Light pollution

Light pollution is a growing concern affecting the quality of the sky at night in the United Kingdom. By considering the following points when selecting your security lighting, you can help to prevent unnecessary glow and wasted energy.

• Ensure you have the correct wattage of bulb for the area you wish to illuminate.
  A 150 watt bulb will be sufficient in many circumstances.
  
  
• Ensure your security lamp can be angled appropriately to avoid glare.
  Glare is counterproductive in preventing potential intruders from being seen.
  
  
• If you intend to use a Passive Infra Red (PIR) motion sensor, set an appropriate detection range.
  The detection range is the maximum area in which the PIR is capable of picking up movement. Make sure that cars and people passing by do not trigger the lamp unnecessarily.
  
  
• Consider your neighbours.
  Choose security lighting that is appropriate for illuminating your own property and will not intrude upon your neighbours’ properties.
  
  
• Consider your local environment.
  For more information and satellite data showing light pollution in the UK, visit the Campaign to Protect Rural England website, at www.cpre.org.uk
  
  Last updated 09.02.04