Posts Tagged "Light Pollution"

Dark Sky Compliance Increases Starry Nights

Posted by Betty on Dec 8, 2009 | 1 comment

One of the most dominant concerns for the general public and builders that deal with either residential or commercial lighting projects is the concern over meeting Dark Sky compliance in exterior applications. Due to various residential grievances filed in the past over preserving natural light levels in many suburban areas, the issuing of these Dark Sky lighting codes hope to reduce the complaints that many homeowners may have. To meet these requirements a light fixture must project light downward without releasing lighting upward into the atmosphere or outward past the intended projected path. Lighting that allows escape of light upwards can often be glaring or distracting to other residents due to the amount of light that encroaches upon other buildings and windows. To fit within these specific guidelines, Barn Light Electric has a large selection of warehouse shades, sconces, post mount lights, and path lights that meet the specific requirements needed to be considered Dark Sky compliant. The main benefit of using one of our products is the assurance that most standard fixtures will be compliant with this code, however, due to certain designs or added cast guard units, the risk for noncompliance is increased. With this in mind, consider viewing a light fixture from the side; if you cannot see the bulb then you will most likely be compliant with any Dark Sky ordinance. An example of this is the Original Warehouse Shade, which uses the outer bowl to conceal the light produced by the bulb, providing a focused collection of light downward. In contrast to this, one of our light fixtures that would be an example of a Dark Sky non-compliant light fixture would be the Outback Warehouse Shade. This light is identified by an open cast guard unit that is incorporated into the upper portion of the shade, which makes this shade non-compliant due to the releasing of light outward into the night sky. This is not a large concern for rural communities, but can be an issue for densely populated areas that desire to cut down on light pollution at night. If fighting light pollution is a concern for your area, check out our large selection of Dark Sky compliant light fixtures to choose from at Barn Light Electric.