Commercial buildings that are 10 years old or more are likely to have outdated lighting. This could be costing a business tons of money in energy bills each year. Outdoor lighting—such as parking lot lighting, used to be considered low on the priority list and was only thought of as an enhancement to the appearance of a parking lot. Car dealerships are known to have bright lighting for this reason. This is still a popular option for lighting, but what is becoming more important to lighting designers is lighting for safety and security. If you have a commercial building that has a parking lot USA Electric in Los Angeles Can install or enhance the lighting for you. Read the tips below to know what to expect when it comes to evaluating your parking lot lighting and to see how USA Electric can help.
5 Things to Consider for Parking Lot Lighting
- Costs: How much does it cost to have the lights on?
- Intensity of the lighting: How bright do you need the lights to be?
- Color of lighting: How accurately does the lighting render colors?
- Efficiency of lighting: How much light is produced per watt?
- Lamp life: What is the lamp life? What is the industry standard?
- Uniformity of lighting: Are the consistency of the lights in unison?
Understanding Your Current Lighting and How it Works
You need to be familiar with your existing lighting system to gain a full understanding of how you will benefit from a new one. Know how many watts your fixtures use and what they are using to light them. If you are unaware of what is being used, ask your facility maintenance person or your lighting contractor. It is common to see the following sources of lighting in parking lots:
- LED Lights (most efficient)
- Low Pressure Sodium Lights
- High Pressure Sodium Lights
- Mercury Vapor Lights
To fully understand what your existing lighting system is capable of you will need to survey the area that is illuminated. A survey is important because it will show the light levels throughout the area. Also, it is important to know that light levels are measured in foot-candles (fc) or lux (lx), the metric equivalent.
For the light level survey to be accurate and descriptive, prepare (or find) an accurate map of the area. Be sure to include all fixtures and light poles on your map, if they’re not already included. You can either borrow or buy a light-level meter to take an accurate reading of your lighted area.
Adequate Parking Light Levels
Everyone has their own opinion on what the best lighting level is for parking lots or any other outdoor lighting. How active the area is a usefully determinant in how much light will be adequate. In low activity areas, sometimes .5 fc can be enough; in high activity areas 5 fc is common. If you have no clue and are looking for an electrician in Los Angeles, then give us a call. USA Electric has skilled electricians to help. (800) 956-9737.
