CAR PARK

LIGHTING GUIDE

A guide to the lighting of

CAR PARKS

415
 Purpose-designed lighting for Car
Parks & associated areas.
CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

For over 40 years Designplan has regularly & successfully supplied high
quality lighting equipment to illuminate all areas of car park installations.

Both private & public owners & operators of car parks have chosen our
fittings because many have been especially designed to meet the
demands posed by often hostile environments encountered & many
years of successful, trouble free service has resulted.

Our lifetime guarantee is available on the majority of fittings suggested

for use, (p29).

The purpose of this guide is to offer assistance to the designer or engineer

in the choice of lighting equipment to ensure that the completed project
is able to offer well lit parking areas, safer stairways, corridors & walkways.
The use of purpose designed fittings which are both easily installed, easily
maintained & which will give long lasting, value for money solutions, will
result in an installation that car park owners, operators & most importantly
users will be pleased with.

Safety & Security through design.

Providing well-lit areas in car parks not only assists in the safety of vehicles
using them but perhaps more importantly offers a much more inviting &
less frightening environment for the public when leaving or returning to
parked cars.

With violent crime seemingly forever on the increase lighting areas to a

high standard is one important weapon which can be used to help
reduce criminal activity & certainly create a less foreboding atmosphere.
The increase of CCTV also demands better lighting to aid this approach
to fighting crime.

There are various guidelines which have been drawn up by professional

organisations to assist designers in choosing the correct level of
illumination & we offer as follows information & guidance based upon
these to help in achieving a successful project.

BS5489-1.2003 provides the lighting engineer with required maintained

values of illumination & states that these should be increased where the
character or usage pattern of the car park warrants it.

416
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

The levels given are as follows:

Where ‘EH average ‘is the maintained average horizontal illuminance in
lux.
EH minimum is the maintained minimum horizontal illuminance at any
point in lux.

Outdoor car park- night-time

EH average 30 lux
EH minimum 10 lux

Enclosed or semi-enclosed Multi-storey day & night-time

Area EH average lux EH mimimum lux

Parking bays and 75 50
access lanes
Ramps, corners and 150 75
intersections
Entrance/Exit zones Night Day n/a
(vehicular) 75 300
Pedestrian areas, 100 50
stairways, lifts, lobbies

Independent studies have shown that there is almost certainly a

correlation between lighting levels & people’s fear of crime as indeed
there is between lighting levels & actual criminal activity. Good lighting
therefore plays a dual role in such areas in that it reduces people’s fear
of crime & reduces actual crime.

In order for this fear of crime to be negated people need to be able to

clearly see their surroundings &, just as importantly, to see other people, in
particular their faces which provide much of the information we need to
assess whether the person is likely to be friendly, aggressive or indifferent.
The average & minimum levels given in the British Standard will in most
circumstances provide adequate vertical illumination on the face. There
is however another important aspect to this process of fear reduction
namely colour rendition, which plays an important part in our perception
of a situation. Good colour rendering also helps vehicle identification,
assists with general security & safety measures as well as providing an
overall sense of well being. To this end the use of monochromatic lamps
such as low pressure sodium should be avoided despite their long life &
efficiency. The use however of deluxe high-pressure sodium or fluorescent
lamps which render colour across a wider spectrum is to be
commended.The brief then is to provide the required average &
minimum levels of illumination with good uniformity & colour rendering
over all areas whilst paying particular attention to areas used as
entrances, exists, ramps & awkward changes in direction.

417
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

Entrances & exits to covered car parks are probably going to exhibit
contrast between external & internal conditions that may cause viewing
difficulties. During the night it may be necessary to reduce the interior
level or increase exterior levels & during the day the contrast can be
reduced by increasing interior levels in these areas.

Ramps & awkward changes in direction as well as dedicated pedestrian

walkway areas should be highlighted by additional illumination & possibly
by provision of a different surface colour/finish to the floor on walkways.

The areas around coin operated ticket machines should also receive
careful attention to illumination & colour rendering.

