Light pollution is any light which illuminates beyond the intended footprint or area, or beyond the required illumination level. WAVES assists with the monitoring of light pollution and provides guidance for the management of light pollution.
Most lighting installations illuminate the required area to a particular level or standard, and also produce spill light which illuminates beyond the required area. Spill light can cause glare issues for nearby residents and impact wildlife which may naturally use the area for nesting, foraging or migration. In addition to the impacts on humans and wildlife, light pollution costs money to create. By reducing light pollution, there may be a reduction in energy consumption and costs.
Light Pollution Measurement and Reduction
Good lighting design is a simple way to minimise light pollution. With new lighting technologies having longer life than traditional technologies, there is opportunity to realise a cost positive situation by upgrading lights to more energy efficient lights which illuminate only the area required, only when required, and only to the minimum required level.
WAVES provide lighting design guidance for councils prior to tender, so they can be confident what they are requesting is not going to cause more issues down the track with residents complaining about the lighting installation. Adopting a less-is-more approach when it comes to lighting installations is a cost effective way to avoid headaches for Council and residents.
WAVES quantifies spill light and light pollution via artificial light at night (ALAN) surveys, light audits, obtrusive lighting assessments, lighting impact assessments, luminaire reviews, and compliance testing.
Contact us now to discuss how reducing light pollution can benefit you.