BEAM Plus New Building V2.0 – Exterior Lighting
Exterior lighting is presented as SS6 Lighting Pollution Control under 3 Sustainable Sites (SS). It applies to all types of new buildings. The objective is to ensure that the exterior lighting and building design do not create unwanted and unnecessary light pollution.
2nos. Credits
1 credit – Control of Obtrusive Artificial Light (prepared by lighting consultant)
- Demonstrating the obtrusive light from the exterior lighting design meets the specified performance for the environmental zone of the development
1 credit – Control of External Light Reflection from Building (prepared by architect)
- Demonstrating the sunlight reflection from external surfaces of the buildings is controlled by using materials with acceptable external light reflectance
Control of Obtrusive Artificial Light
The BEAM Plus assessment involves reviewing the following submissions.
A Scaled Map
To show the immediate neighbourhood of the site
Luminaires Schedule
Provide light fitting models and performance details
Exterior Lighting Layout Plan
Show the types and locations of all exterior lightings
Compliance with Local Guideline
Demonstrate the lighting design complies with local guideline Industry Best Practices for External Lighting
Obtrusive Light Control
Using either the calculation method or backlight-uplight-glare (BUG) method to simulate the light nuisance.
Report Submission
Compile a light pollution control report as submission material.
The lighting report shall demonstrate the exterior lighting design complies with the requirements provided by “Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Obtrusive Light GN01:2011” of Illuminating Engineering Society and International Dark-Sky Association in terms of four parameters i.e. sky glow, light into windows, source intensity, and building luminance.
Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Obtrusive Light GN01:2011
Environmental zone shall be agreed among government bodies, developer, architect and users at the project commencement stage.
- Upward Light Ratio – specifies maximum values of upward light ratio of luminaires
- Light Intrusion (into Windows) – shows the maximum values of illuminance in vertical plan of neighborhood buildings.
- Luminaire Intensity – the limits for the luminous intensity of bright luminaires
- Building Luminance – limited to avoid over lighting, and related to the general district brightness.
Control of obtrusive light takes an important role in managing light pollution. Some countries and cities such as Sydney, Seoul and Paris adopt legal measures to control light nuisance. It is a voluntary basis in Hong Kong in managing light pollution currently in which BEAM Plus encourages projects to consider this human centre issue early at the project commencement stage.
