The right light after dark

At Whitecroft, we meet the demands of modern construction while exceeding standards and expectations along the way. For decades, we’ve been building and honing our solutions around the needs of our partners and the industry we serve.

Four pillars for outdoor lighting

Whether you are a lighting service yard or a hospital carpark, all our outdoor lighting solutions are built on our four pillars: knowledge and partnerships, lighting standards and compliance, design optimisation and sustainability. 

Industrial outdoor lighting

High-quality outdoor lighting for industrial spaces is crucial for protecting pedestrians and vehicles and enhancing site security. We offer solutions for factory exteriors, loading areas, and car parks, ensuring safety while minimising light pollution. Properly planned exterior lighting, can increase site safety and ensure comfortable work environment while reducing unwanted light intrusion and light pollution.

Education outdoor lighting

A safe and secure campus environment for faculty and students is vital for fostering a strong college community. Cylindrical lighting is essential for facial recognition and clear communication between peers. Combining floor-level lighting for pedestrian areas, bollards for pathway separation, and post-top lighting for building and car park security can enhance safety without increasing light pollution and affecting wildlife. Luminaires paired with smart lighting controls, can improve the campus environment and reduce energy consumption.

Workspace outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting in workplaces enhances safety and security by illuminating car parks, walkways, and building features, creating a welcoming environment for visitors and staff. Post and bollard mounted systems ensure safe passage during evenings and improve the effectiveness of security measures like CCTV. Modern lighting design and smart controls also reduce light pollution, protecting the local environment.

Healthcare outdoor lighting

Hospital outdoor lighting improves site access and visibility while ensuring safe transit for patients, staff, and visitors. Smart lighting control systems help achieve lower operating costs by optimising energy use. Post-top and bollard lighting enhances security for service users with mobility issues and their carers by minimising upward lighting that could distract neighbouring buildings.

Four pillars for outdoor lighting

Whether you are a lighting service yard or a hospital carpark, all our outdoor lighting solutions are built on our four pillars: knowledge and partnerships, lighting standards and compliance, design optimisation and sustainability. 

Industrial outdoor lighting

High-quality outdoor lighting for industrial spaces is crucial for protecting pedestrians and vehicles and enhancing site security. We offer solutions for factory exteriors, loading areas, and car parks, ensuring safety while minimising light pollution. Properly planned exterior lighting, can increase site safety and ensure comfortable work environment while reducing unwanted light intrusion and light pollution.

Education outdoor lighting

A safe and secure campus environment for faculty and students is vital for fostering a strong college community. Cylindrical lighting is essential for facial recognition and clear communication between peers. Combining floor-level lighting for pedestrian areas, bollards for pathway separation, and post-top lighting for building and car park security can enhance safety without increasing light pollution and affecting wildlife. Luminaires paired with smart lighting controls, can improve the campus environment and reduce energy consumption.

Workspace outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting in workplaces enhances safety and security by illuminating car parks, walkways, and building features, creating a welcoming environment for visitors and staff. Post and bollard mounted systems ensure safe passage during evenings and improve the effectiveness of security measures like CCTV. Modern lighting design and smart controls also reduce light pollution, protecting the local environment.

Healthcare outdoor lighting

Hospital outdoor lighting improves site access and visibility while ensuring safe transit for patients, staff, and visitors. Smart lighting control systems help achieve lower operating costs by optimising energy use. Post-top and bollard lighting enhances security for service users with mobility issues and their carers by minimising upward lighting that could distract neighbouring buildings.

Outdoor lighting application guidance

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Designing for outdoors:

Avoiding light pollution

 

Ensuring light levels meet the needs of people using the space is paramount. However, when designing for outdoor environments, there’s a balance between compliant task lighting and unwelcome over-lighting.

Light that falls outside of the task plane to a significant degree is light pollution. Standards and guidance for light pollution vary depending on environmental zone and application.

