Increasing Property Value Through Landscape Lighting

Property value is measured beyond an actual dollar amount. The appeal of a property and its ability to create a draw of many people is of the utmost importance to any and all property owners. One very important way to increase this appeal is to highlight the best parts of the exterior of the property. How a property looks from the outside at night can make a huge difference. Here are some suggestions for getting the most from your landscape lighting design.

Show Off the Entrance

The entrance of a property is a huge selling point. Property owners want to make sure the front door is highlighted as a focal point. Making sure that it is well lit and features the doorway can give the property a real wow factor. Beyond the great presentation, a lit entryway is also less likely to be burglarized and therefore much more secure. 

Highlight Walkways

Walking paths leading to a door or around the side of a home or other property are also opportunities for additional lighting. There are a number of walkway lighting options to highlight this area specifically. It also adds a level of depth to the overall light concept, featuring all these extras in the landscape design. 

Showcase the Hedges

If you’re going to show off the hedges or other landscaped areas around the building itself, make sure that you keep them manicured and looking very good. Clean lines and attention to this area can be a real showcase for any property, so providing additional lighting is very important for adding value. 

As always, strategic planning with a landscape professional is the best way to optimize your budget and get the most value possible. Exterior lighting is a top priority for buyers, so having the right concept is important. Contact us to help you make this concept a priority, creating a buzz among buyers and ultimately getting a higher bid on the property. 

Do You Need A Parking Lot Lighting Upgrade?

How many times have customers or guests complained to you about your parking lot lights? How many times have you been in a parking lot where the parking lot lighting systems seem to be outdated? If a parking lot is using high-pressure sodium lights, there is a very high chance that the parking lot lighting system is outdated. If a parking lot lighting system is outdated, this could mean the owner is spending too much on electricity and there is likely a lack of the proper lighting controls. 

Today, it has been extensively accepted that LED lights are more efficient, last longer, and have better color than the traditional lights that were used in the pants. LED lights are being used in many parking lots and parking spaces today. If you have a parking lot that you will need to make changes to, we encourage you to consider making the change to LEDs. When you make the switch to LEDs and upgrade your parking lot, you will be able to save a significant amount of money on energy costs.

In previous years, the majority of lighting was controlled by a basic system. The systems were easy to install, but they often worked independently. There was no way to control the lights by an outside source. While this type of setup can work in some situations, many parking lot setups would prefer to have a lighting system that is more intelligent. A lighting system that can connect multiple lights and sensors will give you the opportunity to monitor multiple areas that you need to control. 

If you have been thinking about making the switch to a new parking lot lighting system, we encourage you to ask about LED lighting. It does not matter what type of lighting setup you are considering, we encourage you to think about an intelligent LED lighting system. Contact us today to find out how you can save money on your LED lighting investment. 

3 Reasons to Update Your University’s Exterior Lighting

Don’t let your university be dark at night. Dim, sporadic, and old lighting makes people feel unsafe. It also makes the grounds look uninviting. Here are three reasons why it’s time to start updating the exterior lights.

1. Dim lighting is a safety issue.

Poor lighting will never fully illuminate the outdoor portions of your campus. But if main walkways have stairs or ramps, that can pose a physical hazard to students and professors. Reflective paint and signs can only do so much. Instead, build a plan that illuminates the walkways and highlights turns, stairs, and changes in elevation. Good lighting also keeps your campus paths compliant with ADA requirements.

2. Deter criminal mischief with brighter lights.

Trips and falls aren’t the only dangers that better lighting can mitigate. College campuses need to be designed to protect students from the risk of attack or assault. LEDs and other bright lights provide illumination that makes people feel safer. It also makes potentially violent individuals less likely to break the law.

You can also design your campus’s new lighting plan to take advantage of specific light-based features. Make sure you have well-lit and functional emergency contact lamps throughout the entirety of the grounds. Blue lights also have a proven correlation with lowered crime.

3. Highlight your campus’s architecture.

Lights can protect and deter. But they can also make your campus look even more beautiful. Incorporate layers of exterior lighting so historical buildings and statues are illuminated. Dramatic accent lighting can draw attention to your university’s tallest and oldest buildings. Once you have a solid lighting system in place, your university can host more tours and draw bigger crowds to evening events.

