SLL to publish new guidance on protecting nighttime environment
(UK) – The Society of Light and Lighting (SLL) has published its first Lighting Guide dedicated to protecting the nighttime environment.
Lighting Guide (LG) 21: Protecting the Nighttime Environment aims to set out the consequences of light pollution and the right questions to ask when designing exterior lighting schemes. It considers common applications, including façade lighting, heritage buildings, sports lighting and security lighting. It also outlines potential mitigation measures.
The late Liz Peck, Past President and Fellow of the SLL, carried out most of the work on LG21 in the months before her death in January 2021, bringing it very near to completion.The guide was then completed and prepared for publication by Benedict Cadbury of Lampholder Lighting Design.
Whilst working to develop further practical guidance on the application of lighting design for the protection of the night-time environment, the Society felt it prescient to recognise Liz’s commitment and dedication in producing this Guide.
Within the forward, SLL immediate past president, Bob Bohannon MSc, FSLL, MIET wrote of his friend and colleague; “I had the privilege to work alongside Liz on the Iron Bridge at Telford project and on reading this guide it was good to see just how much of the knowledge and advice set out within it were incorporated into the lighting design of the Bridge. Liz had long expertise in mitigating the negative effects of lighting on bats and I had long experience in delivering zero direct
upward light schemes, so this guide could almost have formed a checklist for the project: skyglow, obtrusive light, bat flyways, fish, visitor views, extending the economic day of Ironbridge, curfews, luminance-based design, spectral reflectance and light source spectral radiation, daytime appearance, glare mitigation through positioning, aiming and louvres and finally an overall lighting impact assessment — all were included.”
The appendix includes a list of protected species as identified by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which include the 113 vertebrates, together with 68 invertebrates (butterflies, moths, insects, and marine species) and 176 plants. (There are some further species of which the sale/offer for sale is prohibited). Badgers are treated separately under the Protection of Badgers Act (1992).
Members of the Society of Light and Lighting receive unlimited online access to all Guidance from the SLL and the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers, with the option to purchase hard copies at a reduced rate. All guidance is available to purchase as pdf or hard copy on the SLL website.
