Parking lot and site lighting for businesses

What good site lighting does

Parking lot and site lighting helps customers and staff walk safely, lets drivers see pedestrians, discourages theft and vandalism, and gives your cameras usable images. It also tells people you are open.

The common mistake is aiming for brightness. What people need is even light without glare. A lot with very bright spots under each pole and dark patches in between feels less safe than one with moderate, uniform light.

In Edmonton, site lights run long hours. In December it can be dark for more than sixteen hours a day, which is why upgrades and controls pay back well here. See what drives LED retrofit payback.

Layout and optics

LED area lights come with different distribution patterns, often described by IES types. A Type V pattern spreads light evenly in all directions and suits poles in the middle of a lot. Type III and Type IV throw light forward and suit poles along the edges and building walls.

• Use full cutoff fixtures that send no light above horizontal. They cut glare and sky glow.
• Add house-side shields where the lot backs onto homes.
• Avoid tilting heads up to reach farther. It throws glare into drivers' eyes.
• Light walkways, entrances and garbage enclosures, not just stalls.

Ask for a photometric layout. It shows light levels across the site and at the property line before anything is ordered.

Uniformity beats brightness

Designers look at the ratio between the brightest and darkest points as well as the average. Good uniformity means eyes do not have to keep adjusting, and cameras do not lose detail in dark gaps.

When old high-pressure sodium or metal halide heads are replaced, the new LED heads should be chosen with the existing pole spacing in mind. A one-for-one swap with the wrong optic can leave the same dark spots as before.

Controls for long nights

• Photocells turn lights on at dusk and off at dawn. They are simple but fail with dirt, snow and age.
• Astronomical time clocks calculate sunrise and sunset for your location and do not need a sensor.
• After-hours dimming drops output once the business closes, and motion sensors bring it back to full when someone arrives.
• Networked controls let you adjust schedules and see failures from a computer.

LED fixtures handle dimming and frequent switching well, which older lamps did not. Pair controls with cameras so lights come up when motion is detected. Read more in lighting controls and sensors.

Poles, bases and Alberta weather

Poles live through wind, frost heave, road salt and the odd snowplow. A pole that leans or has a rusted base is a safety hazard, not just an eyesore.

• Check anchor bolts, nuts and base plates every year for rust and looseness, especially where de-icing salt is used.
• Keep handhole covers on. Missing covers expose wiring to water and curious hands.
• Protect poles near drive aisles with bollards or curbs.
• New or replacement poles and bases should be designed for local wind and frost conditions, typically by an engineer.

Underground work, permits and cost

New poles, relocated poles and new underground runs need trenching or boring, a utility locate through Utility Safety Partners (formerly Alberta One-Call), and an electrical permit. Retrofitting heads on existing poles is simpler but still involves a lift, line-voltage work and sometimes a permit.

Cost depends on the number of poles and heads, whether poles and bases are reused, trenching or boring distance, controls, lift access and traffic management during the work.

Our outdoor and security lighting service covers design, retrofits and maintenance, and works with our video surveillance team so lights and cameras support each other.

Common questions