Where required lighting fittings may also be colour co-ordinated with

each floor.

The choice of fittings to achieve these results is important. They should be

tough & vandal resistant, give good distribution with minimum glare
particularly as mounting heights are usually low. Polycarbonate diffusers
should be a minimum requirement with suitably finished metal bodies or
gear/reflector enclosures.

Attention to detail in respect of provision for maintenance in the design

of a luminaire will pay dividends over the life of an installation. Such
features should include individual fusing of fittings, cut out ignitors on
discharge lamps, corrosion resistant features & easily removable gear
trays with plug & socket connections for mains wiring to make installation
& maintenance simple & efficient.

The use of emergency versions of fluorescent fittings to operate in

maintained mode on designated escape routes, stairs, landings &
designated pedestrian areas, should be incorporated in the design.

Efficient use of energy is important with high frequency control gear or

low loss gear & electronic starters being specified.

Fittings mounted in areas of multi-story or partially enclosed car parks

which receive a good deal of daylight can be switched via daylight
linked control systems. Either switching out one of two lamps wired to
provide this separate circuit switching or by the provision of a daylight
linked dimming system. See page 496 for details of the energy
saving and lighting control systems.

418
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

The engineering of a scheme to produce a satisfactory installation is not

always straightforward. The construction of a multi-storey car park may
leave the lighting engineer with deep square coffered ceilings or deep
structural beams both of which produce problematical cut-off to fittings
installed in the recess thus created.

A low ceiling height usually precludes mounting fittings directly beneath

such beams or coffers & a simple engineering solution often appears
elusive.

With over 40 years experience in the lighting of car parks Designplan is

able to offer a wide choice of standard or suitably modified fittings to suit
particular site conditions, examples of which are offered upon the
following pages.

Monitor mounted upon special reflector

419
 The following pages divide Car Parks into
separate areas & describe fittings which will
best meet the needs posed by the
CAR PARK particular location.
LIGHTING GUIDE

Parking Floors
Many fittings suggested within this guide have been specifically designed
for car park use.

Consideration should be given by the designer to the conditions which

are likely to be met on any given project & the choice of fitting should be
made with this in mind.

Our ‘Lifetime Guarantee’ (p29) is available on the majority of fittings

mentioned.

Parkalux
(page 148/149) IP55 IK10++

Parkalux, as the name suggests, was designed with parking

areas specifically in mind. It is a strong fitting manufactured
from steel & has a high IP & IK rating. The polycarbonate diffuser has an
internal pattern to ease cleaning & the fitting is complete with a high
efficiency aluminium reflector to provide exceptional light distribution.
T5 Monitor (p151) Parkalux (p148)
Control gear is mounted upon an easily removed gear tray to assist in the
speed & ease of installation & maintenance.

Twin lamp, single lamp & angle versions are available as are self-
contained emergency (p313) & Auto test (p314) options.

Monitor T8 & T5
(page 150/151) IP22/ IP65 IK10++

Single & twin lamp versions available within the same size body
& diffuser.
A significantly more vandal resistant fitting than Sparta, more so even
than Parkalux.

The design is based upon the Home Office prison cell fitting & has passed
their physical abuse tests.

Monitor has been successfully used in many car parks & like Parkalux &
Sparta will provide many years of trouble free, easy to maintain life.

420
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

Sparta
(page 146/147) IP44 IK10

Again available in single & twin lamp versions, Sparta has been
used with considerable success in scores of car parks. Where
there is the risk of moderate vandalism occurring specifiers choose Sparta
fitted with Security Plates, to help prevent the easy removal of diffusers.

As with all of our linear fittings Sparta have strong steel bodies which,
unlike plastic bodied fittings, will not bend to the shape of the ceiling.
The polycarbonate diffuser is held to the steel body within slots along the
sides & ends of the fitting, thus no unsightly, breakable clips spoil their
appearance.

