Light Pollution

The Financial and Environmental Costs of Poorly Implemented Outdoor Lighting Susan Harder, East Hampton Presented to East End Architects June 2005

Global problem: starts with local solutions

East Enders can still see the Milky Way

Why I became a “dark sky advocate”: My Neighbor’s 400 watt Halogen floodlights violate current code

View of neighbor floods from inside my house

Only 1/3 of the world’s population can even see the Milky Way, due to light pollution.

Light Pollution causes economic waste, manifested in unnecessary municipal expense and additional cost to consumers for products 30% of night lighting is expended upward $5,000,000,000+ per year wasted in expensive electricity, generated primarily by burning finite fossil fuels

Causes of Light Pollution:

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Unshielded light fixtures that emit light upward and “off” target areas Light levels exceeding recommended values Unnecessary lighting Mis-aimed fixtures Fixtures incorrectly located or positioned at the wrong height No sensor, dimming, or shut off controls

Roadway lighting contributes to Light Pollution Shielded roadway lights Unshielded roadway lights

Light Pollution is Trespass

Light Trespassing from East Hampton IGA to residential properties

Light Pollution is Glare East Hampton Riverhead Lumber. Can you see the RR sign?

GLARE --when a visible light source is brighter than the surroundings, sufficient to diminish our ability to see. The eye cannot adjust to two light levels at the same time when the ratio is greater than 20:1, bright/dark.

As the eye “ages” glare is a greater problem because the ability of the pupil to dilate and contract is slower.

In a dark environment, “glare” can occur with a bare light bulb of over 500 lumens (40 watts incandescent). Three types of GLARE: Disability, Disabling, and Distracting. Technically called “Veiling Luminance”

Glare from floodlights into right-of-way disables vision of drivers and obscures pedestrians Montauk Highway approaching East Hampton Village

Can you find the floodlight?

Utility pole mounted 1000 watts

Light Pollution = Air Pollution

Every kilowatt used causes release of: – 1.3 pounds CO 2 – 2 grams sulfur dioxide – 1.6 grams nitric oxide 62 billion kWh = 40 million tons of CO 2 = 1.4 million tons SO 2 = 1.1 million tons NO www.selene-ny.org/lightcost.asp

Light Pollution —Human Health

Interferes with circadian rhythms Air and water pollution related health problems Melatonin suppression Sleep disturbances Glare into roadways produces dangerous driving conditions Loss of our natural nocturnal environment contributes to loss of connection to nature and the inspiration of a star filled night sky

MELATONIN Only secreted in a dark environment FUNCTIONS: • Anti cancer (oncostatic) hormone in humans • Inhibits the growth of human cancer cells in vitro (breast, lung, prostate, cervical, melanoma) • Regulates hormone secretions from the pituitary gland • Sleep aid • Boosts the immune system • Potent antioxidant – clears free radicals • Lowers cholesterol, lowers blood pressure • Augments cancer chemotherapy • Stimulates T cell production • Inhibits cancer growth in animal studies Ref: R. Reiter;

Melatonin

, 1996

Light Pollution affects habitats and behaviors of: Birds Amphibians Fish Insects Mammals Night lighting results in ecological disturbances and mortality of individuals and entire species in ways that we are discovering in every study conducted.

Light Pollution —Plants affected

Trees: stressed when dormancy delayed and growth altered.

Plants: alteration of growth patterns, flowering, and pollination Water quality: increases in algae bloom when lighted water inhibits movement of zooplankton

Amagansett tree holding leaves longer in the same pattern as the semi cutoff fixture

# 1 Solution: Use shielded Fixtures

Internal refractors and reflectors can effectively project light down and outward while shielding the bulb from view.

IES Cut off Classifications for independently tested fixtures

FULL CUTOFF FIXTURES: The “Gold Standard” No light above the fixture and restricted light output in the “Glare Zone”

Electric Lighting

100 year old invention that affects flora, fauna, and human health, all which have evolved in a dark/light environment over hundreds of millions of years.

