Outdoor Lighting


by Michael Russell - Date: 2007-03-07 - Word Count: 519 Share This!

There are buildings we pass by daily on our way to work and we don't seem to notice their beauty. Some have astonishing architectural elements, but in a rush it is hard to notice them. Things change at night when these buildings shine with an imposing splendor: outdoor lighting makes a lasting impression.

Dull buildings need high-tech light sources properly integrated within the design, to shine at night with a fairytale like brightness. Modern outdoor illumination is no longer reduced to "making light". It becomes an art; a process that requires skills, talent, knowledge and the right lighting equipments to create the perfect light scenarios. Building owners, architects and light designers spend fortunes on modern lighting technologies to create award-ready light patterns with special light and color effects and digital appliances able to display real-time images on enormous video walls. Lighting artists employ special software to simulate diverse light effects prior to starting a project. There's nothing left to chance.

One might even think that so much light is wasting the energy resource of a town. But this is not entirely true. Environment aware lighting professionals recommend environmental friendly luminaries and economical systems. Slowly but sure neon, halogen, tungsten and fluorescent lights are replaced with non-toxic, long lasting, energy efficient and recyclable LED light sources. The LEDs emit a pure light, close to the natural spectrum, safe for the environment (with no toxic gas emissions and no UV or IR emissions), controllable and flicker free. The results are often remarkable: serene outdoor lighting patterns, directional accents and balanced light.

With outdoor lighting buildings reinvent their appearance and contribute to the enhancement of the contemporary cityscapes. Many modern institutions choose up-to-the-minute outdoor lighting technologies not only for beautification reasons, but also for branding purposes: to gain public awareness or to knock off their competitors. The façade of a bank might become the central stage point of a cityscape in a matter of days.

This new trend in outdoor lighting grows rapidly. Even domestic users spend more time decorating their homes and gardens with modern outdoor lights. Some are satisfied with single colored luminous building contours, while others spend more on light sources able to change colors and intensity. The large choice of solar lights for garden and path illumination help homeowners cut energy costs with up to 20%. What does this mean for you? That it is time to change your old DC powered outdoor lights with solar battery powered lights.

Don't choose the cheapest. You need a good quality product to provide light for more than 1-2 hours. Many bargain products are made in China. Made in China is not always synonym with low quality. There are many Chinese companies struggling for a place among the trusted manufacturers and when it comes to LED sources in general you can generally trust a Made in Chine product. But, as they say: better safe than sorry. Do not purchase unless you are sure that you'll really get what you pay for. Choose a brand product, or if you want to choose a bargain product read carefully the manufacturer's disclaimer and carefully read warrantees and quality certificates.


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Michael Russell

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