Dim lighting doesn’t do your university justice. Relumination can help redesign and update your university’s lighting. Contact us here to start getting all the benefits of new lighting.

Good LED Illumination is Essential for Safety in Multi-level Parking Garages

All parking garages must have good lighting for safety and security. LED lighting provides safe illumination that eliminates shadows and guides drivers through any parking structure. This is extremely important for parking and safely navigating the maze of lanes and stalls in multi-level parking garages.

Underground parking

Your parking garage may be a subterranean parking lot with multiple levels below one or more buildings. This type of garage may need excellent illumination 24/7, especially if it is part of a hospital complex. People park their vehicles in an area that does not receive daylight. They need sufficient light to read signs and find elevators, stairs, doors, and escalators that will carry them into the buildings. Drivers and passengers will also return to their vehicles that must be located easily.

LED illumination will provide the light necessary for all parking levels to help drivers find their way into and out of complex underground parking structures that have marked directional lanes. Drive lanes often appear to be narrow and drivers backing vehicles out of parking spaces must be able to see oncoming traffic. LED overhead or wall lights will help all drivers judge distances from other vehicles. The lights are designed to provide good illumination without a glare.

Structures above ground

Multi-level parking garages above ground can also be a labyrinth of lanes leading in and out of the structure. While these structures may receive some light during the day, they are often used at night. Lighting must be adequate for your clients, shoppers or residents to park and return to their vehicles.

Good lighting is a deterrent to vehicle break-ins and theft. Security cameras are usually placed in strategic areas of parking garages. Good LED illumination helps the cameras see and often record vehicle and pedestrian movements.

High-performance LED ceiling lights can be placed over parking stalls in all parking structures. Special LED light posts are often used for the uncovered rooftop parking space. LED lighting uses semiconductor technology that consumes less energy than standard fluorescent or incandescent lights. LED fixtures last much longer than conventional lights. This results in saving money on utilities and maintenance.

Contact us at Relumination to evaluate your specific needs for LED lighting in parking structures. We will design a lighting solution that will keep drivers and passengers safe and secure in your parking garage.

Why Do I Need Exterior Lighting for My Business?

Exterior lighting might not be something that all business owners consider when purchasing a new facility, warehouse, parking lot, or other outdoor areas for their company. What many do not know is that having outdoor areas with appropriate lighting can positively impact their business in numerous ways.

Exterior lighting has many benefits, so much so that many individuals even consider it to be a necessity. One large reason for this is safety. Customers are more likely to find a business approachable if it appears to be safe for them and/or their families. Lighting can provide that atmosphere of safety. Criminals are less likely to approach individuals or even attempt to break into a business when there is sufficient lighting in the outdoor areas.

Another benefit of exterior lighting is advertisement. As people are commuting home in the evenings after a long day at work or traveling to and from their children’s after-school activities, they are more likely to notice a business if it is well-lit at night. Signs, billboards, and the building itself naturally draw attention when they have the appropriate amount of lighting. Travelers taking notice of the business itself are more likely to make a visit later.

An additional perk of having outdoor lighting for a business is making the conduction of business a more simple process. Whether it be in the early mornings, dusk, or at night, having proper lighting in the parking lot and around the buildings of one’s business makes deliveries, opening and closing of the business, and loading for customers a much simpler process. This not only makes customers feel invited but also makes them more likely to desire to return in the future and recommending the business to their friends and family members.

If you would like more information on exterior lighting, please contact us. We are here to assist you with all of your commercial lighting needs.

8 Ways in Which LED Lighting Is All Around You

LEDs may be new on the scene but they are already being used a great deal. Many people are currently getting LED lighting upgrades because, as compared to fluorescents, LEDs have a longer life. Plus, they are more energy efficient and emit a cooler light.