Candle, gas, and oil = less than 100 lumens High Intensity Discharge lights = 50,000 lumens

International Dark Sky Association www.darksky.org

Leading the effort to eliminate LIGHT POLLUTION Started 20 years ago by astronomers 10,000 Members Worldwide 2005 Information Sheets on Light Pollution on website Source for Ordinances, Codes and Regulations IDA Approved Fixture Program Source of Guidelines for “good lighting” Design Awards for miniminzing light pollution Annual Meetings and Monthly Newsletter

IDA APPROVED FIXTURES: www.darksky.org

Manufacturers helping by designing new fixtures

Twinkle, twinkle, Little star, How we wonder WHERE you are.

Spring City Lighting

GE Powerflood Turnpike fixtures: no more new installations by LIPA !!!

16,000 of these fixtures currently installed all over Long Island will be phased out.

TYPICAL FLOODLIGHT APPLICATION Vs.

Shielded Lighting

Two NEW LIPA Programs: 1. Full Cutoff Fixtures: for all new and replacement utility pole lights

2. NEW offering:

“Customer Owned” Program includes free lighting design service

3. LIPA changing out all 600 of their own floodlights Bridgehampton, NY

Light Pattern of Holophane Mongoose Fixture

Shielded Fixtures can still be “misapplied”: too high, too bright, too close to the road. This business wants to light their sign, but only lights the tree and the street.

Sign Lights: aim downward

only 50 watts each side

Good Visibility at night

Night Vision

The Human Eye can see in a broad range of lighted environments: -- sunny beach: 30,000 footcandles -- bright moonlight: .02 footcandles BUT: The human eye cannot adjust from very bright to dark without an “adaptation” period

Over 300 watts does not increase visibility; it wastes energy and lights the night sky.

“Traditional” fixture at EH golf club: Light bulb is recessed in an opaque cap, all light is directed downward

Light Pollution —Guidelines, Regulations and Education Municipal Policies and Retrofits set an example LEEDS tm Buildings for Exterior Lighting Credit Zoning/Planning Board set policies for new site plans Local law/ordinances protect private properties County, State and National laws set standards for new and replacement fixtures, efficiency standards, criteria for light trespass, and set aside “Dark Sky Parks” for astronomical observations and night sky appreciation. IESNA, LEED tm , and the IDA issue recommendations for appropriate fixtures, light levels, pole height, bulb type, and lumen maximums for good lighting designs.

LEED™ Rating System Version 2.1

LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

The LEED™ Green Building Rating represents the U.S. Green Building Council’s efforts to provide a national standard that aims to improve environmental, health and economic performance of buildings using established and/or advanced industry principles, practices, materials and standards. Consistent with USGBC policy for the continuous improvement of LEED, Version 2.1 is an administrative update of the LEED 2.0 Rating System for new commercial construction, major renovations, and high-rise residential buildings.

Light Pollution Reduction -- Credit 8

1 Point

Intent Eliminate light trespass from the building and site, improve night sky access and reduce development impact on nocturnal environments.

Requirements

Meet or provide lower light levels and uniformity ratios than those recommended by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA)

Recommended Practice Manual: Lighting for Exterior Environments

(RP-33-99). Design exterior lighting such that all exterior luminaires with more than 1000 initial lamp lumens are shielded and all luminaires with more than 3500 initial lamp lumens meet the Full Cutoff IESNA Classification. The maximum candela value of all interior lighting shall fall within the building (not out through windows) and the maximum candela value of all exterior lighting shall fall within the property. Any luminaire within a distance of 2.5 times its mounting height from the property boundary shall have shielding such that no light or brightness from that luminaire crosses the property boundary.

Technologies & Strategies

Adopt site lighting criteria to maintain safe light levels while avoiding off-site lighting and night sky pollution. Minimize site lighting where possible and model the site lighting using a computer model. Technologies to reduce light pollution include full cutoff luminaries, low-reflectance surfaces and low-angle spotlights.

Submittals

Provide exterior lighting design drawings demonstrating that the objectives and measures of the credit have been met, that the IESNA RP-33 uniformity of light and maximum illuminance values have not been exceeded, and that the design will not create glare or light trespass onto neighboring property or streets, nor create light pollution in the night sky. Provide cut sheets for all exterior luminaires with more than 3500 lumen lamps, demonstrating that they meet the Full Cutoff IESNA Classification.

