Light trespass You want to lighten a client’s riding or outdoor basketball court and you are concerned about causing damage to their property. Perhaps you’re responsible for lighting a parking lot. You are worried about illuminating the street. It doesn’t matter if you are lighting an outdoor basketball court or riding arena, or a commercial building, it is crucial to think about the impact of light trespassing on your project as well as any properties around it.
The Rensselaer of wholesale led flood lighting Lighting Research Center states that light trespass is when light is thrown where it is not needed. Anyone who has lived with a street-light outside of their home knows the frustrations. If light trespass isn’t handled properly, light can easily leak onto the neighboring property or onto streets and other streets. Light trespass is a crime that can be punished in many places.
To avoid light theft, you need to ask the following questions
You should answer some, or all, of the following questions depending on your project. These questions should be asked before you install any lights. Failure to do so can result in angry neighbors, fines from your town or city, and the expensive task of replacing fixtures. These questions include:
What are the dimensions for the area that you want to lighten?
What level of light (in foot-candles, or lux) is required to illuminate your area?
Is there light trespass legislation in your city or town for your property type? These regulations are they?
Are there any trees, walls, or fences that could block or reduce the light reaching a neighboring property?
What distance are you from your client’s neighbors How far is your client’s nearest street or sidewalk? What height and exactly where will your lights be placed?
Do you have any optical options or shields that can be added to your fixtures to direct the light better?
These questions can be answered by you if you are not able to do so. Access Fixtures’ lighting team is proficient in creating, interpreting and adjusting lighting solutions through photometric analysis. Our team will create an extensive report for you to ensure that your lighting selection is in line with your requirements, lighting only what you need.
What does Light Trespass Regulations look like?
Light trespass regulations are not all in place. Even those that have fluctuate, they don’t always apply to every state. Only 18 of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have light trespass regulations at the state level. The website of the National Conference of State Legislatures provides a summary of each state’s and district’s regulations.
This is an example of such regulation in New Mexico:
The Night Sky Protection Act governs outdoor lighting fixtures. It protects the state’s dark skies and promotes safety, conservation of energy, and protection of the environment for astronomy. All outdoor lighting fixtures must be protected, except for incandescent fixtures with led panel light suppliers of power or smaller or any other source of 70 watts. Outdoor recreational facilities are prohibited from using lighting after 11:59 p.m. Any person, firm, or corporation found to be in violation of this law could face a $25 fine. There may be exceptions.
Access Fixtures’ lighting specialists are happy to help you create the perfect outdoor lighting system. However, it is a good idea to review any municipal or state regulations to make sure that all laws are being followed.
To optimize your lighting solution, you can opt for a photometric analysis
Access Fixtures‘ photometric reports include vital data such as average light levels and max and min light levels. Access Fixtures also provides 3D renderings and exact light trespass calculations. Our light trespass readings are always taken at zero foot-candles to ensure that our customers know exactly where the light will end. We can provide horizontal foot-candle readings at any height. We will adjust our design until it achieves your goals.
Simple photometric analyses will help you determine the right light levels for your project and limit light trespass. We will enforce the rules of your city or town that there must be no light trespassing beyond your property line. To lighten your project without causing damage to the community or neighbors, you can use a photometric analysis.
recommendations based on their photometric analysis. This is a cost-effective method to measure light levels in ways that even the most skilled specialists cannot.
Talk to an Access Fixtures Lighting Specialist
It can be difficult to decide whether lighting is needed in a given situation. Light trespass can add another layer of complexity to any project. Our team is here for you. Lighting fixtures and packages come in different shapes and sizes. Placing one light in the wrong place or position can make a space look unattractive and complicate matters later.
