Deficiencies of Lighting Codes and Ordinances in Controlling Light Pollution from Parking Lot Lighting Installations

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to identify the main causes of light pollution from parking lot electric lighting installations and highlight the deficiencies of lighting ordinances in preventing light pollution. Using an industry-accepted lighting modeling program, AGi32, several site lighting designs were analyzed using three LED site lighting fixture lines. The effects of light fixture mounting height, light fixture distribution pattern, ground surface reflectance, light fixture spacing, and lumen output were modeled in a sample parking lot area and in an example commercial retail site. This thesis discusses the impact that these variables have on the contribution to sky glow and light trespass. This study demonstrates that lighting ordinances that limit the mounting height for parking lot light fixtures will cause a greater contribution to sky glow than an unrestricted mounting height. It was also determined that the Model Lighting Ordinance (MLO) limitations for total site lumens are disproportionately liberal compared to the number of lumens required to adequately illuminate a parking lot to meet industry-accepted light levels.