Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting

The most common types of energy efficient outdoor lighting today are either solar fixtures, or LED (light-emitting diode) fixtures, or sometimes a combination of both.

Over the past several decades, LEDs have undergone explosive growth due to low energy consumption, causing low operating cost, and low heat generation, resulting in lower maintenance cost. As the quality of LEDs improve, and their costs continue to drop, they become more popular than the more traditional light sources, such as incandescent or fluorescent bulbs.

As a result, LED lighting has many fans — including the U. S. Department of Energy. But no matter what type energy efficient outdoor lighting is used, its overall energy-efficiency will result from a match of the lighting design to the lighting needs.

What Energy Efficient Outdoor Lighting Must Do

First it must allow people to function outdoors after dark. Homeowners must be able to complete a gardening chore, or cook on a BBQ, knowing that no one is lurking nearby.

Second outdoor lighting must be inviting and have night-time curb appeal. If lighting is too bright or too dim, the appeal will not be obvious.

Third through such features as the color and intensity of light, and placement, energy efficient outdoor lighting must add to our aesthetic perception of our environment. Lighting that accents a water feature, for example, will be different from lighting that sets the mood on a patio.

Excess lighting is clearly not a good thing. Night time light pollution often make it difficult to see anything worthwhile among the stars or anything beyond the immediate illuminated area. Birds and insects and nocturnal wildlife can all be affected by excess light.

This is especially true if your home is adjacent to a commercial/retail development. In recent decades, many municipalities have enacted building codes that require precisely aimed and calibrated lighting on commercial properties, using fixtures that shield neighbors from light spillover and glare.

Motion Sensors turn on when there is movement nearby. When located where people are most likely to walk, these can greatly enhance safety and security. You can install a new motion-sensing fixture or add a motion detector to an existing fixture.

Daylight Sensors have photocells that can sense light, automatically turning your lamp on at night. You can purchase this energy efficient lighting, or install a sensor onto existing lights.

Outdoor Lighting Timers let you program lights to turn on and off at pre-determined times. There are also units that combine sensor and timer technologies to give you even more control.

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