New trends in public lighting

October 2003

This paper demonstrates how over the past 30 years, public lighting has developed into an increasingly complex domain. Maintenance costs, minimizing light pollution, the feeling of added security, and aesthetically aspects have become just as important as light output and the lifespan of the lamp. Although dimming and maintenance by remote monitoring have not yet found their way into widespread use, subtle advances in technology are everywhere. Examples are the reduction of toxic waste, increasing energy efficiencies, and an ever-smaller size of lamps. A revolution is on the horizon if high power LEDs can be developed fulfilling public lighting needs. Regarding traffic safety, a consensus whether dimming affects safety is still not achieved.