Designing Sustainable Street Lighting

Adequate lighting provides safety, health, and design. Too much lighting creates light pollution, which threats all of these benefits… and does not allow us to see the stars, the infinite. Chile is considered having one of the world’s best skies. This project was made in consultation with astronomers, engineers, and designers, rethinking how we illuminate our cities.

The increase in worldwide energy consumption has led countries to take initiatives implementing regulations, renewing their technologies and training professionals for long term benefits.

In Chile, around 70% of municipal energy expenditure corresponds to street lighting, of which 30% is wasted. According to the land registry of the Department of Planning in 2011, only 42.4% of the luminaries had been renovated or installed with energy efficient technologies.

There are various isolated lighting projects developing in different districts of Santiago. One of the major issues that arises is pedestrian lighting, which generally is an adaptation of pre-existing systems of public lighting. In addition to their power usage, which exceeds the recommended limit, producing an unnecessary energy expenditure, the five-meter high luminaries produce an inefficient use of lighting.

Lighting the curbs of street corners will provide orientation, contribute to road safety and generate an identity in the environment.

In a broader sense, the project intends to demonstrate that there are simpler forms to aid visual tasks without the necessity of over-illuminating. To implement a good pedestrian lighting system it is essential to start defining visual tasks and the real needs of people. Good lighting not only contributes to safety, but also reduces economic impact, is amicable to the natural environment and human health and, with some luck, will let us see the stars once again.