Dark Sky Compliance Encourages Businesses to Help the Environment

More and more businesses nowadays are taking environmental stewardship seriously. It’s no longer uncommon to see companies proudly launching corporate social responsibility programs that focus on planet-friendly initiatives like planting trees or doing beach clean-ups. But being an eco-friendly enterprise doesn’t start or end with special projects. It’s equally important to do everyday things that can make a difference in protecting the planet.

Dark Sky Compliance 101

Light pollution plagues the nation (Image Source: Pixabay)

As businesses grow, the increase in employee workload and work times have directly influenced the rise of different types of pollution. More smog, noise, and light pollution now plague the planet. This is why the Dark Sky Movement was created to combat light pollution and keep it to a minimum.

What Is It Exactly?

The Dark Sky Movement is a campaign that encourages the minimal use of light sources. But since using light in the workplace is unavoidable, the campaign seeks to switch out poorly designed light fixtures for functional and environment-friendly ones.

This switch to more efficient light options is called Dark Sky Compliance. How does it work? Here is everything you need to know about Dark Sky Compliance to ensure that you and your business can help de-pollute the world.

The Goal

The goal of the movement is to be able to impact the way people use light through modern solutions. Clearer and more night visible skies are possible if folks cut back on the energy used to light up buildings and commercial establishments. Here are five ways you can do it yourself:

1 - Shields Aren't Just for Soldiers Anymore

Compliance does not have to interfere with the design of your office building. You can still have beautiful, modern designs for your light fixtures while helping the environment. How do you accomplish this? Make use of recommended light shields that allow the illumination to only point in a downward direction.

By pointing the light downward, light pollution is avoided as it minimizes the glare produced by the fixture. There’s no need to worry that it will impede the vision of your employees or customers in the evening as focusing the light on the ground or floor actually makes for a better light source in the dark.

Refrain from purchasing and using floodlights that are fully open, drop-lens fixtures that have exposed bulbs and refractor lenses, unshielded street lights, period fixture styles, and drop-lens canopy fixtures. Instead, opt for flat lenses, full cutoff fixtures, full cutoff street lights, and fixtures with decorative shields. This minimizes the glare of the light being produced and will create a more relaxing atmosphere in your place of business.

2 - Choose LED Light Bulbs or Light Sources

Switch out those fluorescent light bulbs and opt for LED bulbs. These are brighter and more efficient when it comes to consuming energy. Since these products only require low power to function, LED lights can cut the cost of your electricity bills and energy waste, making them a better choice for your business expenses.

Most people only know LED lights for their bright white lights, but these products are actually quite versatile. Many companies now offer LED lights with various colors, dimmable options, and interconnectivity abilities so that the lights can link up to a phone or tablet app such as Google Home.

LED lights also come in a variety of types. You can find the appropriate products for different spaces in your business like the lobby, the breakroom, open workspaces, toilets, hallways, etc.

3 - Mind the Color Palette

Warmer tones are better (Image Source: Pixabay)

Choosing the right color of light bulbs is an essential part of the Dark Sky Compliance movement. Refrain from using lights that have a blue hue, which are also known as blue lights. This type can be harmful to humans and animals alike, and may cause damage to the eyes.

The best light color temperature should not exceed 3000 Kelvins. In simpler terms, lights with this color temperature appear warmer, e.g., lights with a soft amber color. Many LED lights are defaulted to give off bluish light but with today's technology, they can be adjusted to emit a warmer tone, especially when you use low-spectrum LED bulbs.

If you live in the Denver area, Lightning Mobile Electric has the best Denver electricians and lighting specialist available to help you choose the right lighting palette for your business premises.

4 - Eliminate Light Waste

Just like recycling, reducing the light you use is actually an effective tool in building a greener future. Keeping lights switched off when you don’t require them is the best way to do so.

Make sure that your workers only light areas that are in-use at the moment. For example, if a conference room is unoccupied, then turn off the light switches. Instill this habit in your employees and your business will not only be helping the environment, you would be cutting operating costs, too. You can also opt for light sensors and timers that can automatically switch off the illumination after a certain time period has passed.

5 - Use a Dimmer

What about the lights in places like the parking lot or other outdoor areas of your business? What can you do to comply with the Dark Sky movement when you need these spaces to be illuminated for the comfort and safety of employees and customers alike?

The lights in these areas do not need to be overly bright. You can choose dimmers to set the illumination at a comfortable level without contributing too much to light pollution. You could also opt to use LPS or low-pressure sodium lights. These are energy-efficient lights that produce a pumpkin-like color great for lighting environmentally sensitive areas. In fact, this type of light is used near astronomical observatories.

Electrical Contractors in Denver

These are just the basics of the Dark Sky Compliance movement. If you want to learn more, see this page Additionally if you want to take the next step towards a healthier environment, working with the best electrical contractors in Denver is the way to go.

Contact Lightning Mobile Electric today. We are located in Denver, Colorado and we offer top-of-the-line lighting products from bulbs to other fixtures. We also provide 24/7 emergency services throughout the year. Give us a call at (303) 595-9559 to speak to us directly so we can get started on your concerns. For even more information, please check out the list of services we offer.

We look forward to creating brighter and clearer skies for the world with you!

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