You may think that LED lighting is only useful in isolated instances. However, LEDs are often used as indicators i.e., to pass on some kind of message to people. Here are some indicators that we are all familiar with:

  1. Traffic Lights: LED lights are used as traffic lights.
  2. Train Stations and Airports: LEDs are also used on boards that give arrivals and departure information in train stations and airports.
  3. Stadiums: In stadiums as well, LED lights are used on the boards which keep score.
  4. Exit Signs: These are usually made with LED lights.
  5. Ships: Ship navigation lights also make use of LEDs.
  6. Night Vision: LEDs are used when it’s necessary to maintain night vision e.g., airplane cockpits, astronomy observatories etc.
  7. Cars: LED lights have very fast switching times. So they are often used as brake lights in cars. As compared to incandescents, LEDs can light up 0.5 seconds faster. This may not seem like much but it can make all the difference to the car behind you. Similarly, LEDs are also being used for rear lights and headlights in cars and other vehicles.
  8. Glowsticks: LEDs are often used in glowsticks. Although a glowstick is sometimes used as a toy, it can also be used in military, police or fire operations.

So commercial LED lighting may seem like it’s just gaining ground but if you look at the above list, you’ll see that there are many commercial uses of LEDs that we are already familiar with. After all, we’ve all seen traffic lights or been to a baseball game. As a result, we may not know it but we’ve all benefited from the various uses of LED lights.

Contact us for your commercial LED lighting needs.

 

Safety on Campus: How Effective Lighting Means Safer Students

A recent article in The Michigan Daily, the school newspaper of the University of Michigan, reported that students were very concerned about crime in areas where the lighting was poor both at the university and around Ann Arbor in general. According to the article, “Online crime statistics highlight a potential correlation between crime in the city and poorly lit areas.” The statistics show that an assault-type crime is more likely to happen in areas without adequate lighting.

The safety and security of students is a concern for colleges and universities of all sizes, and a primary concern is safety after dark. Classes, meetings, and activities are often held at night. Students spend evening hours on campus studying, sometimes not heading home until after midnight.

Most universities have implemented strategies to help students feel safe on campus, especially after dark. Some of these strategies include apps such as Guardian that will alert a friend if a student encounters trouble, as well as “blue light” kiosks from which a student can call 911. On some campuses, students who are heading home after dark can call a service to request a safety officer walk them home.

Despite measures being taken by college campuses to ensure the safety of their students, the lack of adequate lighting in walkways is still a problem. The reality is that students just do not feel safe walking around campus in the dark. A University of Michigan sophomore stated that “When going to study at night, students have to worry about how they are walking home and if they have friends to walk home with because of the poor lighting. I even have found myself walking home earlier than I wanted to from the library because of the poor lighting on campus. This has definitely impacted my studies.”

American School & University Magazine, a publication devoted to campus design, suggests “well-lighted pathways between destinations help students feel — and stay — safe. Lighting extends to many other areas as well. Consider the lighting inside hallways and stairwells and in parking lots.” As more and more crimes are reported on college campuses, it is increasingly critical that students feel safe.

The concerned Michigan students have started a petition to improve the lighting at the University of Michigan and in the streets of Ann Arbor surrounding the university. The petition called “Bright Students Need Bright Lights” seems to be working, as city officials voted this past March to nearly double their budget for street lighting and to work with university officials to light the areas where students need to walk at night.

To learn more about how effective lighting can have a positive impact on safety, contact us.

Three Ways to Make Your Store More Inviting at Night with LEDs

LEDs are quickly becoming the best lighting choice across multiple industries. The bulbs have a lot to offer, especially once the Internet of Things and smart devices get involved. But LEDs have also come under a lot of heat for increased light pollution: even though the individual bulbs might give users more directional control and lighting options, people are using LEDs more and more (and for longer into the night). Use these three modifications to make your store’s exterior more inviting and decrease the annoying light pollution:

1. Change your LEDs’ brightness to a warmer setting.

Daylight settings are perfect for your stores during the day. They replicate natural lighting, make displays more vivid, and make people more alert. A daylight level setting is even useful at night for spaces like hospitals and 24/7 security stations because they help reduce drowsiness. But your store doesn’t need that level of illumination at night. Switch the bulbs to a warmer setting for a yellower, softer light that doesn’t cause as much light pollution and which makes the store look cozier.

