Southwest Environmental Limited

Dark Skies Lighting Assessment

If you would like to get a quotation for a Dark Skies Lighting Assessment then please do email over your project drawings by clicking the yellow button above.

Areas of the country with Dark Skies enable communities, parks, and protected areas that preserve and protect dark sites through responsible lighting policies and public education. This is important so as to preserve the dark skies not only we can look at the stars but also for wildlife and to preserve the wild nature of remote places.

Why are Dark Skies Important?

There are a great many reason why dark skies are important:

• Human health - Light pollution can disrupt our natural circadian rhythms, which can lead to health issues like insomnia, depression, and certain types of cancer.
• Wildlife - Many animal and plant species rely on natural day/night cycles to survive. Light pollution can negatively impact wildlife populations.
• Stargazing - Dark skies are essential for stargazing, which can inspire children to learn about science and the universe.
• Culture - Storytelling based on the stars has been used for thousands of years to pass on cultural and scientific messages.
• Climate change - Light pollution is a major environmental issue because the energy required to produce lighting releases carbon emissions.
• Rural economy - Stargazing can boost tourism businesses in rural areas without putting additional stress on the community.
• Tranquility - Dark skies can provide a feeling of tranquility that visitors and residents of protected landscapes value.
• Navigation - Without the natural night sky, we wouldn't have been able to navigate the globe or walk on the moon

Is it Hard to Provide Lighting Assessment for Dark Skies?

No not really. The main thing to avoid is "no light above the horizon", and if possible a reduction in light above the horizon.

What is Light Above the Horizon?

For an optimum dark skies lighting strategy all light fittings should point downwards:

Good Light

In the below example all of the light emitted goes towards the ground. Provided the emitter is tucked up inside the housings we can report 0% spill above the horizon.

Bad Light

In the below example, of the light is spilt above the horizon. We might report this as 10% above the horizon.

Other Factors that Affect Light Above the Horizon

If the emitter (luminaire) is not recessed within the housing then the spill will be wider.

If the ground surface is reflective then light will be reflected back up in to the sky.

Examples of Good and Bad Fittings

This is a bad light fitting. It will spill a lot of light (80%) upwards, for good fittings Google: recessed can down lighter.