How to Make Outdoor Venue Lighting More Energy Efficient

What can you do to both reduce operating costs and improve the guest experience at the same time? We’re so glad you asked! The answer is to upgrade your outdoor venue lighting. Modern, energy-efficient lighting can be one of the most reasonable and cost-effective improvement strategies for outdoor venues.

Embrace the LEDs

Lightbulbs have come a long way. Incandescent bulbs are a thing of the past. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are the lighting type of choice for all commercial outdoor venue lighting. LEDs have incredibly long life spans, are energy efficient, and come in various color temperatures and shades. 

Get adjustable

Those “front of house” areas in outdoor venues often have quite a lot of range in lighting requirements. There are big factors, like seasonal changes and weather conditions. Then there are simple adjustments to make for the time of day (or night). And each event has its own particular mood, set in large part by the lighting. 

Make your venue’s lighting more energy efficient, and more customizable, by installing fixtures with adjustable LED bulbs. These can be set to the color temperature and brightness needed. You can choose color-changing LEDs, and pre-program them for different times, moods, and activities. For a venue manager, this is one of the easiest add-ons you can offer, and it has a huge impact on the guest experience for each event. 

Start with the big picture

Before you start throwing LEDs around, take a deep breath. Lighting isn’t about one fixture here and another fixture there, Old MacDonald style. Effective venue lighting requires a thoughtful design. Each fixture is part of a larger venue lighting system. The fixtures work together to make the venue look beautiful and create the mood needed for each event. 

We recommend starting with a little survey of the venue. Walk the premises at a few different times to notice the lighting and how it looks and feels. You may love how things look at dusk; a few hours later, the lighting might seem inadequate and those shadowy corners feel like they’re growing. 

Here are a few things to notice as you evaluate your venue:

  • Lighting in and around parking areas. Consider both security (bright lights as a deterrent to sketchy behavior) and safety (well-placed lights to help guests navigate and avoid obstacles).
  • Lighting that leads guests from parking to venue entrance. 
  • Uplighting around any venue structures and/or signage.
  • Kind, wattage, and quantity of existing lighting fixtures. 
  • Floor space to be lit, and range of lighting coverage needed. For example, if the venue has a flexible set-up and can be used for an intimate dinner party or a big dance floor, there’s a wide range of coverage, and lighting needs to be flexible and powerful. 
  • Current lighting levels and desired lighting levels. Where’s the gap? What’s in place now, and what’s missing? 
  • Outdoor features (architectural elements, landscaping, trees, water features) to enhance with exterior lighting.
  • Unused areas of the venue that could be converted and upgraded for activities with proper lighting.

Get a whole system design

Once you have a good site survey, you can start thinking about the outdoor venue lighting as a single system. A system includes the transformer, wiring and connectors, fixtures, and all the necessary mounting hardware and supports. 

One of the most important factors is the size of the transformer you’ll need. If you have a professional lighting design and know the entire load of the system, you’ll know what capacity you need in a transformer. Even if you’re not going to have the entire lighting system installed yet, you can still get the right size transformer — then, as you add more lighting elements, you won’t have issues. It’s more efficient to ensure you have the transformer you need from the beginning than to burn one out and have to replace it, or end up buying another one down the road. We’re the St. Louis outdoor lighting company you need to create a customized lighting design for your outdoor venue. Give us a call today and let’s talk about how to upgrade your venue with energy-efficient lighting.

10+ Tips for Better Outdoor Lighting on Commercial Buildings

Outdoor lighting on commercial buildings can drastically influence the property’s safety and visual appeal. There are three main purposes for exterior lighting: to enhance security, increase safety and visibility, and create the right impression and atmosphere. With a professional design and high-quality fixtures, exterior lights can make commercial buildings more polished and more welcoming for visitors. Good exterior lighting is also what makes a building seem “finished” from the outside, by creating a uniform appearance and eliminating shadowy spots. 