Self-contained or central battery system emergency versions (p313) &

Auto test (p314) facility are available in any of the fittings mentioned. Sparta

Deluxe Brunel
(page 201) IP65 IK10++

The Deluxe Brunel is among the most frequently chosen

discharge fittings for the lighting of car parks.

Purpose designed to meet the specific demands posed by such

installations, Deluxe Brunel, is manufactured from steel & offers good
vandal resistance.

The control lens is moulded in UV stabilised vandal resistant

polycarbonate & is designed to provide a square pattern of illumination.
The advantages of such a distribution are an increase in spacing ratio &
improved uniformity, thus reducing lighting points & consequently capital,
running & maintenance costs.
Deluxe Brunel
The control gear & lamps are assembled onto a hinged gear tray which
provides ease of installation & assist in quick & simple maintenance. Whilst
the standard fitting is provided for surface fixing, semi or fully recessed
version are readily available. In addition a special recess plate can be
manufactured to suit any on site requirements.

Where discharge lighting is being considered, Deluxe Brunel with its many
options , is likely to offer the consulting engineer, designer, installer &
maintenance engineer the best overall package currently available.

421
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

Roof or Top level of car park

A strong weatherproof fitting is required for roof areas.

General area lighting can be provided by either our Solaris (p267), Post
Top Brunel (p273) or Hermes (p274). All have “black out” tops so that
night sky pollution is minimised.

For wall mounted fittings our Pantheon (p205), Wall Mount Brunel (p286)
Pantheon (p205) Post Top Brunel (p273) or Rampart (p166), all being weatherproof and offering good vandal
resistance, are entirely suitable.

Stairways
There are a wide variety of fittings that are suitable for installation in stairways.

Often these areas are among the most prone to vandalism & since it is vital
for safety to always have good illumination to stairs, the chosen fitting must
be able to withstand the likely level of vandalism that may be expected.

Among the choices available are energy saving compact fluorescent

fittings such as Quadrant (p192), Quadring (p222), Circo (p220), Buccaneer
(p179), Rampart (p166) & Aztec (p199), if discharge lamps are preferred
then Brunangle (p200) or Tuscan II (p157) would be suitable.

Linear solutions, usually ceiling mounted, include Tuscan (p153), Rampart

(p166) & Parkalux (p148).

It is advisable to include an emergency facility within fittings so that in the

event of mains failure illumination is maintained, thereby mitigating any
risk to car park users. See page 313 for further information.

422
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

Toilets
These are areas where vandalism is likely to be at its worst & consequently
the major consideration has to be the strength of any fitting chosen.
Designplan has for many years provided very successful solutions to the
lighting of toilet areas.

There exists a considerable choice of well-built energy saving fittings

designed with just such areas in mind.
RDL (p208) Quadring Opal (p222)

Again Parkalux (p148) is ideal or perhaps a version of Tuscan (p153).

Energy saving bulkhead options again include Quadrant (p192),
Buccaneer (p179), RDL (p209), Quadring (p222), Circo (p220), Rampart
(p166) & Aztec (p199).

Ramps
Angle Rampart fittings (p166) are ideally suited to illuminate ramps
leading to car parks.

The body is constructed in heavy gauge aluminium extrusion & has an D872 Angle Ramport (p166) Maxi Callisto (p256)

immensely strong polycarbonate diffuser secured with cast aluminium

end caps, which in turn are held by stainless steel tamperproof screws.

Even in the unlikely event of a car hitting a fitting it is unlikely that any
particular damage would be sustained to the fitting, since Rampart has
been designed with the most severe vandalism & impact in mind.

Alternatively Angle Parkalux (p148), Maxi Callisto (p256) or Tuscan angle

or recessed (p153) would suit.

Lifts
Lift cars are extremely vulnerable to abuse & the lighting used should be
of a very strong vandal resistant type. If recessed then our Bergen (p167)
or Tuscan (p153)are commonly used.

Most frequently chosen surface versions are Circo (p220) Buccaneer

(p179) & Bastion (p170). Angle fittings set into the corner of the car
include Tuscan II (p157) or Rampart (p166).

