams will focus the light in one direction making it easier to direct where you want and contain it within this area.
The glow that we see at night from artificial lighting is due to unwanted light spilling upwards. When you are using a wall light or bollard check its upward light output ratio (ULOR), which is the percentage of light that it emits above the horizontal plane. For DarkSky approval it should have an ULOR of less than 0.5% or 50 lumens.
Tip 3: Save energy
LED lighting is the most energy efficient artificial light source you can use, but some luminaires are more efficient than others.
In the UK we have got used to using wattage as a measure for lighting, but we should concentrate on lumens which measures the amount of visible light that comes from a source.
Using lumens, you can specify the amount of light that you need rather than the power the fitting uses (Watts).
And when you are considering the energy efficiency off a fitting, look at its lumens per watt, the higher the figure the more efficient it is. To make it easier, products must now display their energy efficiency rating on a label, using a scale from A to G.
Tip 4: Use lighting control
We should also only provide that light when we need it.
Lighting control allows us to use lighting more sustainably. It can be as simple as PIR sensors on luminaires or electrical circuits, light sensors, on/off switching or a timer.
For something a bit more special, the installation of a smart bridge connects the outside lighting for control via a smart phone. This allows you to control different zones, set schedules and turn the lighting on and off remotely to both save energy and create different scenarios depending on how people want to use the space.
Tip 5: Be wildlife friendly
It is vital that you minimise the effect outdoor lighting has on nocturnal animals and insects. The amount of upward light and in particular blue light can affect navigation, physiology, breeding and their general health.
You should position lights as low as possible, aim them downwards and ensure that you only direct light where it is needed to avoid light spillage. When you are specifying a fitting check that they are low glare and have minimal or no upward light spill.
The colour temperature of the light you are using is also important. Warmer colours of 3000K or lower are less likely to scatter in the atmosphere than higher colour temperatures and will have less effect on wildlife and on light pollution. Ideally the lower the CCT the better; we would recommend using 2700K or even 2200K sources.
Tip 6: Use sustainable products
To minimise the impact on the environment we need to move beyond the throw away culture of the past. You should always have an eye on the expected lifespan of a product but also question how easy it is to repair and replace parts to extend its life.
If the lighting manufacturer assembles the products using a modular design approach, then they are easier to service in the future and disassemble for simpler and better recycling at end of life.
To find out more about designing and specifying sustainable landscape lighting schemes download our guide
