Dark Skies/Light Impact Assessment
Appendix A – Light and Obtrusive Light Standards and Guidance Documents
British Standards
CIE Standards
ILP Publications
SLL/CIBSE Publications
Other publications worth noting
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Appendix A – Light and Obtrusive Light Standards and Guidance Documents

Below are just a few examples of documents that may be relevant when designing lights for the external environment. The important point to note is that a suitably qualified lighting designer should always be consulted to ensure the right standards and guidance are referenced.

Please note that not all guidance listed in the next sections are freely accessible.

British Standards

BS 5489-1:2020 Code of practice for the design of road lighting – Part 1 Lighting of roads and public amenity areas

BS EN 13201-2:2015 Road lighting; Part 2: Performance requirements

BS EN 13201-3:2015 Road lighting; Part 3: Calculation of performance

BS EN 13201-4:2015 Road lighting; Part 4: Methods of measuring lighting performance

BS EN 12193:2018 Light and lighting; Sports lighting

PD CEN TR 13201-1:2014 Road lighting; Guidelines on selection of lighting classes

BS EN 12464-2:2014 Light and lighting; Lighting of work places; Part 2 Outdoor work places

BS EN 1838:2013 Lighting Applications – Emergency Lighting

BS 5266-1:2016 Emergency lighting – Part 1 Code of Practice for the Emergency Lighting of Premises

CIE Standards

001 Guidelines for minimizing urban skyglow near astronomical observatories

CIE 094-1993 Guide for flood lighting

CIE 112-1994 Glare evaluation system for use within outdoor sport and area lighting

CIE 115:2010 Lighting of roads for motor and pedestrian traffic

CIE 126:1997 Guidelines for Minimising Sky Glow

CIE 129:1998 Guide for lighting exterior working areas

CIE 136:2000 Guide to the lighting of urban areas

CIE 150:2017 Guide on the Limitation of the Effects of Obtrusive Light from Outdoor Lighting Installations

CIE 169:2005 Practical design guidelines for the lighting of sport events for colour ILP publications

ILP Publications

PLG 04 Guidance on undertaking environmental lighting impact assessments

PLG 05 The brightness of illuminated advertisements

PLG 06 Guidance on seasonal decorations and lighting column attachments

PLG 23 Lighting for Cycling Infrastructure

GN01/21 Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Obtrusive Light

GN08/18 Bats and Artificial Lighting in the UK

GN 09 Domestic Security Lighting: Getting it right!

SLL/CIBSE Publications

LG 01: The industrial environment (2018)

LG 04: Sports lighting (2023)

LG 06: The outdoor environment (2016)

LG 21: Protecting the night-time environment (2021)

  • This document is available online through the following link: https://www.cibse.org/knowledge-research/knowledge-portal/lg21-protecting-the-night-time-environment

Other publications worth noting

Dark Skies of the North Wessex Downs

All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Dark Skies: Ten Dark Sky policies for the government

South Downs National Park Authority Tranquillity Study

Yorkshire Dales National Park External Lighting Master Plan

Other National Parks, local authorities bordering National Landscapes and national policy makers (APPG for Dark Skies) also offer recommendations and guidance to do with the reduction and control of light pollution.