NNECAPA Conference September 8, 2011 IES/IDA Model Lighting Ordinance
November 2008
Developed under a Joint Agreement between IES and IDA. Premise: Excessive outdoor lighting Wastes energy, Impacts the comfort of neighbors, Limits our enjoyment of the night sky, and Negatively affects biological cycles of humans, plants, and wildlife. Overview of MLO
Purpose: The MLO is designed to aid municipalities in: evaluating new and existing lighting systems for energy use, skyglow,, and light trespass, maintaining consistency in exterior lighting applications, and enforcing building codes that pertain to lighting. Overview of MLO
MLO Goals Reduce excessive Lumen allowances. Full shielding to be required for all parking and area lighting Ornamental Lighting Exception B-U-G G Rating controls restrict the light trespass, glare and uplight allowances for permitted luminaires.
First adopted by International Commission on Illumination (CIE) Concept used in California Energy Code (Title 24) First adopted by Illuminating Engineering Society in 1999 in IES Recommended Practices for Exterior Lighting (RP-33 33-99)
MLO adds a 5 th zone (LZ-0) for undeveloped and wilderness areas Assignment of Lighting Zone is done by local officials adopting the MLO may overlap existing zones.
Recommended for Wilderness areas, parks and undeveloped rural areas. Denali National Park Visitor Center Areas near astronomical observatories Other areas where the protection of a dark environment is critical. Some rural communities can choose LZ-0 for residential areas
DEFAULT zone for rural and low density residential areas. Rural town centers & business parks. Other commercial areas with limited nighttime activity. Developed areas in parks and other natural settings.
DEFAULT zone for light commercial business districts and high density or mixed use residential districts. Areas with MODERATE ambient light levels. Usually applies to all commercial and business districts except those located in a major metropolitan core.
DEFAULT zone large cities core business district areas with theaters, shopping, or heavy pedestrian traffic. Areas with moderately HIGH ambient light levels. Shipping and Rail areas with special lighting needs. Regional shopping malls, car dealerships, other areas of moderately high ambient lighting.
Never a DEFAULT zone Areas with very HIGH ambient light levels. Times Square and the Las Vegas Strip. Only for special circumstances. Not appropriate for most municipalities.
Choosing Lighting Zones In northern New England, Lighting Zone 4 may not be appropriate (No Times Square) Lighting Zone 3 has little if any application (concentrated urban setting in a major city Boston, Hartford, Springfield Lighting Zones 0, 1 and 2 can be applied to almost all municipalities in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Luminaire Classification System (Backlight/Uplight Uplight/Glare BUG) New Luminaire Classification System
B = Backlight / Trespass New Luminaire Classification System
U = Uplight / Skyglow New Luminaire Classification System
G = Glare / Offensive Light New Luminaire Classification System
(BH between 501 and 999 lumens) (UL and UH each between 11 and 50 lumens) 2 FVH under 100 for G-1 BVH under 100 for G-1 FH under 1,800 for G-1 BH 501 to 1,000 for G-2 Total G Rating = G-2 2 New Luminaire Classification System
Prescriptive Method Parameters and Criteria: 1. Total Site Lumen Limit (Using either Table A or B) 2. Offsite Impacts: Maximum BUG Ratings (Table C) Prescriptive Method
Total Site Lumen Limit Two Methods: 1. Parking Space Method (Table A) for 10 spaces or less 2. Hardscape Area Method (Table B) for areas with more than 10 parking spaces Prescriptive Method
Parking Space Method (10 spaces or less) Building Footprint Total Number of Parking Spaces 10 or less Prescriptive Method
Prescriptive Method - Table B Hardscape Area Method Example: Vehicle Service Station Canopies With Unregulated Lighting Unshielded No lumen limit Some as high as 50 fc Prescriptive Method
Vehicle Service Station Canopies under the MLO Table B Lumen allowance calculations under the MLO for LZ 2: 1.Hardscape area times 2.5 lumens PLUS 2. 8,000 lumens per fuel pump (based on 5 fc horizontal for LZ2) Prescriptive Method
