LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

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 UNIT V

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TYPES OF GARDEN LIGHTING

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GARDEN LIGHTING PURPOSE, FEATURES AND ITS EFFECTS

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BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE LIGHTING DESIGN FOR THE
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR LANDSCAPE

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PLANNING THE LIGHTING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND

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INSTALLATION
 LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

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*Landscape lighting has excessive potential
to enhance the landscape and provides
many benefits for both residential and

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commercial applications.
*Landscape lighting can add safety, security,

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ambiance, mood and drama to the outdoor
environment. Limited only to the designers
imagination, the practical functions and

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various mood effects of landscape lighting
are endless.

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1 SAFETY. One of the primary functions of
exterior lighting is to insure safe passage for
pedestrians on steps, sidewalks, walkways or
other areas where aspects of the outdoor
LANDSCAPE
LIGHTING

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environment may become a hazard at night. Safety
lighting typically projects downward and never
into ones eyes and is free from glare.

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2SECURITY. Low levels of light evenly spread around the
perimeter of buildings can act as a preventive to intruders and
provide greater security than floods which create pools of light

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along with dark shadows where someone can hide. Light sources
that emit low level light from the knee down silhouette prowlers
and make them visible from every angle.

S . A 3AMBIANCE AND DRAMA. Beauty, hospitality and

drama are enhanced by the proper selection and
placement of landscape lights. Choosing focal points of
architecture, art, unique features and landscape plant
material can add night time drama to the landscape
after the sun has set.
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LIGHTING SOURCES
Solar Lights

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* Solar lights make use of tiny
photo voltaic cells (PV cells) or

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solar powered cells to charge the
battery that is integrated into
lighting fixtures.

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With PV panel
* Most manufactures prefer to

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install PV cell into the lighting
fixture itself. These cant work if
they are placed in shade.

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* Other solar landscaping models
tend to separate the PV panel
from the lighting fixture. Thus the
PV panel will be able to receive
maximum sunlight. Drawback is
that wire have to be buried.
Without PV panel
Incandescent lamps
An incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent
light globe is an electric light which produces light with

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a filament wire heated to a high temperature by an electric current
passing through it, until it glows

u p Gas discharge lamps

An Gas-discharge lamps are a family of artificial light sources that

generate light by sending an electrical discharge through
an ionized gas, a plasma. The character of the gas discharge depends
on the pressure of the gas as well as the frequency of the current.

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Typically, such lamps use a noble
gas (argon, neon, krypton and xenon) or a mixture of these gases.

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Fluorescent Lights

A long straight tube coated with phosphor

containing low pressure mercury that produces
white light.

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Halogen Lights
High pressure incandescent lamps containing
halogen gases such as iodine or bromine

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allowing filament to be operated at higher
temperatures.

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Sodium vapour lamps
A sodium-vapour lamp is a gas-discharge lamp that

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uses sodium in an excited state to produce light.

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There are two varieties of such lamps: low pressure
and high pressure. Low-pressure sodium lamps are
highly efficient electrical light sources, but their

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yellow light restricts applications to outdoor lighting
such as street lamps. They produce less light pollution
than mercury lamps.
Mercury vapour lamps

A mercury-vapour lamp is a gas discharge lamp that

uses an electric arc through vaporized mercury to

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produce light. Mercury vapour lamps are more
energy efficient than incandescent and most fluorescent
lights, with luminous efficacies of 35 to 65

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lumens/watt. Their other advantages are a long bulb
lifetime in the range of 24,000 hours and a high

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intensity, clear white light output. For these reasons,
they are used for large area overhead lighting, such as in
factories, warehouses, and sports arenas as well as

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for streetlights.
Metal halide lamps

A metal-halide lamp is an electric lamp that produces light by

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an electric arc through a gaseous mixture of

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vaporized mercury and metal halides (compounds of metals
with bromine or iodine). It is a type of high-intensity
discharge (HID) gas discharge lamp. Developed in the 1960s, they are

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similar to mercury vapour lamps, but contain additional metal halide
compounds in the arc tube, which improve the efficacy and colour
rendition of the light.
5. neon Lights

rarefied neon or other gases.

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* Neon lighting consists of brightly glowing, electrified glass tubes or bulbs that contain

* Neon lights are a type of cold cathode gas-discharge light. A neon tube light is a

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sealed glass tube with a metal electrode at each end, filled with one of a number of
gases at low pressure.
*Neon lights were named for neon, a noble gas which gives off a popular red light, but
other gases and chemicals are used to produce other colors, such

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as helium (yellow), carbon dioxide (white), and mercury (blue).

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diodes (led)
*Earlier only halogen or fluorescent lamps could provide the punch, color, and energy

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savings for certain landscape applications, LEDs are now available with these important
attributes, as well as added benefits of very long life and durability.

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*Light emitting diodes (led) are tiny light bulbs without filament that are illuminated
solely by the movements of electrons in a semiconductor material.
Light fixtures

There are two categories of fixtures

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Decorative these fixtures need to conform to the style of the landscape during the

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day and can contribute to the luminous composition at night
Functional fixtures are used to create visual effects throughout the landscape and
are typically hidden from view.

Lanterns

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They are decorative fixtures. They include traditional fixtures that recalls outdoor

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lights of earlier times in history. They are mostly found in the Japanese gardens.

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Bollards and path fixtures

Bollards provide task light for

walkways and carry a visual

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design style through the site.

Path fixtures will be smaller in

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size and more residential in
appearance.

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Post, Wall-Mounted and hanging fixtures

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The main purpose is visual decoration and provide walkway light, identification or
general illumination.

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Post fixtures are often used at driveways, walkways entrances.
Wall and hanging fixtures are used to beautify the entrances

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Surface mounted fixtures

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These fixtures are intended to illuminate steps can be recessed into either sidewalls
of stairs, into the risers or under the nose of a tread.

