This private home was set within a relatively dark zone in Berkshire, and the owners wanted to apply for planning permission to extend the property . Their application needed to demonstrate that no excess light would spill to the property boundaries, and that existing bat and bird housings would be undisturbed – but the lighting proposed would also need to be adequate for the owners as well.
We were approached by the owners to support them with their application, and ensure that the lighting elements of the proposal would balance all these needs.
We undertook a virtual survey of the current house, and used 3D lighting level calculations to assess the impact of the existing internal lighting, and the new proposed external lighting. We identified the locations of the bird and bat boxes, which confirmed that commuting and foraging bats were present within the project boundaries.
With this information in hand, we created new lighting design proposals to limit the impact of light pollution from artificial light on the neighbouring nature conservation. We created lighting calculations to present an isolux contour map, and gave careful consideration to the lighting equipment and methods to be used as measures to avoid unnecessary light pollution, and to keep any light spillage to 1lux both vertically and horizontally.
Our lighting plan was sensitive to the needs of the area, but practical and attractive for the owners – and planning permission was granted.