Having trouble finding a good lighting designer?

Finding a good street lighting designer is not always the easy thing in the world to do. Whether you are looking for an interior or external lighting design solution you need to find the right person or company to suit your needs. Around the country there are 100’s of different lighting consultants that specialise in various different tasks from architectural lighting to highway lighting design to decorative lighting or amenity centres etc..

The term architectural design is broadly used for the illumination of buildings The purpose of architectural lighting is to obtain sufficient light for the illumination of a building, with the balance of utilising an energy efficient scheme, cost efficiency and good night time appearance. A good architectural lighting designer should understand the principles of lighting distribution and perception of the humans eye to ensure an aesthetically pleasing scheme.

A street lighting designer is a designer that positions street lights along a road, car park or amenity service area. In order to be a good street lighting designer you should have been on the relevant Institution of Lighting Professionals courses and obtain a lighting diploma. Most local authorities also require a street lighting designer to be qualified and registered with the Engineering Council as either Associate Member of Member level. This shows good compliance and understanding of the industry as a whole and will enable you to be able to be competent and produce a quality street lighting design. Designs should also be carried out using specialist lighting design software produced by companies like Lighting Reality or by manufacturers specified programs. All designs should unless there is a good reason not to, be in accordance with the relevant street lighting code of practice which is EN 5489 or EN 12464 for the lighting of outdoor work places.

A decorative lighting designer can vary to some degree, they can undertake roles such a illumination of bridges, building entrances, Christmas decorations and areas such as internal schemes for homes, buildings and garden lighting.

Because there are many different lighting designers available to suit your needs you need to be sure to select the correct one that best suits your needs, otherwise there is the potential to have a street lighting design that is not fit for purpose and a design that cannot be approved by the adopting authority.