Sustainable Exterior Lighting Solutions for Student Safety on Campus

Quality exterior lighting on university estates improves safety, security, and the overall campus experience for students and staff.

Furthermore, LED based systems are more energy efficient than traditional lighting, helping to reduce the carbon footprints of university estate. LEDs can also help minimise light pollution, protecting urban dark skies.

This article explores seven strategies through which LED lighting systems enhance campus safety and sustainability. We explore into how these systems provide effective and environmentally friendly solutions.

1. Enhancing Student Safety with Brighter and More Uniform Exterior Lighting

University campuses often cover large areas, with students moving between buildings, halls of residence, and libraries at all hours. Appropriate lighting for pathways and open spaces improves visibility, reducing the risk of accidents. Better illumination also discourages potential criminal activity.

Well-lit walkways reduce shadowing by offering more uniform illumination, helping students feel safer when walking around campus at night. This enables them to focus on campus life without the added concern of navigating dark areas.

Emergency exterior LED lighting systems further enhance campus safety and security by providing reliable lighting to guide people to safety and reduces the risk of accidents during emergencies.

2. Lighting to Support Student and Staff Wellbeing

Lighting plays a significant role in mental wellbeing. Well-lit environments promote a sense of security and wellbeing, helping to reduce stress levels among students and staff alike. Comfortable lighting can contribute to a more relaxed atmosphere, reducing stress and helping to prevent incidents of harassment or bullying. This helps students feel more at ease when walking around campus after dark.

Quality exterior LED lighting systems on campus also boost wellbeing by supporting crime prevention and accidents and trips and falls.

3. Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings with Lighting

LEDs consume up to 80% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs (Energy Saving Trust), resulting in substantial savings on utility bills. Moreover, LED lights have a longer lifespan, reducing the need for frequency replacements and maintenance. Over time, the cost savings from energy efficiency and reduced maintenance translate into significant financial benefits for universities, allowing them to reinvest in other campus improvements.

4. Lighting for Sustainability and Environmental Credentials

LED lights produce less carbon emissions due to their energy efficiency. By choosing LED lighting, universities demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility. This helps reduce campus carbon footprints and, furthermore, appeals to environmentally conscious students and staff who value sustainability in their educational environment.

In the UK, over 170 higher education institutions are involved in the Race to Zero initiative, committing to strategies that reduce carbon emissions. LED lighting offers a relative low-cost solution to help meet net zero goals.

5. Reducing Light Pollution on Campus

Urban light pollution is a growing concern in the UK as highlighted in a 2023 Science and Technology Committee report to the House of Lords. The health and environmental consequences of light pollution can be mitigated by DarkSky friendly lighting systems. These systems include shielded fixtures designed to direct light where it is needed, minimising upward and outward light dispersion.

By controlling the direction of light, the fixtures significantly reduce light pollution while still providing adequate illumination for safety and visibility.

Lights with lower intensity and warmer colour temperatures contribute to softer and more ambient illumination. This enhances visibility and reduces the overall impact on the night sky. Tamlite’s CITY range of exterior luminaires include DarkSky approved products.

6. Smart Lighting Solutions for Easier Campus Estate Management

Exterior LED lighting systems can be integrated with smart technologies, allowing for advanced control and automation features. Using wireless platforms, estate managers can remotely monitor and adjust lighting settings across campus, optimising energy usage and enhancing security. For example, motion sensors and occupancy detectors can be integrated into LED fixtures to automatically adjust lighting levels based on occupancy.

7. Improved Campus Design and Aesthetics through Lighting

LED lighting enhances the overall aesthetic of a campus, helping to create a sense of place. LED fixtures can be designed to complement the architectural style of the university, creating a visually appealing environment that is inviting and comfortable for both students and staff.

Conclusion

LED lighting is a multi-faceted solution that enhances safety, reduces costs, improves aesthetics, and supports sustainability. By investing in this relatively low-cost lighting technology, higher education institutions can create a safer, more sustainable and more welcoming campus that supports both academic success and personal wellbeing.

• Tamlite’s CITY range of urban luminaires delivers high quality, DarkSky Approved exterior lighting suitable for a wide variety of applications, including university estates. From lantern fittings for roads and car parks to bollards and wall lights to illuminate the way for pedestrians, the CITY range covers every outdoor space – and the luminaires are all Dark Sky Approved. For information about our interior lighting products for the education sector, please visit our website.