2. Add sensors to your lighting.

If your store has illuminated walkways or outside sitting areas, make sure the surrounding light fixtures are equipped with sensors. Then you can automatically power down the brightness at night or turn on lights only when the sun sets. You can also add motion-sensing technologies so portions of your store’s exterior are lighted only when someone needs it.

3. Make sure the lights are safer for nearby drivers and pedestrians.

LEDs are bright and give off multi-directional light. While this can be useful for lighting up a large space, it can be dangerous for drivers who have to deal with the glare. Use directional bulbs and barriers to keep the light pointing downward or at the right angle to provide illumination without piercing light.

If you want to implement LEDs in your store or facility, connect with us!

Don’t Just Replace Your Light Bulbs: Why Parking Lot Lighting Needs to Be Redesigned Around LEDs

LEDs are a great transformation in lighting, both in the private and public sector. The individual bulbs are more energy-efficient and give a greater degree of control to the operator. They give off less heat, and they last thousands of hours longer than other types of bulbs. But sometimes their brightness and advantages can get in the way of good lighting design. Here are two constraints to plan for when lighting up your parking lots with LEDs.

Bright LEDs create strong shadows.

Bright lighting in potentially dangerous areas creates more good than it creates harm. Parking lots and parking garages with high degrees of illumination deter significant percentages of criminal activity, and it makes people feel safe. But bright light creates harsh shadows, especially if the light is directionally controlled, and the sudden contrast between bright and dim can make it harder to see as people transition to darker areas. Make sure your new lighting design minimizes blind spots and dark patches that can be dangerous for pedestrians and drivers.

Too much brightness can be dangerous in other ways, too. Because the light output of LEDs doesn’t diminish with distance like with other lights, it can increase glare and misperceptions of distance. If you have a lot with tightly-packed, highly reflective cars, this can increase the number of small traffic incidents on your property. Look for designs that minimize glare and any wanted aspects of brightness.

Use LEDs to lower costs instead of increasing illumination too far.

While certain areas need to be brighter for more effective mobility and greater safety, the low price of lighting is making many properties use more light than they necessarily need. When you’re redesigning your lighting system, make sure to find the right balance between increased illumination and decreased expenses. The value of switching to an LED lighting system isn’t just in the brightness; it’s in the long-term savings.

Go to Relumination for more tips about how to design the optimal lighting environment for both your users’ safety and your budget.

Is It Time To Upgrade Your Parking Garage Lighting Fixtures?

As an owner of a property, improving the safety and security of your tenants, clients, guests is likely one of your top priorities. Another top priority of yours should also be saving energy. When energy savings and lighting become the topic of a conversation, people usually discuss switching from the fluorescent light bulbs to LED lighting.

LEDs have a greater energy efficiency, they have a longer period of life, and they will provide outstanding illumination for your parking garage. If you are already using LED lighting in your building, you are probably wondering how you can get the most out of LED lighting for your parking garage.

Building owners will spend billions of dollars on their parking garage lighting and other fixtures. Your parking garage and other areas of your property are operating 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. It is not surprising that the costs are so high when you factor in all the expenses and the countless usage hours. When you take the time to upgrade your traditional parking garage lighting fixtures to the improved LED lighting fixtures, you will see major improvements in regards to security, safety, and your finances.

Safety Is Always Important

LED lighting will provide you with incredible illumination throughout your entire parking garage. When the color rendering is improved, you will be able to better assist people who are walking to and from their vehicles. You will also make pedestrians feel more comfortable because they can see what is taking place in the parking garage. The improved lighting will also provide better results when you need to view your video cameras and security systems.

Finances

LED lighting will provide you with the energy reduction you need to improve your financial savings. You will see a 3/4 reduction in the amount of energy that is consumed on a daily basis. This means you will be able to save over 60 percent in lighting costs. Your LED lights will not consume as much energy as the fluorescent bulbs you are currently using. LEDs can also last for many years without needing to be replaced.

You may think upgrading your parking garage lighting will cost you a significant amount of money, but that will not be the case when you make LED upgrades. Contact us today for more information.