Pol04 - Reduction of night time light pollution – Above Green

(1 credit available)

Aim

To ensure that external lighting is concentrated in the appropriate areas and that upward lighting is minimised, reducing unnecessary obtrusive light pollution, energy consumption and nuisance to neighbouring properties.

Assessment criteria

The following is required to demonstrate compliance:

One credit

Where external obtrusive lighting has been eliminated through effective design that removes the need for external lighting without adversely affecting the safety and security of the site and its users.

OR alternatively, where the building does have external lighting, one credit can be awarded as follows:

All external lighting (except for safety and security lighting) can be automatically switched off between 23:00 and 07:00.

Illuminated advertisements, where specified comply with:

3.a

The maximum luminance (CD/m²) outlined in Table 60 (please refer to Additional information for a definition of the different zones)

3.b

In Zone E1 (see Table 60) the maximum luminance value shall be zero post-curfew.

If safety or security lighting is provided and will be used between 23:00 and 07:00:

4.a

Safety and security lighting complies with the lower levels of lighting recommended during these hours in accordance with CIE 150-2003 and CIE 126-1997, for example by using an automatic switch to reduce the lighting levels at 23:00 or earlier.

Checklists and tables

Table 60Recommendations for maximum luminance (CD/m²)

Illuminated Area (m²)	Zone E1	Zone E2	Zone E3	Zone E4
< 10.00	100	600	800	1000
≥ 10.00	N/A	300	600	600

Table 61 Environmental lighting zone

Zone	Surrounding	Lighting Environment	Examples
E1	Natural	Intrinsically dark	National parks or protected sites
E2	Rural	Low district brightness	Industrial or residential rural areas
E3	Suburban	Medium district brightness	Industrial or residential suburbs
E4	Urban	High district brightness	Town centres and commercial districts

Compliance notes

Ref	Terms	Description
Shell and core (non-residential and residential institutions only)
CN1	Applicable assessment criteria	Both options: All criteria relevant to the building type and function apply. Refer to Appendix D – Shell and core project assessments for a more detailed description of the shell and core assessment options.
Residential - Partially fitted and fully fitted
CN2	Applicable Assessment criteria - Single and multiple dwellings	Both options: This issue is not applicable. Refer to Appendix E – Applicability of BREEAM New Construction to single and multiple dwellings, partially and fully fitted for a more detailed description of residential assessment options.
General
CN3	Setting a curfew	The Commission Internationale d'Eclairage (CIE) guidance recommends the setting of a curfew. This will normally include floodlighting, signage and all lighting that is not required for safety or security. Illuminated advertisements may be excluded from this requirement, but will need to comply with different levels of maximum luminance depending on the surrounding and background environment (see criterion 3 ) Where a different curfew time applies for other reasons (e.g. noise control), consideration should be given to the coordination of the curfews, e.g. allowing sufficient time of operation for the lighting after the conclusion of the activity to facilitate crowd dispersal, particularly where large numbers of spectators are involved.
CN3.1	Non-security lighting considered to be essential between 23:00 and 07:00	Where non-security lighting is considered to be essential between 23:00 and 07:00, i.e. for buildings which open or operate between these times, the lighting system is able to automatically switch to the lower levels of lighting recommended in CIE 150-2003 and CIE 126-1997 for lighting during these hours (or provide these lower levels at all times).
CN3.2	Maximum luminance	When considering the zone in which an advertising sign is, or is intended to be, sited, the contrast with the surrounding or background should be taken into account (e.g. the surrounding could be unlit when viewed from the road or a residential window) and the zone adjusted accordingly. Where an illuminated sign lies on the boundary of two zones or can be observed from another zone, the illumination level used should be that applicable to the most rigorous zone.

Methodology

The following provides guidance on when and how to apply the criteria to the external lighting associated with a building being assessed.

Where the assessment is of an individual building on an existing site then only those areas affected by the works, i.e. within the construction zone, need to be assessed. Where the assessment is of a building that forms part of an entire new development, the criteria apply site-wide.
If the scope of the assessment covers a new extension only, then only new lighting specified as part of the extended works needs to be assessed.
Flush stud lights used for safety purposes in vehicle manoeuvring areas may be excluded from the assessment.
Where light fittings are specified to comply with specific security standards and these conflict with the BREEAM criteria, they can be excluded from the assessment of this issue. In these circumstances the assessor must obtain evidence confirming the specific security standards, and that they are applicable to the assessed development.

Evidence

Criteria

Interim design stage

Final post-construction stage

All

Design drawings.

Relevant section or clauses of the building specification or contract or external lighting design data or calculations.

In the case of the external lighting design, the M&E engineer or lighting designer must provide indicative examples of where and how the strategy complies with the assessment criteria.

BREEAM Assessor’s site inspection report and photographic evidence AND EITHER

Written confirmation from the project team that the solutions assessed at the design stage have been implemented OR

Where the design has changed, evidence is provided for post-construction and as-built details.

Night-time lighting levels report or any other relevant study.

BREEAM Assessor’s site inspection report and photographic evidence or as-built drawings.

Night-time lighting levels report or any other relevant study.

Additional information

Relevant definitions

Advertisements: Any word, letter, model, sign, placard, board, notice, awning, blind, device or representation, in the nature of, and employed wholly or partly for the purposes of advertisement or announcement. This also includes any hoarding or similar structure used, or designed or adapted for use for the display of advertisements.
Construction zone: For the purpose of this issue the construction zone is defined as the site which is being developed for the BREEAM-assessed building and its external site areas, i.e. the scope of the new works.
Illuminated advertisements: An advertisement which is designed or adapted to be illuminated by artificial lighting, directly or by reflection.

Lighting zones: The contrast with the surrounding or background, and therefore the lighting environment of the building, changes the perception of luminance. The maximum luminance of the advertisement needs therefore to be adapted depending on the lighting environment.

Other information

The design should be checked for compliance against the Commission Internationale d'Eclairage (CIE) guidance.

This gives four sets of recommendations:

Limits to the average upward light ratio of the luminaires, to restrict sky glow
Limiting illuminance at the windows of nearby properties for which light trespass might be an issue
Limiting the intensity of each light source in potentially obtrusive directions beyond the site boundaries
Limiting the average luminance of the building, if it is floodlit.

In each case the limiting values depend on the location of the site of the building (for example rural, urban or city centre). A calculation of illuminance (b) or intensity (c) is not required if all luminaires are cut-off types and angled so that light in potentially obtrusive directions is blocked.

Compliance with the International Dark Skies Association Model Ordinance Guidance: www.darksky.org/assets/documents/MLO/MLO_FINAL_June2011.pdf may also ensure the requirements for this credit are met.