Determining Lumen Allowance for Vehicle Service Station Base Hardscape Area - 41,500 sf Multiplied by 2.5 lumens Hardscape Allowance = 103,750 (Building footprint of 5,500 sf NOT included) PLUS 14 Gas Pumps at 8,000 lumens per pump = 112,000 lumens Total Site Lumen Allowance 215,750 for All outdoor lighting (Entranceway, façade, parking, gas pumps, canopy) Note: Gas Pump Allowances are non-tradable Use it or loose it Prescriptive Method
Table B Hardscape Area Method Example 2: Outdoor Car Sales Lot With Unregulated Lighting Unshielded No lumen limit Lights often On dusk to dawn Prescriptive Method
Outdoor Car Sales Lot Under MLO Prescriptive Method All parking and area lighting must be fully shielded under the MLO Lumen limit per Table B * Flagstaff Solution : After 10PM only low pressure sodium lighting can be used (usually for security) all white display lighting must be extinguished at 10PM. Prescriptive Method
Determining Lumen Allowance for Car Dealership Sales Lot LZ 2 Example Step 1 Using the Lumen Limit in Table B How much Light? Add 1, Plus 2, Plus 3 1. Base Lumen Allowance Multiply square feet of hardscape by 2.5 (Building footprint and non Hardscape areas larger Than 10 are not counted) 2. Outdoor Sales Lot Lumen Allowance multiply Net hardscape by 8 lumens Per square foot. 3. Outdoor Sales Frontage If 450 linear feet of frontage, then 450,000 lumens for Frontage. (450 LF x 1,000) Prescriptive Method
Determining BUG Rating Allowance for Car Dealership Sales Lot LZ 2 Example What types of Luminaires are permitted Prescriptive Method
Hardscape Area Method (SF) Building Footprint Base Hardscape Area Area > 10 wide (not included) Area < 10 wide (included) Prescriptive Method
Summary of Hardscape Area Method (SF) 1) Multiply the number of sf by the number of lumens for the LZ to determine the Base Allowance Prescriptive Method
Summary of Hardscape Area Method (SF) 2) In addition to Base Allowance, extra allowances are permitted for ONLY 2 of the following a) Outdoor Sales Lots b) Outdoor Sales Frontage c) Drive Up Windows d) Vehicle Service Station Use it or Loose it Allowances Prescriptive Method
Summary of Hardscape Area Method (SF) Total Lumen Allowance (Bucket) is the Sum of 1) and 2) Total Lumen Bucket covers ALL lighting applications: Parking Lots Entrances Drive-up Windows Gas Pump Island/Canopies Entranceways Car lots Frontage Sales Lots Façade Lighting Extra lumen allowances from Part 2 can only be used for those specific purposes. Prescriptive Method
Sample Compliance Chart using Prescriptive Hardscape Area Method Lighting Design Description Maximum Allowed Lumens
Performance Method Performance Method
Hardscape Area (same as Prescriptive) Building Footprint Base Hardscape Area (SF) Area > 10 wide (not included) Area < 10 wide (included) Performance Method
Tradable Lumens Performance Method
Non Tradable Lumens Performance Method
Performance Method Tables D, E and F Allowance for Façade Lighting LZ0 and LZ1 No façade lighting LZ2 4 Square footage based only on unit area to be illuminated. In LZ2, 8 lumens per sf times 450 Allows 3,600 lumens per section for Façade lighting.
The BUG ratings in Table C will limit the following types of luminaires
Off Site Impacts (Option B) Performance Method
Residential Lighting Limits All lighting is fully shielded unless allowed by Table G Residential Method
Residential Example Residential Example
MLO - Street Lighting Option Master Plan by Lighting Zone Warranting Zero light emitted above 90 degrees Exception for Ornamental Street Lighting = 20 lumens = 100 lumens = 1000 lumens
New Streetlight Curfew Opportunities Connecticut, New Hampshire and Western Massachusetts electric companies now have rates for midnight streetlight service saving 28% to 40% Towns can select which streetlights to operate dusk to dawn, and which ones to turn off at midnight.
Midnight Option Features Technology Replaces the streetlight s s dusk-to-dawn dawn photocell with one with a programmable clock Flexibility Can be applied to selected streetlights.
Approved by IDA and IES Boards on June 14, 2011 Available online at: http://docs.darksky.org/mlo/mlo_final_june2011.pdf ( underscore)
Coming Next The MLO Lite Designed more for Small/medium size municipalities Use only three Lighting Zones (not 5) In mid 2012