One of the key aspects of using road infrastructure is safety – the selection of street lights is of great importance. A properly executed design, which takes into account all requirements and recommendations regarding light sources, significantly improves visibility, which in turn translates into greater comfort of road use.
What should you pay attention to when designing street lighting?
When designing street lighting, special attention should be paid to its quality, which will depend on the parameters of the luminaire, proper installation, and the light source used. The distribution of the light stream that will reach a given area is crucial. Uniformity of lighting is also important, so you should pay attention to parameters related to the average amount of light falling on a specific surface and its distribution. This action is intended to ensure that the appropriate amount of rays reaches each point.
It is also important to avoid clear contrasts between the illuminated and unilluminated surfaces. This is to eliminate the glare effect. The requirements clearly specify the limitation of light pollution in a given area – to comply with them, appropriate luminaires must be selected. When designing street lighting, it is also worth taking into account the color temperature. The lamps used must have a certain level of tightness and resistance to mechanical damage, pollution and water. Energy efficiency should also be taken into account.
What is the glare effect?
The glare effect is a visual condition during which a person has reduced ability to recognize objects, combined with a feeling of discomfort, most often caused by the inability to adapt eyesight or blindness. This phenomenon occurs when the luminance distribution is incorrect or when there is an excess of contrasts .
What is light distribution and why is it so important?
Light distribution is the angle of inclination of the light streams emitted by its source relative to the illuminated surface. The larger the angle, the wider the light distribution will be. To determine it, you need to measure luminous intensity, which is the angular density of the luminous flux taking into account various directions. On this basis, a light intensity diagram, in other words a light curve, is created. Thanks to this data, it is possible to read the distribution in a vertical plane passing through the luminaire axis, as well as perpendicular to the luminaire axis. Light distribution plays an important role in terms of visibility on the street. Appropriate selection of the system will ensure excellent lighting not only of the road, but also of the roadside.
Light distribution is a key factor to properly illuminate the street and the area around it. Good visibility will ensure the comfort of road users and will significantly improve safety.
How do we divide light distribution?
Light distribution is divided into 4 types:
Narrow light beam – this is a type of point lighting. Its applications include: in flashlights, display cases, and also by illuminating paintings in art galleries.
Wide light beam – ensures proper illumination of large surfaces. It is used in various types of rooms, as well as for street lighting.
Symmetrical light beam – is used in most lamps available on the market. The emitted luminous flux ensures uniform illumination of the space within the adopted light angle.
Asymmetric light beam – it is used in difficult and demanding spaces. Perfect for street lighting. It allows you to cover non-standard areas with light. These types of lamps provide a double beam, which allows you to illuminate the most important areas and what is nearby.
Why is it worth choosing LED lights?
When choosing the right street lighting, it is worth choosing LED lamps. They are characterized by an asymmetric light distribution angle, which translates into the possibility of wider spacing of the poles. Additionally, they consume much less electricity than standard light bulbs. LED lamps serve not only drivers, but also pedestrians, ensuring comfort and safety when using roads and roadsides . They can be easily adapted to the characteristics of a given area, taking into account the prevailing conditions.
The correct selection of street lighting has a significant impact on the sense of safety of both pedestrians and drivers. For this reason, the project should take into account all requirements and recommendations and choose LED lighting .