It is essential for parking lot lighting to be well-designed as it helps avoid accidents and damage to parked vehicles. It also deters thieves and criminals, ensuring the safety of employees and customers using the property. If you are looking for electrical companies in Calgary, Dobbyn Electrical Services Ltd. can help. We offer innovative cost effective lighting for your parking lot and have been providing commercial lighting to our clients since 1974. We also serve residential clients.
What to Consider
Find Out About the Local Ordinances
Getting a permit depends on whether you want to redesign your existing lighting or want a new construction. Redesigning or retrofitting usually doesn’t need a plan to be submitted for approval while new construction or major redesign will always require you to submit a site plan for the proper permit. You can obtain more information on the local light ordinances from your city’s local lighting representatives. You can also look up your local government website for ordinances and codes. If you already have a plan in mind, call your local city planning department and find out if your plans are allowed by the city ordinances and codes.
Take the Help of Lighting Companies
Your local lighting professional can help in designing your parking lot lighting if you have limited resources or knowledge to carry out the task yourself. While looking for professional lighting companies, opt for those which have a lot of experience in the industry and focus on providing energy-efficient solutions. They can help you with the parking lot lighting audit, design and installation.
Decide on the Quality of Lighting Required
The amount and the type of lighting required for a parking lot depends on the type of building or site surrounding it. It is recommended to provide higher light levels for parking lots with greater security requirements. Lighting uniformity is a very essential aspect of lighting design. It allows the security cameras to capture clearer images and makes it easy for people to navigate through the parking lot.
Use Lighting Controls to Reduce Energy Costs
Most of the parking lots use lighting for more than 13 hours every day. You can use lighting controls to save energy when the parking lot is not in use. The output of the luminaires can be reduced or some can be turned off to maximize energy savings.
Take the Existing Structures into Consideration
Is your parking lot surrounded by many buildings or does it have trees within the vicinity? You should retrofit the existing light standards with new lighting systems (if necessary) to ensure that light reaches the dark and shadowy areas.
Balance Lighting Efficacy
Use lights that have higher colour rendering indices as they better allow drivers to see colour contrasts and surface distinctions. LED lights provide you with superior control over how and where the light will be distributed. By using appropriate bulbs and fixtures, you can concentrate light in the areas where you want to produce a uniformly lit surface with no dark spots or shadows.
Use Advanced Control Systems
You can configure your parking lot lighting using motion sensors that alter the lighting, based on the traffic in the lot. Smart sensors can be used to detect the regular traffic patterns and adjust the lighting automatically. This will help you save a lot on utility bills.
Use Eco-Friendly Lighting Options
Make use of energy saving lighting options; LED lamps and light fixtures can be very efficient and eco-friendly. Make use of smart switches which can be controlled remotely to turn off the lights when they are not required.
If you are looking for commercial lighting companies in Calgary, Dobbyn Electrical Services Ltd. can help. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, we strive to provide the best lighting solutions for every project. We also offer custom bases and lightning protection services.
Read our blog ‘Tips for Better Commercial Lighting’ if you want learn how to improve your commercial lighting.
For more information on the services we provide, contact us or request an estimate today!