Measurement and Application of “BUG”

(Backlight, Uplight and Glare) Ratings for

Outdoor Lighting

Graeme G Lister and David M Keith

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The Earth at Night

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 Outdoor Lighting

• Light for night time visual activities

• Safety/Security
• Improve lighting visibility on roadways
• Enhance beauty of architecture, monuments etc.
• Enhance social experience
• Positive influence on municipal economy

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Potential Negative Aspects of Outdoor Lighting

• Nuisance for local residence

• Light Pollution – Dark Sky, Astronomy
• Glare
• Disturbance of Natural Habitat
• Contribution to Carbon Footprint

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 Outdoor Lighting Design

• Luminaire Optics
• Luminaire Location
• Light where it is needed
• Lighting Quality
• Visual Tasks
• Aesthetics
• Safety
• Security
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 Outdoor Lighting Guidance

IES Luminaire Classification System (LCS)

for Outdoor Luminaires
IES TM-15-11

JOINT IDA – IES MODEL LIGHTING

ORDINANCE (MLO)

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 Luminaire Classification System (LCS)
LCS: • Defines standard solid angles for evaluation
and comparison of outdoor luminaires
• Uses existing photometric test data, easily
incorporated into software tools
• Enables designers to evaluate and compare
lumen distribution for various types of
luminaire optics

LCS provides guidance in designing outdoor lighting projects,

but cannot account for variations in eye response and
perception
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Luminaire System Classification
Three Primary Solid Angles

Source: IES TM-15-11

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 Forward Light
Secondary Solid Angle

Pole mounting height H

FL: d< 0.6H
FM: 0.6H<d<1.7H
FH: 1.7H<d<5.7H
FVH: d>5.7H

Source: IES TM-15-11

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 Backward Light
Secondary Solid Angle

Pole mounting height H

BL: d< 0.6H
BM: 0.6H<d<1.7H
BH: 1.7H<d<5.7H
BVH: d>5.7H

Source: IES TM-15-11

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 Upward Light
Secondary Solid Angle

Source: IES TM-15-11

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Backlight Ratings (Zonal Lumens)

Uplight Ratings (Zonal Lumens)

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 Glare

• Luminance too high

• Luminance ratio too high
- discomfort glare
- reduction in visual performance

Glare is in the eye of the beholder

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 Discomfort Glare

1. Luminance of the glare source

2. Size of the glare source
3. Position of the source in the field of view
4. Luminance of the background

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Glare Ratings (Zonal Lumens)

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250 W HID Luminaire “Shoebox”

B2 U0 G2

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 Photometry
• BUG ratings based on photometric data ,
measured in IES-approved manner (e.g. LM-35-
02, HID and Incandescent)
• Luminaire lumens calculated based on
measured intensities in specific solid angles
(separation 2.5 deg.) about the luminaire.

• Rated power, <3% harmonics in wave form

• Avoid stray light

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How Do We Measure Light?
• Quantity
• Direction
• Colour
• Time

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 The Trouble with the Lumen
- Measures quantity only
- Colour Blind (no spectral component)

• Forward Light: Need to know useful light

• Upward Light Need watts, not lumens
Spectra important:
- Atmospheric reactions
- Wildlife
- Astronomy
• Glare Need spectral information
Age of population

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 Conclusions

• BUG ratings are a guide - quantitative, not qualitative

• Need for something to augment the lumen
• Multi-disciplinary approach (Industry, Municipalities,
Researchers
• CORM can play a role in identifying new definitions

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Thanks to:

• CORM

• David Keith

• Ceravision
Ref:
Luminaire Classification System
For Outdoor Luminaires
IES TM-15-11

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