Dark Sky Update Boston MA

In the June issue's Lighting Products World section we ran an article titled Reclaiming the 'Dark Sky' which discussed present and pending legislation that will impact the future design and installation of outdoor lighting fixtures. The end goal being to control light pollution and reclaim the beauty of the evening skies.

I am pleased to report that we received of number of comments about this article, all in support of these efforts to reclaim the nighttime skies. Perhaps the most informed of these responses came from Jim Benya, Interim Chair of the Joint MLO Task Force and principal of Benya Lighting Design, West Linn, OR. Jim was kind enough to correct several points made in the article. Here's what he wrote:

Electrical Contracting Product's article about the MLO (Model Lighting Ordinance) is appreciated by the members of the Joint IDA-IESNA (International Dark Association-Illuminating Engineering Society of North America) MLO Task Force. It is one of the most important activities of the two organizations, and progress is indeed being made. However, the article was inaccurate about several things:

1. The MLO is NOT out for public review. We hope to reach that point by the end of the year.
2. There are five Lighting Zones ranging from LZ0 (very light sensitive environments) to LZ4 (areas of very high ambient outdoor lighting). These zones will be published in the next release of IESNA RP-33 as well as consistently throughout all future IESNA and IDA publications. The intent of the MLO is to give communities the choice of LZ's and to provide guidance in their selection.
3. The IESNA recently adopted a new Luminaire Classification System (LCS) for outdoor lighting. Terms like "full cut off" will be abandoned because, in addition to a need for better definitions, that term has been inappropriately used to describe acceptable outdoor lighting.
4. Using the LCS, luminaires will be regulated in terms of allowable uplight, high angle glare, and backlight. Some uplight will be permitted in all but LZ1 and LZ0 so that communities can use one of the many new decorative, dark sky friendly fixtures that are technically not "full cut off" but essentially the same thing with a small amount of inadvertent uplight.
5. The other principal limit will be total site lighting power, which will be very similar to California Title 24 and ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1.

On behalf of the Task Force, we appreciate your support of the MLO and we agree, this will be a win-win situation for the lighting industry and the environment.

James R Benya, PE, FIES, IALD, LC
Interim Chair, Joint MLO Task Force

Until next month, keep safe.

Electrical Contracting Products
brian.taylor@cygnusb2b.com