Provide interior lighting design drawings for the building’s perimeter areas demonstrating that the maximum candela value of interior lighting falls within the building and not out through the windows.

Guidance for new site plans

# 2 Use Appropriate Light Levels

Good Parking Lot Lighting Plan

Brochure sent to 19,000 East Hampton residents

Current East Hampton Code

Chapter 255, ZONING ARTICLE I, General Provisions § 255-1-80. Light.

In the case of outdoor lighting used to illuminate signs, building facades, lawns, yards, pools, tennis courts, walks, drives, parking areas or for any other purpose, light

bulb

filaments or other direct sources of such external illumination shall not be visible across property lines, including from streets. Lacks technically correct definitions in order to be fully enforced.

Basic Principles for the lighting code revisions for East Hampton: 1. No light source (bulb and light transmitting elements) should be visible beyond the boundary of the property on which it is located (with reasonable exceptions for unshielded residential porch lights, landscape lights, and holiday lights).

2. There should be no light trespass--- that is, light falling off property from which it is generated. 3. All lighting (with minor exceptions) should be shielded to prevent unnecessary sky glow.

4. No lights illuminating private property should be mounted on public utility poles (other than municipal street lighting).

5. The intensity of lights should be appropriately limited.

6. The lighting regulations should apply to both new and existing lights, with a phase-out or remedial schedule in the case of existing lights.

7. Sufficient educational information and time allowed to correct violations prior to instituting fines.

PAR bulbs spread light beam in excess of 180 degrees

Glarebuster forward-throw fixture replaces two 150 watt PAR bulbs with one 23 watt compact fluorescent bulb

Glarebuster Fixture costs $50 saves $225.

18 incandescent PAR bulbs dusk-to-dawn $2290 per year 4 Glarebusters on motion sensors: $18.00 per year

WALL PACKS !!

East Hampton Main Beach Pavilion “Wall Packs” replaced with Glarebusters

A Private Home with six sets of Floodzillas on each corner, projecting intense glare for miles

Glarebuster fixture was designed by an astronomer

With no other solution available from the manufacturers, I helped design a cheap and easy solution to PAR floodlights.

Even if shielded, PAR bulbs need to be aimed downward

Cobrahead Streetlight innovation: Drop lens vs. flat lens

30 to 50% of all light pollution is produced by roadway lighting that shines wasted light upwards and outwards.

“In Process” streetlighting conversion to full cut off fixtures with a reduction in wattage

East Hampton Main Street before lights were changed

After a conversion to shielded fixtures: reduction of 100 watts each Cutoff post top fixture has light bulb recessed into cap Headlights will light pedestrians in the center of the road Reduction of glare, light trespass, and skyglow

“Before” on Main Street Note: houses are lighted

“After”

(note porch light is now on)

Montauk Carriage Light Conversion

NEW Sag Harbor unshielded post lights !!

==== Glare, Light Trespass, Sky Glow.

Here is shielded version of a similar fixture.

Bad lighting also affects property values and the privacy of homeowners

Fully shielded sportslighting planned for Herrick Park and for Calverton in Riverhead: better for players, neighbors, and municipalities.

Example of proposed building mounted searchlights by lighting designers for a hospital.

The proposed Wang Tower in Nassau is expected to have a revolving multi colored “searchlight” or globe atop a “Lighthouse” which will be seen for hundreds of miles. . . . Interfering with bird migration, air traffic, and night sky appreciation.

Illustration from a Children’s Book about light pollution:

And what is that murky, pink-orangy glow that our night time is hidden behind?

By Bob Crelin Astronomer, dark sky advocate, teacher, and designer of the Glarebuster fixture.

THERE ONCE WAS A SKY FULL OF STARS Sky & Telescope Magazine publishers The book has a happy ending, and so will we . . .

But our sky full of stars That we’ve hidden from sight, Will once again truly Be found,

When the glaring and blaring of each upward light Is turned downward, to Shine on the Ground.

For more information

www.selene-ny.org

www.darksky.org

www.darkskysociety.

www.lipower.org

Susan Harder 329-0456