How to Pick The Best LED Street Lighting for Any Road?

Street lighting is vital for navigation, but it helps us feel safe too. However, there are many considerations, such as the environment, the type of road and the level of lighting required before we can choose the right fittings.

We’ve broken down the information you need into an easy-to-digest guide to help you pick the best LED street lights for any road.

Road Classifications and Street Lighting

Roads can be divided into two main categories: private and public. Councils are responsible for looking after street lighting on public roads, but not private roads unless a special agreement has been put in place.

The main types of road classification include:

• Motorways

  : these form the Strategic Road Network and are maintained solely by Highways England.

• A roads

  : some A roads fall into the Strategic Road Network as they are major roads providing large-scale transport links between areas.

• B roads

  : these roads form links between A roads and the smaller roads listed below.

• Classified unnumbered roads

  : sometimes known as ‘C roads’, these smaller routes connect unclassified roads with A and B roads.

• Unclassified roads

  : making up 60% of all UK roads, these are local routes intended for local traffic and are sometimes known as ‘D roads’

Wattage Recommendations Based on Pole Height

Dependent on the type of road, there are different wattages to consider, and these are linked directly to the pole height.

Light pole heights are determined on road width and brightness required. For example, a higher level of lighting is required on motorways compared to unclassified roads. This means the pole height must increase to achieve a greater ‘throw’ of light which, in turn, requires a higher wattage.

Other technical factors to consider when choosing street lighting

Surge protection

Power surges occur when there is a huge spike in an electric system’s current, which can cause outages and may result in costly repairs.

Our street lighting benefits from two types of surge protection:

• Class II street lights feature 10Kv surge protection and are fully operational in extreme weather
• Class 1 street lights have IK08 and below surge protection, which is a basic protection

Colour Rendering Index

The colour of street lights differs dependent on the surrounding environment and is measured on a scale of Ra0 to Ra100. This scale ranks the light by how well it allows for colour differentiation.

White lighting is preferred as it allows better colour perception, allowing people to easily see their surroundings and feel safer.Ra60 is recommended in areas of high pedestrian activity.

Smart Lighting Industries offer to market Led street lighting solutions with Color Rendering Index (CRI) >70Ra, making our products innovative and complying to the industry requirements.

High-quality drivers

Our range includes street lights with drivers from Inventronics, one of the world’s leading LED driver manufacturers, and DALI, hosting two-way communication allowing LED systems to ‘talk’ to the user and vice versa.

Context, Intensity and Scale of Street Lighting

The Department for Transport advises street lighting should be in keeping with the rest of the environment, avoiding overlighting. The road type should be considered, as well as pedestrian and cycle flow, conflict areas, traffic-calming and crime risk.

The scale needs to be factored in when choosing street lighting, particularly the height and width of nearby buildings plus pedestrian activity on the street. Reducing the height of lighting poles can provide a rural feel and reduce light pollution.

LED Street Light Safety

LED street lights are often considered safer than traditional street lighting as they offer the ability to control the amount of short-wavelength light they emit.

LED Street Lighting by Smart Lighting

Here at Smart Lighting, we offer an extensive range of the best LED street lighting for all types of roads.

LEDs are the most energy-efficient street lighting solution on the market, lasting twice as long as traditional bulbs. This makes them the most cost-effective option too, saving up to 80% on electricity costs.

We supply LED street lights which use premium LEDs from Samsung, and provide the following benefits:

• Low maintenance, longer lifespan lighting
• Weatherproof body – IP65/66 sealed optical cavities
• Optically optimised glass lenses to prevent eye strain
• Uniformity in light distribution which maximises efficiency
• Fully operational in extreme weather

Don’t hesitate to contact us at Smart Lighting for all your enquiries surrounding LED street lighting.

Streetlight design standards and how to calculate?

Streetlight design standards are a set of guidelines that are used to ensure that streetlights are designed and installed in a safe, efficient, and effective manner. These standards typically address the following factors:

·       Illumination level: The amount of light that is provided by a street light is measured in lux. The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recommends that the average illumination level for residential streets should be 10 lux, while the average illumination level for commercial streets should be 15 lux.

·       Pole height and spacing: The height of a street light pole and the spacing between poles are determined by the desired illumination level and the width of the street. For example, a street with a width of 30 feet would require a pole height of 20 feet and a pole spacing of 100 feet.

·       Lamp type: The type of lamp used in a streetlight can affect the amount of light that is provided, the lifespan of the lamp, and the cost of operation. LED lamps are becoming increasingly popular for street lighting because they are more efficient and have a longer lifespan than traditional lamps.

·       Luminaire design: The design of a street light luminaire (the housing that contains the lamp) can affect the distribution of light, the glare produced, and the overall appearance of the streetlight.

·       Corrosion protection: Street light poles and other components should be protected from corrosion to ensure that they have a long lifespan.

·       Ease of maintenance: Street lights should be designed to be easy to maintain so that repairs can be made quickly and easily.

Street light design standards vary from city to city, but they typically include the factors listed above. These standards help to ensure that street lights are designed and installed in a way that provides adequate lighting, enhances safety, and minimizes energy consumption.

Here are some additional considerations for street light design standards:

·       Pedestrian safety: Street lights should be placed in a way that provides adequate lighting for pedestrians, especially at crosswalks, bus stops, and other areas where pedestrians are likely to be crossing the street.

·       Vehicle safety: Street lights should be placed in a way that provides adequate lighting for motorists, especially at intersections and curves.

·       Aesthetics: Streetlights should be designed in a way that complements the surrounding environment.

·       Environmental impact: Streetlights should be designed to minimize their environmental impact, such as by using energy-efficient lamps and by minimizing light pollution.

Assumptions:

•       The factory campus has an outdoor parking lot area that needs illumination.

•       The parking lot area measures 50 meters by 40 meters.

•       The desired light level for the parking lot area is 20 lux.

•       We will use LED streetlights with a recommended spacing of 10 meters between fixtures.

Sample Calculation:

1.      Determine the area to be illuminated: Area = Length × Width Area = 50 meters × 40 meters Area = 2000 square meters

2.      Calculate the illuminance requirement: Illuminance requirement = Desired light level × Area Illuminance requirement = 20 lux × 2000 square meters Illuminance requirement = 40,000 lux-square meters

3.      Determine the spacing between fixtures: Spacing between fixtures = 10 meters (given)

4.      Calculate the number of streetlights: Number of streetlights = Area to be illuminated / Spacing between fixtures Number of streetlights = 2000 square meters / 10 meters Number of streetlights = 200 streetlights

Therefore, based on the provided information, approximately 200 LED streetlights would be needed to illuminate the parking lot area of the factory campus.

Streetlight design standards are an important part of ensuring that streetlights are safe, efficient, and effective. By following these standards, cities can improve the safety of their streets, enhance the quality of life for their residents, and reduce their environmental impact.