Whichever is chosen the provision of an emergency lighting facility is

essential for safety & security.

Bergen in lift car (p167)

423
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

Flat Area Car Parks

When lighting flat area car parks consideration must be given to aspects
including vandalism & light pollution.
Designplan offer four designs, all of which are weather & vandal resistant
& can be manufactured to avoid undue light pollution.

Solaris (p266) available for either post top or wall mounting.

Hermes (p274 ) is a round polycarbonate bowl with anti light pollution

top, which is supplied with discharge lamps & is suitable for 76mm spigot
mounting.

Concourse (p271) is a post top fitting of unusual design & is

manufactured from polycarbonate & A.B.S. material. Again is suitable for
76mm spigot mounting.

Post Top Brunel (p273) is based upon the Deluxe Brunel design and can
be supplied for one, two, three or four lamps.

Walkways & Subways

Not all walkways & subways are prone to vandalism as can be seen from
the photograph of the Tower of London subway nevertheless the use of
fittings with high IP & IK ratings provides good insurance in the case of
unexpected attacks.

Tuscan and Centaur, Tower of London (p158 & p300) Unfortunately many walkways & subways continue to suffer severe
vandalism. In such cases the paramount aim must be to ensure that the
lighting will withstand the attack made & continue to provide illumination
in, often, sensitive areas.

Rampart (p166), a fitting from our Tuscan range (p153) or Mission (p146)
would provide the best answer, each being designed with vandalism in
mind, and available with our ‘Lifetime Guarantee’ (p29).

Scores of installations throughout the UK & overseas have been

completed with considerable success utilising these fittings.

424
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

Emergency Lighting
For obvious reasons emergency lighting has become increasingly
important in all public buildings.

It is essential that escape routes are clearly visible in emergency situations

with adequate lighting levels in all areas to ensure prompt & safe
evacuation of buildings. Emergency lighting is available in many different
arrangements & a description of each is offered on page 313.
Maintained Tuscan (p313)

Where possible the use of the standard fitting, which has incorporated
within it the emergency control gear & battery will often be the most cost
effective answer. Not only saving on installation time & money but with
the additional benefit of less fittings cluttering the ceiling resulting in an
aesthetically better installation.

Emergency lighting has, by law, to be regularly tested. To ensure

compliance with current testing procedures we recommend the addition
of an ‘Auto Test’ system within emergency fittings-see page 314.
Circo with lettering (p321)

Signs
Purpose made vandal resistant signs to indicate floor numbers, exits, stairs,
lifts etc. are available. The lettering can be either self- adhesive vinyl or
silk screen printed as required. A range of simple signs is available see
page 319.

Energy Management & Daylight Link Systems.

A full range of energy management systems is available for use in car
park installations, these involve the use of high efficiency high frequency
Autosave
ballasts combined with controls to switch or dim the lamps in relation to
the ambient light.

The controls can be zoned to accommodate differing light levels within

the covered area.

The system is a constant light system with integrated light measurement,

presence detection & optional infrared remote control. This controller
enable operating parameters such as light level, time delay, PIR
operation & power up to be programmed.

See page 496 for details of the energy saving and lighting control
system.

425
 CAR PARK
LIGHTING GUIDE

Tailor-made solutions to on site problems.

Car parks often have low ceilings or deep coffered recesses both of
which make the task of lighting more complex than is ideal.

Designplan have over the years assisted specifiers to overcome such

challenges by designing special mounting plates, pattresses & reflectors to
suit our fittings so as to achieve the best solution to any specific problem.

Standard Deluxe Brunel (p201) Special deep Brunel to fill coffer The photographs shown provide typical examples of special
(p357)
modifications that have been made to assist in achieving the ideal
solutions for past projects.

Please refer to ‘Bespoke’ manufacture on page 357.

Shown here is a standard Deluxe Brunel together with an especially deep

bodied version designed to fill a coffer & thus provide the engineer with the
solution to the lighting of a car park using the minimum number of units.

Monitor mounted upon special reflector (p357)

426