An Investigation of LED Street Lighting's Impact on Sky Glow

Kinzey, Bruce R.; Perrin, Tess E.; Miller, Naomi; Kocifaj, Miroslav; Aubé, Martin; Lamphar, Héctor

doi:10.2172/1418092

Cited by 18 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…For example, LEDs are more easily dimmed than vapor lamps, so lighting may become more temporally dynamic. Streetlights based on LEDs are less likely to directly emit light into the atmosphere, and may potentially result in less total emissions through more careful direction of the light (Kinzey et al 2017). The most important change, however, may turn out to be a shift in the "typical" source of light observed from space, away from street lighting and towards lights emitted for advertising or artistic purposes (Kyba, 2018b).…”

Section: Global Spectral Shift Due To Transitions To Ledsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remote sensing of night lights: A review and an outlook for the future

Levin

Kyba

Zhang³

et al. 2020

Remote Sensing of Environment

581

247

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Remote sensing of night light emissions in the visible band offers a unique opportunity to directly observe human activity from space. This has allowed a host of applications including mapping urban areas, estimating population and GDP, monitoring disasters and conflicts. More recently, remotely sensed night lights data have found use in understanding the environmental impacts of light emissions (light pollution), including their impacts on human health. In this review, we outline the historical development of night-time optical sensors up to the current state of the art sensors, highlight various applications of night light data, discuss the special challenges associated with remote sensing of night lights with a focus on the limitations of current sensors, and provide an outlook for the future of remote sensing of night lights. While the paper mainly focuses on space borne remote sensing, ground based sensing of night-time brightness for studies on astronomical and ecological light pollution, as well as for calibration and validation of space borne data, are also discussed. Although the development of night light sensors lags behind day-time sensors, we demonstrate that the field is in a stage of rapid development.The worldwide transition to LED lights poses a particular challenge for remote sensing of night lights, and strongly highlights the need for a new generation of space borne night lights instruments. This work shows that future sensors are needed to monitor temporal changes during the night (for example from a geostationary platform or constellation of satellites), and to better understand the angular patterns of light emission (roughly analogous to the BRDF in daylight sensing). Perhaps most importantly, we make the case that higher spatial resolution and multispectral sensors covering the range from blue to NIR are needed to more effectively identify lighting technologies, map urban functions, and monitor energy use.

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Section: Global Spectral Shift Due To Transitions To Ledsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remote sensing of night lights: A review and an outlook for the future

Levin

Kyba

Zhang³

et al. 2020

Remote Sensing of Environment

581

247

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Such a switch can be catastrophic for the effects on other species, or it can be a benefit, depending on the spectrum, duration, direction, and intensity of the new lamps (Gaston et al., ; Longcore et al., ; Rodríguez, Dann, & Chiaradia, ). The same applies to sky glow (Kinzey et al., ). Some ecologists have voiced generic concerns about LEDs in general, questioning whether they pose a risk across the board (Pawson and Bader, ; Stone, Jones, & Harris, ), and noting the unfortunate “rebound effect” in which more efficient lighting leads to deployment of even more light (Kyba et al., ; Kyba, Hänel, & Hölker, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar concerns about the adverse effects of the rapid spread of full spectrum LED lighting are voiced by dark sky advocates (Bierman, ). The spectrum of light used will greatly affect the amount of scattering of light at different distances from a source (Kinzey et al., ). The extent of these effects depends in part on the spectral characteristics of the LEDs used, and many opportunities are available to evaluate the performance of the wide array of LED spectral configurations, such as investigating multiple spectral configurations of 2700 K LEDs to reduce attraction of flying insects (Longcore et al., ) or comparing LEDs of different color temperatures (Eisenbeis & Eick, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid assessment of lamp spectrum to quantify ecological effects of light at night

et al. 2018

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For many decades, the spectral composition of lighting was determined by the type of lamp, which also influenced potential effects of outdoor lights on species and ecosystems. Light-emitting diode (LED) lamps have dramatically increased the range of spectral profiles of light that is economically viable for outdoor lighting. Because of the array of choices, it is necessary to develop methods to predict the effects of different spectral profiles without conducting field studies, especially because older lighting systems are being replaced rapidly. We describe an approach to predict responses of exemplar organisms and groups to lamps of different spectral output by calculating an index based on action spectra from behavioral or visual characteristics of organisms and lamp spectral irradiance. We calculate relative response indices for a range of lamp types and light sources and develop an index that identifies lamps that minimize predicted effects as measured by ecological, physiological, and astronomical indices. Using these assessment metrics, filtered yellow-green and amber LEDs are predicted to have lower effects on wildlife than high pressure sodium lamps, while blue-rich lighting (e.g., K ≥ 2200) would have greater effects. The approach can be updated with new information about behavioral or visual responses of organisms and used to test new lighting products based on spectrum. Together with control of intensity, direction, and duration, the approach can be used to predict and then minimize the adverse effects of lighting and can be tailored to individual species or taxonomic groups.

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“…Almost as many of them (36) are ambivalent towards LED lighting and agreed to statements both for and against LEDs. Among the lighting professionals, 42% (28) think that LEDs reduce light pollution, whereas a surprisingly larger share of 49% (33) responded that they cause light pollution. The overlap in the group of lighting professionals is only 19%.…”

Section: Results: Ambivalent Views On Led Lightingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is not surprising, considering that the light spectrum plays a key role in ecological, medical, as well as astronomical research on artificial light at night [25]. Astronomers know that blue-rich lighting scatters more in the atmosphere (Rayleigh scattering) and thus contributes to undesirable sky glow, which is also reflected in the scientific literature [26][27][28]. Neuro-scientists and biologists show that blue-rich light at night has the greatest effects on the circadian rhythm of humans [29][30][31] and on a number of wildlife species [9,[32][33][34].…”

Section: Code Categories Exemplary Statementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The LED Paradox: How Light Pollution Challenges Experts to Reconsider Sustainable Lighting

et al. 2019

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In the 21st century, the notion of “sustainable lighting” is closely associated with LED technology. In the past ten years, municipalities and private light users worldwide have installed light-emitting diodes in urban spaces and public streets to save energy. Yet an increasing body of interdisciplinary research suggests that supposedly sustainable LED installations are in fact unsustainable, because they increase light pollution. Paradoxically, blue-rich cool-white LED lighting, which is the most energy-efficient, also appears to be the most ecologically unfriendly. Biologists, physicians and ecologists warn that blue-rich LED light disturbs the circadian day-and-night rhythm of living organisms, including humans, with potential negative health effects on individual species and whole ecosystems. Can the paradox be solved? This paper explores this question based on our transdisciplinary research project Light Pollution—A Global Discussion. It reveals how light pollution experts and lighting professionals see the challenges and potential of LED lighting from their different viewpoints. This expert feedback shows that “sustainable LED lighting” goes far beyond energy efficiency as it raises complex design issues that imply stakeholder negotiation. It also suggests that the LED paradox may be solved in context, but hardly in principle.

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An Investigation of LED Street Lighting's Impact on Sky Glow

Cited by 18 publications

References 2 publications

Remote sensing of night lights: A review and an outlook for the future

Remote sensing of night lights: A review and an outlook for the future

Rapid assessment of lamp spectrum to quantify ecological effects of light at night

The LED Paradox: How Light Pollution Challenges Experts to Reconsider Sustainable Lighting

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