Installing outdoor electrical lighting equipment is always the concern of all building owners. Because, it not only helps to make the first impression on passersby but also highlights the landscape of the building, especially at night. Today, let’s learn the principles of outdoor lighting design with Sao Nam to beautify your works!
Ensure security with electrical lighting equipment
According to security experts, a house that is not well lit is very attractive to thieves. Just arrange the right landscape lighting; you have created a safer atmosphere for your building.
The three places that need the most light are the entrance, the front of the house, and the windows. Also, if you have a fence or wall around your home, install adjustable spotlights inside the fence and direct the light down to the ground. Or you can install LED strips at the base of the wall. It will create a band of light around the house.
However, do not shine the light directly from the fence into the house! Because your eyes will be dazzled when there is direct light on. You can’t see the thief’s movements, so they should take advantage of this situation. Not to mention, if there is no light from the house, the intruders will almost hide in the dark. This is a serious security threat!
Keep its safety when moving at night
When it’s dark, walkways that seem open during the day can become dangerous for you and your loved ones. Therefore, we need to light up the areas that are frequently traveled to ensure everyone’s safety.
The first thing to keep in mind is to create a focal point. This is where the most light is concentrated, usually in the front door or entryway. Focal points will help people better orient in the dark, especially with the elderly.
Besides, you can also create paths into the house with light. Electrical lighting equipment like recessed lights, or garden lights, are often chosen to illuminate walkways and driveways. This helps to avoid accidents and damages to your vehicle when entering the garage. Plus, don’t forget to install lights on the steps or handrails! You must have tripped when you had to walk up the stairs in the dark, right?
Highlight the landscape with the right lighting
Another principle that is equally important in every outdoor lighting design is “beautify the landscape.” There are no such attractive structures during the day, but it becomes extremely prominent at night thanks to the right lighting.
You can distinguish different areas of the garden by using lights that have different brightness levels or have beams of light in different directions. For example, install panel lights on the porch and use recessed lights in the garage. This will create depth for space and help you distinguish different areas of the night.
Besides, you can also use mushroom lights or pine lights to illuminate the aisles. These lightpaths not only help people move safely but also make the scenery around the walkway stand out. Also, don’t forget to use electrical lighting equipment to highlight the beauty of the trees! Light from the bottom up for tall plants and light from above for low-growing plants.
However, avoid over-lighting plants with too broad and thick foliage. It will backfire by blocking out light and creating shadows in your garden!
Choose optimal light source selection
The electrical lighting equipment market today is very diverse with many new models being born. Therefore, you should consider carefully before choosing your project. Some common types of outdoor lights you can refer to are:
Incandescent lamp: This type of lamp is quite energy-intensive because 80% of the electricity is converted into heat. In addition, its light is dazzling and has low durability.
Halogen lamp: The light of the lamp is less yellow and 10% brighter than the incandescent lamp. Halogen lamps also have higher luminous efficiency. However, the product still emits a lot of heat, so this is not an energy-saving option. Lamp life is not long.
HPS lamp: The lamp has good resistance to harsh weather conditions. However, the product has a low color temperature and large power consumption. Lamps also cost more to fix and maintain than other lamps.
Fluorescent tube lights: The process of charging and illuminating the lamp takes place quite quickly. Besides, during the lighting process, the bulb does not emit much heat, so it is brighter than ordinary lamps. However, the inside of the fluorescent lamp tube contains mercury, so it can be harmful to human health and the environment.
LED: This is a type of lamp that operates on the principle of semiconductors, so it is very energy-saving, even up to 70% compared to other lamps. In addition, LED lights also have a high CRI color rendering index, emit less heat, and have high light efficiency. Moreover, LED lights are made from environmentally friendly materials, so they are not harmful to human health and are durable. Although the input cost of the product is higher than that of halogen or fluorescent lamps, in the long run, LED will bring better economic efficiency.
Concern the color of the light
Another essential point in outdoor lighting design is the correlated color temperature (CCT). This is the light source’s color and is measured on a temperature scale known as Kelvin (K). The higher the Kelvin value of the light source, the closer the color of the light is to actual sunlight. For example, if you want blue light, look for a 4200K bulb. As for amber light, you should choose a bulb with 3500K or less. Or in the range from 3500-4100K, the lamp will light white.
Typically, the standard color temperature for outdoor lighting is 4000K with a CRI=70 color rendering index. However, the acceptable color temperature will be from 3000K to 5000K with a CRI of 70 or 80. Depending on the design of the architecture, you can consider the color of the lights accordingly!
Consider the right power source for the device
The final principle when designing outdoor lighting is the power source of the device. There are three types of popular power sources today: electricity, batteries, and solar energy. Each type of source has different advantages and disadvantages.
For electrical lighting equipment using electricity, its advantages are easy to find and easy to manufacture. You can even make these lamps yourself. However, the lamp is not durable and consumes a lot of electricity. You can easily come across electric outdoor lighting models such as garden pillar lights, mushroom lights, headlights, wall lights…
Battery-operated models are easier to install and cost less. You can also change the position of the lamp simply and quickly. However, the downside of this type of lamp is that the light quality will decrease when the battery is about to run out. It would be best if you changed the battery regularly and this is very harmful to the environment.
The most popular type of light today is solar light. The use of natural energy sources brings high lighting efficiency and safe and environmentally friendly. The product uses LED bulbs; the outer shell is cast aluminum. Lamp life can be more than ten years. So although the cost of solar lights is higher than the other two types of lights, this will be the choice to bring better economic efficiency in the long run.
Sao Nam specializes in the design and construction of lighting systems for homes, architectural works, hotels, etc…
In addition, we are also the official distributor of lighting products, equipment, LED bulbs, and smart electrical lighting equipment of Philips. Philips LED bulbs with new lighting technology meet all the criteria of durability, beauty, saving 85% of electricity, bringing benefits to everyone, and consumer activities in life with beautiful and sophisticated design. LED lighting meets European and international standards for safety, tightness, quality assurance, non-harmful substances, or emit light rays that adversely affect humans and the environment.
Sao Nam confidently provides a wide range of LED lights for all your needs.
So have you understood more about the principles of outdoor lighting design?
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