Light pollution is a big problem in various parts of the world. It can have an impact on our health and wellbeing, harm animals, and damage the environment. Sadly, a lot of the light is not even necessary and is a waste of resources. Some little changes can make all the difference though, especially for street lights around commercial architecture. Let’s look at what you could do to improve your lighting.

Too bright

Firstly, sometimes the focus is on trying to make it as bright as possible so people can move around safely. However, the level of brightness is typically unnecessary. In many cases you could dim the lights by 25% with very little impact on the visibility level. That would be a massive help, especially when it comes to saving energy.

Think about the colour

Another key thing to look at is the colour of the light. There is a spectrum of colours, each with different levels of energy. Of them all, blue light has the shortest wavelength and therefore the highest amount of energy. It has a surprising impact on people. In the daytime it boosts mood, increases reaction time, and makes us more attentive. However, at night it isn’t beneficial. It can disrupt the circadian rhythm and sleep cycles because it reduces the secretion of the melatonin hormone.

A good strategy here is to choose softer light colours instead of blue. For example, yellow and red shades can make a big difference. They also don’t scatter as much light, so the night sky will be dimmer.

Light design

Finally, you need to look at the actual designs. This is important with commercial architecture because you have to balance the performance and aesthetics of the lights.

A crucial thing to keep in mind is how to aim the light. The worst thing you can do here is have a design where it can scatter in any direction. What happens is you will send some upwards. You don’t want this as there is no benefit lighting up the sky. Ideally what you want is a design that prevents light going past the horizontal, so focus on aiming it downwards. It is even better if you can get a narrow angle; that will brighten the area around the light effectively but won’t make the surrounding neighbourhood as bright.

Choose carefully

If you factor in the three points above, you can make the right choices for your lighting. It can save you money on energy and ensure there is less harm on people living in the area. Reducing light pollution is also important for wildlife and the environment.

Do you need help with commercial architecture?

Coffey Architects can deliver the perfect services for clients. We excel at designing beautiful buildings, looking at things like materials, lighting, and more. This can be for spaces both inside and outside the property. The goal is to ensure the best value and sustainability.

So, if you want some help, speak to us today. You can also browse our website to see some of our work, including a diverse portfolio of commercial architecture, homes, and more.