Design and Installation
Wasting power… light… money… It seems crazy, but it happens all the time! Outdoor lighting is seriously overlooked for something so aesthetically important. Did you invest in a beautiful home just so it can vanish in the darkness every time the sun sets? It can be so much better! Take a moment to have a look at our gallery of landscape lighting to get just a hint of the possibilities.
We can provide uplights, downlights, art lighting, feature lighting, and architectural lighting—it is all there for you to enjoy. Of course we also create practical utility lighting that blends seamlessly into your décor.
An Odd Question
Would you deliberately set out to annoy a working scientist—to make them absolutely frustrated—with practically no effort on your part? Of course not!
There really wouldn’t be any point other than malice or ignorance, since most scientists dedicate their entire lives to making the world a better place for the rest of us. Their reward is often little more than having their name printed in a scientific journal, better, to be respected amongst their peers, or ultimately, to receive a Nobel Prize for their work.
Yet, seemingly, many of us do this every single day without giving it a second thought. Somewhere near you is an astronomical observatory. Every city has one—often many of them in every location—and the flood of up-pointing and light-spilling fixtures create rampant light-pollution which severely cripples their operations.
Businesses & Residences
It only takes a little common sense and some thoughtful design to build a system that can light your trees or architecture without a single wasted photon being shot up into the air. On the other hand, interfering with astronomical work may not strike you as important, since it is hard to see how it benefits you, personally.
Just remember: the dinosaurs were wiped out because they didn’t have the technology or brains to see a big rock headed our way, and then act to stop it from arriving. Humans are the first creatures on Earth with that ability, but despite sitting in the middle of a cosmic shooting gallery, we’re not using it.
Political agendas don’t include a trivial few millions to do a proper survey. Consequently it relies on amateur astronomers to chart the thousands upon thousands of planet-killing asteroids that pass by our planet on a regular basis.
And your outdoor light designs might be making it very difficult for those volunteers. They are looking for ridiculously faint objects that could wipe us out in mere hours, and poorly designed lighting is a real hindrance.
The Real Cost
Parking Lots with unshielded bulbs not only waste light by sending it in every direction, but also cost a great deal more money to operate because less than half of the light produced is useful. Much of commercial lighting is rather uncreative and wasteful. Exterior lighting of architecture is attractive, but poor aiming can miss most of the target.
And don’t forget: trees are living things…it’s vital that workers are properly trained to make sure they are not damaged by equipment, or burned by electrical fires from poor installation. This is why you need proper design, by truly skilled professionals.
Our experts don’t resort to lazy or sloppy implementations that can interfere with your neighbors’ enjoyment of their own property, and they particularly don’t interfere with scientists trying to do a very important job! They can select colors and frequencies that have a minimal impact on light pollution. Some observatories actually publish preferred lighting frequency lists!
Experts
Importantly, our designers go well beyond mere engineering or technical expertise. They are artisans, designing award winning lighting systems. They turn the mundane into the stunning; the boring into the beautiful…
And while they are turning light into art, they are also replacing ancient, outdated equipment with modern, inexpensive to operate, and durable systems that will run reliably for years. They reduce your carbon footprint, help the environment, and they save you money!
The Takeaway
Being responsible for the environment can be a goal all by itself. Saving money is an acceptable objective. Being satisfied with a virtually-permanent solution to a challenge that requires almost no maintenance is its own reward.
Being kind to a scientist that is trying to save humanity from a big rock…well that’s just a nice bonus.
We at Illuminations Lighting are delighted to be located in beautiful Houston, Texas, and while we provide service over an extensive area. We always love to hear from our friends and clients in River Oaks, Memorial, West University, Bellaire, Southside, Heights, and Royal Oaks, or whichever part of town you call home…
Don’t be a stranger—give us a ring at 713-863-1133 and say “Howdy!” We would love to hear from you!
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