Essential Elements of Outdoor Parking Lot Lighting By R. Neal At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

There is a delicate balance between power and control that every contractor must observe when determining the type of lamps to be used and the appropriate wattages for those lamps. Sometimes more area can be lit with less energy consumption and create long term savings for a client on operating costs. Energy efficient technology also continues to improve daily and should also be considered when applicable.

Clients may not realize that outdoor parking lot lights do not have to be rated at the highest wattage to give them the best outcome, and they may ask you to find them the most powerful fixtures to get the job done. This is seldom necessary, nor is it as workable as it once was when we consider that new law place a great deal of control over lighting and require more than simple luminance standards be observed. Optics, direction of the light, and systematic planning are necessary to effectively light an outdoor parking lot lighting system that will satisfy both regulatory codes and budgetary operating constraints of the client. Working with a designer from RLLD Commercial Lighting can help you achieve superior results with just the right amount of power, elevation, and angle of incidence without overspending or encroaching on light trespass restrictions.

The quality of optics engineering is an essential element to outdoor parking lot lighting design.
Because light pollution laws now tightly regulate the amount of light that shines past the property line around a facility, it is essential to disperse illumination evenly to avoid lights spillage and glare that can blind the eyes of pedestrians and motorists. By choosing fixtures with sophisticated reflectors and shields, it is possible to create light distribution patterns that yield optimal results without having to necessarily use the highest wattage fixtures.

Luminaire housing plays a critical role in creating the best angles of incidence for outdoor lighting within the boundaries of any parking lot.

Some housings, like full cutoff designs, point the light directly downward onto the pavement below, while others such as semi cutoffs direct it more across the lot and downward onto the pavement. It may be difficult at times to determine exactly what type of housing your client will most benefit from just by looking at the facility, particularly if you are lighting an establishment that has uniquely configured parking lot islands or a storefront that requires a view free from the obstructions of light poles. In these complex scenarios, something more than a standard solution will be necessary to accommodate all luminance, light containment, glare reduction, and lighting distribution requirements.

Before buying any outdoor parking lot lighting fixtures and poles, it is very important to create a detailed photometric plan first.

The significance of photometric analysis from a cost savings perspective cannot be emphasized enough. With the help of an RLLD Commercial Lighting Designer, you can have a three dimensional model of your client’s facility rendered that will show how one or more proposed outdoor parking lot lighting layouts will look. Multiple variables such as foot candle density, lighting angle of incidence, and elevation of luminaires can all be simultaneously calculated and adjusted either collectively or individually. This ability to forecast outcomes prior to purchasing allows you to pinpoint exactly what equipment will be necessary to fulfill your client’s needs.

It is strongly recommended that you use only outdoor parking lot lights manufactured in the United States.

We live in a society where a large percentage of the products we use, such as automobiles, are made overseas. Many of these products perform exceptionally well and enjoy consistently high consumer ratings. This is not the case, however, with lighting equipment. By far, the best outdoor parking lot lights are still made right here in the US, and by far, they offer the best performance backed up in writing by written warranties. Shipping and delivery is also much more expeditious when handled within US borders and generally result in much shorter lead times for your clients.

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