Energy Saving Outdoor Lighting Solutions: Parking Lot Lighting

Parking Lot Lights

In our last post, we introduced our new blog series on energy saving outdoor lighting. As mentioned, inefficient outdoor lighting is a huge energy waster and can cause your electric bills to skyrocket. Thus, it’s especially important to choose the right type of lighting for your property, as well as the most energy efficient bulbs.

Previously we discussed various kinds of outdoor building lighting (wall packs, floods, and canopy), and while these are the most commonly used lights, most facilities also need supplemental lights in their parking lots. In fact, a well-lighted parking lot is vital for keeping an establishment safe and encouraging customers. The best types of lights to properly illuminate a parking lot are pole and flood lights — here’s what you need to know about each one:

Pole Lights

In most areas, parking lots are required to meet some type of lighting level standard recommended by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). And the best way to meet those standards and disperse light over the wide open area of a parking lot is by strategically placing pole lights throughout the property. Not only will quality light deter crime and car accidents, but, for retailers, it can attract customers and assure them your business is a safe place. In addition to shopping centers, pole lights are regularly used in the parking lots of parks, factories, hospitals, warehouses, apartment buildings, and more.

Pole lights come in a wide range of architectural designs and are made of steel, aluminum, concrete, fiberglass, and even wood. Typical poles have anywhere from one to four fixtures at the top with luminaires that must be able to withstand harsh weather and, unfortunately, rocks and other projectiles thrown by vandals.

High-intensity discharge (HID) and metal halide (MH) lamps are historically the most popular type of lights used in parking lot applications. However, because their light output significantly decreases over time and there are currently more efficient bulbs on the market, energy efficiency groups no longer recommend these two bulbs for pole lights. Instead, induction lamps, or even better, LEDs are preferred for parking lots because of their lower energy requirements, good color, and durability. Although more expensive, LED outdoor lights have particularly long lifespans and deliver targeted illumination which helps to reduce light pollution.

Flood Lights

In the last energy saving outdoor lighting post, we described the benefits of installing flood lights directly on or around buildings, but let’s not forget flood lights are equally useful in parking lots. You can affix them to poles, use them to illuminate something you want to highlight, or position them in landscaped areas where they’ll be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. They are commonly used to increase safety and in applications where a great deal of light output is needed, such as car lots.

For years, many consumers opted for metal halide lamps in flood lighting applications, because of the MH’s bright, true-white color. However, with advancements in LED technology, LED bulbs are now able to provide a bright, white color that’s comparable to the MH’s and with lower energy demands.  Again, LEDs are more expensive, but considering lighting accounts for around 17% of a commercial buildings energy use (according to the US Department of Energy) and LED outdoor lighting can lower light energy consumption as much as 50% or more, they are actually a relatively modest investment with significant long term returns.

Also, with the quality light of an LED, you may be able to reduce wattage, which can save even more energy and cut down on the intrusion on neighboring properties. Not to mention, LEDs require little maintenance, which means you’ll spend far less on upkeep and limit the number of times workers put themselves at risk to replace high mounted parking lot bulbs.

Conclusion

Whether looking to add new lights or replace existing fixtures in your parking lot, you should strongly consider LED light fixtures.   Although there is some upfront investment with LED, the technology continutes to advance and the price has been decreaseing as well making paybacks quicker then ever before.

Remember, often a person’s first impression of your business begins in the parking lot, so in addition to choosing energy efficient products, select those that make patrons feel safe and secure — even when shopping or parking at night. The most successful retailers maintain strict lighting standards in their parking lots to ensure nothing about the environment keeps shoppers from entering their stores.

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3 Responses to “Energy Saving Outdoor Lighting Solutions: Parking Lot Lighting”

  1. Alessandro RocchiDecember 29, 2014 at 8:45 am #

    I agree with your review about led lights. They help us save energy and cut down the cost.

    Thank for great artice

  2. shirish patelApril 29, 2015 at 7:23 am #

    We have 12 Hi-tek parking lot fixture with
    150 Watt Clear S55/O Mogul Base Open Rated ET23.5 High Pressure Sodium Bulb (LU150/55/ECO)
    Like to know what we can do to save energy cost, i.e replacement bulb (daylight- white)

    • GregApril 29, 2015 at 7:32 am #

      Hi Shirish,

      Your best LED replacement option for cost savings would be the 27W HyLite Omni Cob (Mogul Base). 80% energy savings from a 150W High Pressure Sodium bulb and lasts 60,000+ hours.

      http://ledt8bulb.com/hylite-omni-cob-led-bulb-27w-77055-hl-oc-27w-e39-50k.html

      Check that link and the info sheet at the bottom of that product page. Any other questions about it just let me know!

      Thanks,

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