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Abstract |
The lack of lighting planning for internal and external illumination of buildings contributes to wasting energy and to the issue of light pollution. This will be demonstrated with research from the ground and by analysis of images, taken with detectors on satellites, the International Space Station or planes. Besides large area floodlighting from airports or sports facilities, facade illumination is the most important contributor. The effects of malpractice versus sustainable lighting planning solutions will be demonstrated with some examples in cities like Bonn, Strasbourg, Athens and Thessaloniki. Further examples in the countryside will demonstrate lighting practice in the German star park Biosphere Reserve Rhön. Facade lighting planning, considering optimal alignment, the intensity and the colour quality of the illumination, will contribute to reducing light pollution and thus waste of energy and will increase human comfort at the same time.
Experience shows that unilateral promoting energy efficiency will finally result in more extended use of energy, which is known as rebound effect. In addition the small size and long lifetime of the modern solid state lighting will result in an increased use even in remote places thereby emitting more artificial light into the natural night. This does not only affect the energy use, but also the biological rhythms of animals and human beings.
More interdisciplinary criteria for a sustainable lighting with reduced light pollution will be discussed based on the observations including data provided by the EU-network “Loss of the Nightâ€-Network (EU-COST Action ES1204 LoNNe). |
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