Terminology

• Area light / shoebox: pole-top luminaire for parking lots
• Distribution types (II to V): IES lateral distributions from narrow roadway (Type II) to symmetric square or round (Type V)
• Forward throw / house-side shield: optics or shields that cut light behind the pole
• BUG rating: backlight, uplight, glare classification from IES TM-15 (B0 to B5, U0 to U5, G0 to G5)
• Full cutoff: no light above horizontal (U0)
• Mounting height: pole height plus base; sets spacing and zone sizes
• Pole base / foundation: cast-in-place concrete pier with anchor bolts
• Light trespass: light crossing property lines
• Photometric plan: calculated illuminance grid and uniformity ratios
• Adaptive controls: dimming or turning off with occupancy or time schedules

Standards

Ratings

• BUG ratings: U0 for no uplight; lower B and G values near property lines and residences
• Environmental durability: IP66 or similar ingress ratings for exterior luminaires common in agency specs
• Wind and pole design: poles and bases designed for site wind loads
• CCT: warmer CCTs reduce sky glow; dark-sky programs favor warm-white sources

Test standards

• UL 1598 and UL 8750 (wet location)
• IES LM-79, LM-80, TM-21
• IES TM-15: BUG ratings
• DLC LUNA V2.0: outdoor luminaires with reduced light pollution

Components

• Luminaire: LED module, optics, driver, surge protection
• Pole: steel, aluminum, or concrete; square or round, straight or tapered
• Foundation: reinforced concrete base with anchor bolts
• Controls: photocells, occupancy sensors, networked nodes (NEMA or Zhaga sockets)
• Bollards and pedestrian poles: walkway lighting at lower heights

Detailing

• Run photometrics with real luminaire files; check uniformity and spill at property lines
• Use house-side shields or forward-throw optics near property lines
• Coordinate pole bases with curbs, islands, and utilities; protect bases from vehicles
• Plan conduit and circuiting with voltage drop for long runs
• Use adaptive controls to dim after hours

Uses

Specific uses

• Parking lots and garages roofs
• Drives and site roadways
• Pedestrian paths and plazas
• Building perimeters and security lighting
• Sports courts and fields (specialty floodlights)

Pros and cons

Pros

• LED area lights use far less energy than older sources
• Precise optics reduce spill and glare
• Long life lowers maintenance on tall poles
• Controls allow after-hours dimming

Cons

• Poles and foundations are costly
• Glare and trespass complaints if poorly designed
• High-CCT sources increase sky glow
• Surge and vandal exposure

Manufacturing and cost

Construction

• Concrete bases poured with anchor bolts; conduits and grounding installed
• Poles set, plumbed, and luminaires mounted and aimed

Main manufacturers and suppliers

• Acuity Brands (Lithonia, Gardco, American Electric Lighting)
• Signify
• Cooper Lighting Solutions
• LSI Industries
• Kim Lighting
• BEGA

Trade associations: Illuminating Engineering Society and DarkSky International.

Typical costs

• Single parking lot pole with LED fixture, installed: $2,500 to $11,000
• Small lot with 2 to 4 poles: $8,000 to $22,000

Sources

• Landscape Forms: BUG rating system 101, BUG Rating System 101 - Landscape Forms
• TxDOT: cutoff and BUG rating, Cutoff and BUG Rating
• Lake County, IL: roadway luminaire specification, https://www.lakecountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/86581/LC82101---Roadway-Luminaire-PDF
• Leotek: LM-80 and TM-21 explained, https://leotek.com/lm-80-and-tm-21-for-streetlights-what-the-test-results-do-and-do-not-prove/
• Portland: pedestrian lighting cost, https://www.portland.gov/transportation/parking/northwest-parking-district/sac/documents/nw-pedestrian-lighting-cost/download
• Wheeling, IL: village hall parking lot lighting replacement, https://wheelingil.gov/2317/Village-Hall-Parking-Lot-Lighting-Replac
• Wikimedia Commons: Gamme de mat Lunik.JPG, by TMC Innovation (CC BY-SA 3.0), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gamme_de_mat_Lunik.JPG