Dark Sky

  The American Lighting Association (ALA) and NEMA have provided requested comments to the DarkSky International Technical Committee to develop new outdoor and landscape luminaire specifications for certified dark sky luminaires, that go beyond the traditional shielding requirements.  Being considered are lumen limits, chromaticity ranges, controls and light distributions.  According to DarkSky, light pollution is [...]

While turtle-friendly lighting isn’t new, there has been rapid growth in turtle-friendly tape light, from leading manufacturers. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) rated lighting can be Red, Orange, and Amber, without wavelengths below 560 nm. Some manufacturer examples include: Tivoli Lighting (released turtle-friendly tape light at LEDucation last week) Omni Light (found at [...]

  The Oregon Outback Dark Sky Network (ODSN) has completed the first phase of a multi-phased project to establish a landscape-level International Dark Sky Sanctuary within the largest, contiguous dark sky zone in the lower 48 United States. Phase 1 (Lake County) of the proposed Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary (OOIDSS) was certified as an International [...]

  You’re likely familiar with DarkSky Approved luminaires for commercial applications. However, DarkSky also approves residential luminaries. In both cases, the program approves outdoor luminaires that minimize light pollution as well as negative impacts on people and wildlife. DarkSky requirements for residential luminaires include: Uplight allowance: Not to exceed 50 lumens from source reflection or [...]

  On February 9th, 2024, a bill was introduced into the Illinois legislature, the “Outdoor Lighting Control Act”, SB3501. The bill includes legislative findings, defines terms, and provides that all new, renovated, or retrofitted luminaires purchased with State funds after the effective date of the Act or installed after the effective date of the Act [...]

Research was published January 20, 2024, in the journal Lighting Research & Technology, about the potential benefits and risks of using red lights outdoors at night to reduce light pollution and its impacts on wildlife and humans. The paper is titled, Red light to mitigate light pollution: Is it possible to balance functionality and ecological [...]

On January 9th, 2024, DarkSky International officially launched the DarkSky Approved Lodging Program. DarkSky Approved Lodging is an overnight visitor accommodation with exceptional or distinguished quality starry nights and a nighttime environment preserved through on-site DarkSky Approved lighting. They include camps, seasonal campgrounds, hotels and resorts, retreat centers, properties promoting ecotourism, and astrotourism lodges that [...]

  The DLC recently released an update to the LUNA Technical Requirements to clarify and simplify the testing process for LUNA-eligible products. Table 3 has been added to the requirements, which summarizes worst-case photometric testing requirements for LUNA products for spectrum and distribution. The policy has also been changed so that mounting structures no longer [...]

Some estimates are that up to one billion birds each year are killed in collisions with windows. A new report titled, “Building Safer Cities for Birds: How Cities Are Leading the Way on Bird-Friendly Building Policy,” details the growing number of cities, municipalities, laws, and policies that are reducing deadly bird collisions with buildings. The [...]