Evaluating the Practical Effects of Quantitative Streetlighting: Pivotal’s Reflections from the 2024 IES Street and Area Lighting Conference
Pivotal designed the lighting renovation at 10 South LaSalle, enhancing the streetlighting and significantly elevating the impact of this corner in downtown Chicago, IL.
Illuminating Engineering Society’s (IES) 2024 Street and Area Lighting Conference (SALC) in Atlanta, GA, provided a platform for meaningful discussions surrounding roadway and exterior lighting, particularly emphasizing operational concerns and community safety. Among the highlights were efforts to control light trespass in an Austin, TX, suburb and create layered lighting in outdoor environments. These discussions underscore the growing complexity of designing lighting solutions that balance safety, environmental impact, and user experience.
The conversation around increasing light levels to enhance neighborhood safety was particularly compelling, especially in the context of Atlanta's "Light Up the Night" campaign, which leveraged technology to audit and track lighting equipment throughout the city. Georgia Power, an Atlanta-based utility provider, presented data suggesting a reduction in violent crime reporting correlated with improved roadway lighting, showcasing how investment in maintenance strategies can influence public safety.
However, the assumption that simply adding more light automatically increases safety or improves visual perception warrants a closer look. If increasing light levels were the sole solution for creating a safe and secure environment, violent crimes would not occur outdoors during daylight hours, and people would not feel unsafe in areas with minimum recommended illumination. Additionally, poorly designed lighting intended to enhance safety can inadvertently create disability glare, undermining its intended purpose and user experience.
Pivotal designed the exterior lighting along this stretch of Cathedral Place in St. Augustine, FL, adding an extra layer of illumination that elevates the spatial experience for both motorists and pedestrians.
Evari GIS Consulting contributed valuable insights into this topic, presenting data on the relationship between street lighting and violent crime from Santa Ana, CA, and Pittsburgh, PA. His findings highlighted the complexity of isolating lighting as the sole variable influencing crime. In Pittsburgh, pedestrian-scale lighting demonstrated a correlation with reduced violent crime reports. In contrast, auto-centric Santa Ana did not show the same trend, suggesting that factors beyond lighting, such as urban design and community engagement, play a critical role.
These inconclusive examples emphasize the need for lighting solutions tailored to each environment's unique characteristics. Perhaps, as Jane Jacobs theorized, the pedestrian lighting in Pittsburgh cultivated "eyes on the street" that contributed to reducing criminal activity—an outcome less likely in environments dominated by vehicle traffic, like Santa Ana.
Overgeneralizing the relationship between lighting and safety can lead to oversimplified approaches that must address the issue's complexity. Effective lighting design considers not only light levels but also factors like community needs, environmental sustainability, and how people perceive and interact with their surroundings.
The conversations at SALC reinforced the importance of collaboration and continuous learning in advancing the lighting industry. By sharing data, challenging assumptions, and exploring innovative approaches, designers and stakeholders can develop solutions that prioritize both safety and quality of life.