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Designing for outdoor lighting:

Biodiversity

Adding unnatural light to a dark environment may be essential for human needs, but it can affect the nighttime activity of wildlife. Such disruption can decrease species numbers and leads to a drop in biodiversity. However, with good design there are ways to mitigate the ecological impact of light. One way is through consideration of colour temperature.

The Institute of Lighting Professionals (ILP) recommends using light sources with a colour temperature no greater than 2700K and a peak intensity >550nm to minimise disruption to bat habitats and other wildlife.

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Designing for outdoor lighting:

Sociological impact

Lighting can influence human perceptions, emotions, and biological responses. Design can change how people experience and interact with public spaces, shape perceptions of safety, and contribute to the overall quality of urban life.

When too much emphasis is put on task lighting (often lighting horizontal surfaces), shadows can be cast on vertical planes—including faces—which can diminish facial recognition. This can have a detrimental effect on perception of safety. It also reduces the likelihood of a police identification from CCTV.

By thinking in the round with cylindrical illuminance we create outdoor spaces that
put users at their ease.

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Designing for outdoor lighting:

Smart lighting

Lighting design is about getting the right light, in the right place, at the right time. And with smart lighting, your timing is always perfect. Balancing the needs of users and other factors such as building and site security, while also reducing energy
usage and minimising impact on neighbours and wildlife.

At a minimum, we recommend astronomical time clocks are included with all external lighting projects. However, with the addition of movement sensors and set-back lighting (dimming when unoccupied), further energy savings can be made. These smart features ensure the safe use of the space while minimising light pollution and impact on biodiversity.

In addition, photocell technoloy can also be utilised for automatic dimming of luminaires when maximum output is not required. With the option of a ZHAGA socket on our Mistral family, it is possible to integrate timeclocks and photocells to optimise energy efficiency and ensure the lights are only on when they need to be.

Are you ticking all the boxes for great
outdoor lighting design?

Ensures documentation availability and defines the project scope, minimising additional work and project non-compliance.

Ensures compliance with regulations and protects sensitive areas.

Determines environmental classification. Aligns design with client expectations for lighting levels and best practice requirements.

Considers physical constraints and identifies potential clashes, streamlining installation.

Helps to assess potential environmental disturbance risks, ensuring project sustainability.

Ensures even light distribution and efficient fixture placement, maximising lighting effectiveness.

Specifies automation needs and ensures safety during emergencies, enhancing functionality.

Enhanced visibility in high-traffic areas. Ensures safe environment and increases crime prevention.

Considers user comfort and safety by addressing glare, recognition needs, and light adjustment.

Addresses long-term maintenance needs and allows for more accurate calculations.

Speak with one of our experts

At the start of an outdoor project or looking for a supplier to meet your installation and lighting unit needs? Our team of experienced consultants can help you find the right lighting solution.

Speak with one of our experts
Expert advice about outdoor lighting solutions

Some of the ways our team of experts can help you achieve the perfect lighting solution

Total Project Solutions

Indoor, outdoor, controls and sustainability; we have the solution

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Peace of mind guaranteed on any project

Support

There for you, throughout a project and beyond

Outdoor lighting advise

Discover expert insights on lighting design and solutions tailored for outdoor environments. For more in-depth articles, FAQs, and best practices, explore our full Knowledge Hub.

Reducing energy use in loading area lighting systems

Efficient lighting ensures safety in loading areas, reduces energy use, and minimizes glare with smart LED systems

Read more

How outdoor lighting choices can improve safety outside schools

Thoughtful outdoor lighting protects students, prevents accidents, and enhances security

Read more

How lighting can minimise the visual impact of warehouses

Considerate, smart lighting design can reduce the visual impact of warehouses, improve safety, and minimise light pollution

Read more

Outdoor Downloads

Can we offer any further help or assistance?

  • We can help choosing the right products
  • Advice on product specification 
  • Further background on our services
  • Or any specific question you may have