There’s more to good outdoor lighting than that single fixture hanging over the entryway. Sure, you’ve added a few security lights too. That’s a great start. But we’d like to show you what else you can do–and how you can improve–the outdoor lighting on your commercial buildings.

1.   Use High-Quality Fixtures

When it comes to outdoor lighting on commercial buildings, there are many options. But they’re not all created equal. Some fixtures just aren’t made to last. Not only will they look worn out and cheap after a season or two, they might stop working altogether. It’s smarter to put a little more money into high-quality, contractor-grade lighting fixtures. Most of these include a significant warranty, so the risk is low. Plus, you’ll stand to gain these benefits (along with a much better first impression for site visitors):

●      Lower energy bills – LED lighting fixtures use less energy than other incandescent or fluorescent lights. They run cheaper, run cooler, and last longer. 

●      Lower maintenance – Typically, the better the lighting fixtures, the lower the maintenance cost. High-quality fixtures last longer and look better than those made of cheaper materials. 

●      Improved light quality – Get a better quality of light is better with the adjustment features and customization options of high-quality fixtures. 

2.   Walk the Property 

You probably need more fixtures than you think you do. Walk the property around the commercial building. Imagine you’re a guest who is visiting for the first time. Is it easy to see where to park, where the sidewalk is, and where the main doors are located? Notice dark corners and shadowy spots. Notice where two different fixtures are putting out light that doesn’t match–either in brightness or temperature. Those are the details that make or break it with outdoor lighting. 

3.   Think about First Impressions 

As mentioned above, when it comes to outdoor lighting on commercial buildings, you need to consider how things feel for first-time visitors. What does the building convey after dusk? It might be the very height of modern good taste, but can you see that after the sun goes down? These nighttime first impressions are controlled by the exterior lighting.  Missing lights, dim or flickering lights, broken fixtures, or poorly lit walkways make visitors feel both unsafe and unwelcomed. That’s probably not the mood you want to create. 

4.   Create a Uniform Appeal

Whether the first impression you want to create is homey or upscale, uniformity is key. To get uniformity in outdoor lighting on commercial buildings, you need to use enough fixtures and space them properly. This is where your professional lighting team steps in (hey, that’s us!) to design and install the right lights in the right places. We adjust the spread and intensity of each light fixture for a uniform appearance that’s both professional and welcoming. 

5.   Complement the Building

Even if security and stark professionalism are your main priorities, you need to consider the decor. Choose high-quality fixtures that match or complement the commercial building. Mismatched fixtures won’t look as good. 

This isn’t a complicated task. Choose a finish that works with the building’s color. And choose fixtures which have the same design sensibility, too. If the building is utilitarian, keep it simple. If it’s classical, choose more traditional fixtures. If it’s sleek and modern… well, you get the idea. There are many types of fixtures available, and we can help you pick the ones that complement the style and color of your building. 

6.   LED Lights Are Best

We mentioned this already, but just in case you missed it: LED lights are much more efficient than traditional fluorescent lights or incandescent bulbs. They don’t have a filament, making them more durable. LED lighting also prevents heat build-up. They’re mercury-free. They’re cost-effective. There’s really no reason you wouldn’t go with LED bulbs.

7.     Use Adjustable Lighting 

From office spaces to event venues, commercial buildings are better with outdoor lighting that’s adjustable. Adjustable lighting allows you to create different atmospheres. Dim the lights and up the music for the holiday part. Turn lights up at full blast brightness for cleaning up, after. Adjustable lights are also important if you’re highlighting landscape features, which tend to change over time.  

8.   Create Visual Interest 

Outdoor lighting on commercial buildings not only enhances security, but also adds to the visual interest and aesthetic appeal of the entire property. Safety first, yes–and visual interest second. Some commercial buildings are kind of bland: big squares of concrete or brick that need help from landscaping and lighting to look their best. Other buildings have great architectural features, and outdoor lighting can highlight those features.

Be smart and invest in good-quality outdoor lighting on commercial buildings, whether it’s an office, event venue, restaurant, or store. We’re here to help; schedule a consultation today.