If you’re looking to put in some stainless steel LED bollard lighting, here’s what you need to know in order to choose and space your lighting correctly.
- How many footcandles of light do you need? This will depend on the application and local codes. In general, recommendations are that sidewalks by roads have 0.9 Fc, building areas and parking areas have 1.0 Fc worth of lighting, walkways and attendant parking have 2.0 Fc, and building entrances be lit with 5.0 Fc worth of lighting. This is the first step to figuring out exactly how much stainless steel LED bollard lighting you need.
- Is there any other lighting around? You may be able to reduce the amount of stainless steel LED bollard lighting you need if there is nearby lighting. Bollards can then be added just for ambiance, or as needed to boost the footcandle illumination to required levels. Look for roadway lighting, parking garage lighting, or other fixtures near where you want to put in your bollards.
- What is your particular facility like? Every area has its own challenges when it comes to lighting. There may be code restrictions for placement, there may be architectural or environmental issues that make placement difficult or simply make it necessary to place your stainless steel LED bollard lighting in a particular arrangement. What are your power limitations? What kind of light do you want, and how bright? Do you want louvers on your bollard style lights? These personal and structural preferences will help you decide what you need when it comes to spacing, style, and wattages.
- What lamp type do you need? Sometimes using higher-wattage lamps can mean a reduction in total number of stainless steel LED bollards. Others times this won’t be the case, such as when louvers are in use. However, it’s also important to consider whether the lights will blind drivers and whether the area will be evenly lit without any areas of blinding light.
- What are some of the common spacing dimensions for use with bollard lighting? When it comes to parks and walkways in urban environments, the spacing is typically between 15 feet and 25 feet. For leisure areas with very little traffic, the spacing can be as wide as 30 feet. For offices and residential areas, tight spacing of 10 to 15 feet is generally the standard.
It’s important to remember that bollard lighting uses different optics than other types of lighting, and this will affect how the lighting is distributed and the way it appears in any specific application. This makes it crucial that you consult with a lighting specialist to make sure you’re getting the right style, wattage, and spacing of stainless steel LED bollards for your needs.
