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Outdoor Lighting Reducing light pollution


Ken Eddleston, senior lighting specialist at manufacturer of lighting for industrial, harsh and hazardous environments Chalmit, talks to EW about why reducing light pollution is good for both a business’ financial position and the environment.


W


hen people think of pollution, they


usually think of contamination to soil, water, or air. However, one of the most overlooked types of pollution is light. It can be harmful to the environment, human health, natural habitats, and ecosystems, and can have a significant impact on a business’ bottom line. Studies have shown 80-85% of all information


received by people is through their sense of sight, so it is imperative that the right lighting is used in the right environments. However, standards do not state how much light is currently being wasted or provide regulations that monitor light pollution. This creates issues for lighting engineers when deciding on the most efficient products to use. Simply put, by reducing light pollution a business can become more energy efficient, with less products needed to light an area, which by association saves them money. Lighting is something that always carries with it an ongoing cost, in terms of repair, maintenance and replacements, so by being more effective with the light being omitted, a business can minimise these costs. Implementing the right lighting strategy focused on minimising light pollution can help a business to significantly boost its bottom line.


Role of LEDs LED lighting plays a crucial role in reducing light pollution through the use of primary and secondary optics, delivering light with minimal spill. This means they can minimise the number


28 | electrical wholesalerJuly 2020


of luminaires required to illuminate a workplace effectively due to their efficient output and focused distribution. LEDs also use far less energy compared to the


fluorescent alternatives. In fact, our latest luminaire, the Protecta X, is 50% more energy efficient than the average fluorescent light and allows businesses to get the same performance for half the power consumption. By using LED lighting, a business is able to minimise light wastage, therefore reducing the number of products needed, and use less energy in the process. In addition to this, LED lighting provides decision makers with the ability to incorporate a greater sense of control over its light pollution. For example, motion sensors prolong the life of the luminaire and significantly reduce the amount of energy being used, only exploiting the light when people need it. In a similar vein, when used with photocells,


LEDs are able to detect the conditions outside. So, when it is daytime, the system will dim or turn off, not only reducing light pollution, but also energy usage.


Effects on wildlife and ecosystems It is not just businesses that can benefit from a reduction in light pollution, but also the environment. The world’s ecosystems rely heavily on daily light cycles, and when interrupted they


can have detrimental effects on plant


and animal physiology. When there is light in the dawn or dusk hours of the day, and especially at night, animals’ circadian rhythms are interrupted. Light pollution plays a crucial role in all species and their life-sustaining behaviours. When light pollution is present, it affects animals’ sleep patterns which has a knock-on effect on their growth, hunting and mating rituals. Studies have shown that animals respond to


different hues of light. Blues and whites were found to be the worst colours and almost three times more disruptive to local wildlife, whereas yellow, amber and green are more benign. As an example, migratory birds rely solely on the natural light produced by the moon, the stars and the setting sun; they use this light for navigation when they migrate. So, when light pollution is expelled by businesses all over the world, it can have a major impact on these birds’ flight trajectories, confusing them, which in many cases results in them flying into urban areas instead of their own environments. Such light pollution can also affect turtle populations, inhibiting young turtles which hatch on beaches, from finding their way to the sea. Even if senior leadership teams and boards


don’t fully understand the financial implications of light pollution on their bottom line, they will know the detrimental impact a poor sustainability record can have on a business’ reputation. With commercial buyers and consumers increasingly making their final purchasing decisions based on an organisation’s sustainability credentials, it is clear that light pollution has a big role to play. It therefore makes good business sense to be ‘green’.


ewnews.co.uk


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