Does anyone know if there is a code requirement for minimum light levels on walk ways around and between buildings? do things like stairs and parking lots have different requirements? I have been asked to dim pole lights on our campus while holiday lighting is on. I'm not sure how much to dim them to and still meet any requirements.
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Exterior Lighting on walkways between commercial buildings
- Thread starter PFlowers
- Start date
- Featured
steveray
SAWHORSE
CT amends 1008.2, check yours...
1008.2
The means of egress from a room or space, including the exit discharge, shall be illuminated at all times the building served by the means of egress is occupied.[BE]EXIT DISCHARGE. That portion of a means of egress system between the termination of an exit and a public way.
The parking lot lighting on a campus is a safety feature to protect women. I had a college that was lit like an operating theater with a dozen call stations scattered about.
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Paul Sweet
SAWHORSE
IBC 1008.2.3 requires 1 footcandle illumination along the path of travel for the exit discharge from each exit to the public way or a safe dispersal area.
Parking lot lighting isn't in the IBC, but might be covered by zoning codes or owner's requirements.
Parking lot lighting isn't in the IBC, but might be covered by zoning codes or owner's requirements.
Gregg Harris
SAWHORSE
Take a look at ADA walkway lighting and IZC
Yankee Chronicler
SAWHORSE
I looked in the 2010 ADAS -- there's nothing in there that calls for illumination of exterior walkways.
Gregg Harris
SAWHORSE
ADA section 4.4 for locations of lighting protruding in walkways. No lumens specified, only locations and direction of lighting
I’m curious as to how you can dim the pole lights? Have you broached the subject with the campus police?
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the pole lights are LED with 0-10v dimming control. the area is about 13 Acre's and is gated. we do have two levels of lighting at night. 100% level when occupied and 50% when unoccupied and gates are locked. the Campus security are not happy about it but the request is coming from above there pay grade.
arwat23
SAWHORSE
Lighting power reduction for nonoperating/unoccupied times is likely to be an energy code requirement.
Yikes
SAWHORSE
We design our residential parking structures so there is code minimum lighting levels at all times, but also with motion sensors to increase the light when occupied.
We've found this actually adds to the sense of awareness and passive surveillance. If you enter the garage and it is mostly dim but you see that the far corner is brightly lit, you already know that someone is (or was very recently) moving over there.
Halloween special - The Invisible Man: I'm picturing some movie scene where the dim garage is completely empty, but the motion sensor lights activate first at the far end, then get progressively closer, as if some unseen being is moving towards you.
We've found this actually adds to the sense of awareness and passive surveillance. If you enter the garage and it is mostly dim but you see that the far corner is brightly lit, you already know that someone is (or was very recently) moving over there.
Halloween special - The Invisible Man: I'm picturing some movie scene where the dim garage is completely empty, but the motion sensor lights activate first at the far end, then get progressively closer, as if some unseen being is moving towards you.
Yankee Chronicler
SAWHORSE
Under the IBC, the means of egress illumination level shall be not less than 1 footcandle (11 lux) at the walking surface.
Does anyone have any understanding of how LITTLE illumination 1 footcandle really is? Many years ago, when wearing my architect hat I did most of the lighting design for one firm I worked for. I had a GE light meter back then -- not a photographic light meter, but one for measuring light levels. It couldn't register 1 footcandle. Think about it. An illumination level of one footcandle is literally the amount of light put out by ONE candle at a distance of one foot.
That's NOT a lot of light on a dark, moonless night.
Does anyone have any understanding of how LITTLE illumination 1 footcandle really is? Many years ago, when wearing my architect hat I did most of the lighting design for one firm I worked for. I had a GE light meter back then -- not a photographic light meter, but one for measuring light levels. It couldn't register 1 footcandle. Think about it. An illumination level of one footcandle is literally the amount of light put out by ONE candle at a distance of one foot.
That's NOT a lot of light on a dark, moonless night.
Paul Sweet
SAWHORSE
One footcandle is a lot brighter than you think. The full moon is only a couple hundredths of a footcandle. The light of one candle held in your hand about 4 ft. off the ground is only a sixteenth of a footcandle on the ground. A footcandle would be if you concentrated the light from the candle into a one sq. ft. area, or had candles 1 ft. apart with all their light reflected onto the ground.