Parking Lot Lighting for Your Building
Parking lot lighting is an important element of commercial lighting design, though it is often overlooked. It may not be the most glamorous outdoor lighting, but great parking lot lighting ensures that people feel safe and comfortable when they enter and leave your building.
Many factors go into successful parking lot lighting, including the type of fixture, lamp type, and light placement. Read on to learn more about parking lot lighting. Then, don’t hesitate to contact the LED lighting experts at TCP for assistance with your parking lot lighting!
Types of Lighting for Parking Lots
Types of light fixtures for parking lots include light poles, outdoor area lights, outdoor wall fixtures, and flood lights.
The type of lamp used in the fixture may vary. In the past, most commercial parking lot lights used either high intensity discharge (HID), high pressure sodium, or mercury vapor lamps. Mercury vapor lamps are being phased out and are typically found in old, outdated parking lot lights.
Today, LED lighting has become the industry standard as more building managers prioritize energy efficiency in their lighting schemes. LED parking lot lighting uses up to 90% less energy than older, traditional lighting types, making them environmentally friendly and great for reducing your energy bill. LEDs are also easier on the eyes due to the high quality, flicker-free light they produce.
Below, we’ll discuss the most common LED parking lot light fixtures.
Parking Lot Light Poles
Light poles are an essential part of any parking lot lighting setup. To choose the best light poles for your parking lot, it is important to consider lamp height.
The location of lights on a single parking lot light pole affects the coverage area. Whether you have multiple lights on a pole or just one, the height of those lights will change how far the light reaches throughout the parking lot.
Outdoor Area & Walls
Outdoor area lights and wall lights make your parking lot feel safe and secure.
LED wall packs from TCP are an energy saving HID alternative. With a 50,000 hour rated life and much lower energy use than HID wall packs, TCP’s LEDs help you save money without compromising on the safety of your parking lot.
You have the option to select your desired wattage and color temperature for parking lot lighting that is functional and pleasing to the eye.
Flood Lights
LED flood lights act as ambient light for your entire parking lot, ‘flooding’ the lot with a bright, uniform wash of light.
When choosing outdoor flood lighting for parking lots, it is important to choose a durable, long lasting fixture. The lights will be exposed to the elements, so durability is key for avoiding repairs and malfunctions. And since most commercial parking lot lights are installed in hard to reach areas, a long lifespan helps you save on maintenance and replacement labor costs.
TCP’s outdoor flood lights feature wide beam angles, long lifetime ratings, and durable, die-cast aluminum housings. A dependable, energy efficient, and long lasting alternative to HID flood lights, your parking lot will look fantastic with no maintenance hassle for years to come.
Lumens & Watts for Parking Lot Lighting
There is no universal answer for the best brightness for parking lot lighting. The best lighting for your parking lot depends on the height of your lights as well as the size of your lot.
Lumens vs Wattage
Lumens and wattage are both measures of brightness. Wattage is used for non-LED lights to communicate the amount of energy the light uses. In incandescent bulbs, this directly translates to the amount of light the lamp gives off.
Since LEDs give off much more light using very little energy, their wattage measurements do not coordinate with traditional bulbs. That’s why LED brightness is instead measured in lumens. Lumens measure the actual foot candle (brightness) of the lamp, rather than the energy used to create light.
Most LED lamps will also include a wattage equivalent in their specifications for easy comparisons. For example, a 900 lumen LED bulb is typically as bright as a 60 watt incandescent bulb, despite using only 15 watts.
So, how do you decide what brightness you need for your parking lot lighting? As a safety and comfort consideration, you will want plenty of ambient light throughout your entire parking lot. The lighting experts at TCP can assist you in calculating the right number of lights and brightness you will need based on your required coverage area.
Parking Lot Lighting Solutions
Ready to upgrade your parking lot lighting with energy efficient, durable LEDs?
From technical questions about coverage area to aesthetic considerations like color temperature, our lighting experts can guide you toward parking lot lights that provide safety and comfort.
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