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These fixtures are often quite small in order to recess into walls of limited thickness.

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 1. Brightness
Factors to be taken into consideration`

It is always important to avoid glare, which will ruin the entire space.

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2. Distance and angle of light

It is important that if the subject is at a distance from the light bulb the light source

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should be brighter.
The effect of lighting is also influenced by the angle at which the light strikes a surface.
If a circular light strikes the surface at right angles to the wall it will provide a circle of

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light but the same light when kept at a distance and placed at a different angle will
produce light for a larger, oval area.
3. Depth

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To manipulate depth, it is important to identify three zones in the scene:
Foreground - brighter
Mid-ground bright/dark

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Background brightest

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The depth of the lighting can be limited to hide an ugly feature n the
background such as a power pole. In this case, the Background may not be lit
at all.

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The depth can be limited to add mystery or drama.

To create focal point in the mid-ground a layer of soft light can be provided

4. Reflectance

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The word reflectance is used to describe the % of light reflected from a surface.

Dark colors reflect much less than light colors

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Rough surfaces scatter light and significantly reduce the amount reflected
towards the eye compared to smooth surfaces.
5. Choosing light bulbs

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Good lighting is fundamentally about choosing the right bulb for the job.

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Garden lighting is principally about creating effects, and it requires a

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considerable degree of control in the direction of the light source.

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6. Color rendering
The artificial lighting that tries to match with the natural day light color a

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phenomenon is called Color rendering.
7. Color temperature

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This is primarily to do with the warm and cool colors

8. Life of the light bulb

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9. Energy efficiency

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1. Directional lighting
Types of garden lighting

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Projector type of bulbs, particularly low voltage halogen bulbs, metal halides
bulbs are used to create directional lighting. It can be mounted which performs
the function of up-lighting or down-lighting

2. Area lighting

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Wall mounted lights or post mounted lights are generally used to spread the light
over the entire area.

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3. Flood lighting

Mostly seen in sports stadium where the aim is to allow sports to be conducted in

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conditions as near to daylight as possible

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4. Security lighting

Flood lighting is means of security lighting, the term Security lighting is

usually associated with an individual fixture to prevent the intruders.
 5. Path Lighting

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*This technique is used primarily for safety to
path to ensure safe pedestrian passage at night.

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highlight sidewalks, drives, or any

*Choose pathway lights offering downlighting with emphasis placed on fixtures

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that incorporate diffused or shielded lamps.

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*Avoid lighting that shines in the eyes. Since path light fixtures become an
integral part of the landscape during the day, attention should be paid to
placement and daytime appearance.

*Typical fixtures: mushrooms, tulip light, lantern, specialty lights

 6. Step / deck Lighting

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*Step lighting brings deck to life in night

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and help us to navigate stairs safely during

3.underwater
night.

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*Its fixtures can be installed beneath
benches, as recessed light in the risers of
step and as a surface lights on vertical
Lighting

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*Underwater lighting highlights underwater

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plant material and captures light to show off
depth or imaginative design.
posts.

*Typical fixtures: spot/accent light,

specialty lights

dark.

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* Illuminating water-bodies not only increase
their attractiveness but also ensures safety in

*Cascading fountains and falls reflect light in

their movement adding a visual perspective to
the sound of rippling or spraying water.
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 Garden Lighting Effects

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6. Architectural
Lighting
*The techniques of architectural
lighting are used to emphasize the
variation in texture as well as

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architectural features in brick and stone
work, soffit details and facade.
*Architectural lighting can also be used
to enhance gateways, statues

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* Shadowing

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* Silhouetting

* Grazing Light
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Architectural Lighting
*Spotlighting or Highlighting

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Spotlighting or Highlighting

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This effect utilizes a narrow focused, deep beam of light to accent or highlight a specific
landscape object creating nighttime main point. Uplighting, downlighting or any combination
can be used to create a spotlighting effect; however, care should be given when spotlighting
since it has so much potential of ruining a subtle beauty and enhancement of the nightscape if
too much light is introduced.
 4. UP Lighting

* Uplighting means to light something

5. down Lighting

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*Mirroring the effect of the sun or the moon,
from below.

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downlighting is the most natural form of

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landscape lighting.

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*Uplighting is rarely seen in nature yet
this effect is typically used to highlight
the trees, statues etc.
*Choose fixtures that can easily be mounted
on eaves and walls or suspended from trees
and other elevated structures.

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* and to produce large shadows and
dramatic facades or to wash walls with
light.
*The Downlighting effect is used to provide
general illumination for safety, security or
outdoor entertainment or it can be used to
focus on a singular object such as a statue or
specimen tree.
 Silhouetting

Silhouetting is created when the image of a distinctive plant,

tree, statue or other landscape object is reflected against a wall
or other vertical surface. Lights are placed behind the plant

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material or object to and direct the light upward onto the
backdrop to create this dramatic effect.

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Shadowing
This effect creates a visual similar to silhouetting; however; the
fixture is positioned in front of the plant or object rather than

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behind it. Since the shadow of the object is often magnified the
effect can be more dramatic than silhouetting.

. A Grazing Light
Grazing light is utilized to highlight and enhance the textures of
interesting surfaces such as cobblestone, masonry, stucco or

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tree bark. Hooded fixtures with wide beam spread lamps are
ideal for this technique.
Washing

Providing an even coverage of light on a wall

is called Washing.
The garden walls lacking texture, washing

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will draw attention to colour to define the
space.

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The most common method of wall washing
is to use small floodlights as down-lights
under the eaves of a house.

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Cross lighting

Cross lighting is most often used where lighting

from the side will emphasize texture and form

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than lighting from the front.

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