Car park lighting

Effective lighting concepts for all parking situations

There is a high concentration of traffic in car parks, where drivers, pedestrians and cyclists meet. This also increases the risk of collisions, which is why road safety and accident prevention take priority. The lighting in the car park plays a central role here. A good lighting concept supports orientation and makes it easier to recognise vehicles, people and obstacles. In addition, bright lighting acts as a deterrent to potential criminal offences.

Reduced risk of accidents thanks to optimum visual conditions

Orientation aid for all road users

Increased security against crime

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Well-planned car park lighting visibly marks danger zones, especially entrances and exits and areas where vehicles and pedestrians cross. As well as preventing accidents, the lighting concept increases protection against crime. This requires a sufficient lighting level with high vertical light components, which can prevent vehicle break-ins and thefts and reduce the risk of robberies.

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Lamps and luminaires for car park lighting

The luminaires used for car parks are special lighting solutions that generate sufficient brightness for the surroundings to be fully perceived. Other requirements for the light sources include high colour rendering, for example to enable traffic signs to be easily recognised. As far as the lighting concept is concerned, the avoidance of shadows is an important criterion for the selection of luminaires and their positioning, for example in relation to the mounting height of path and mast luminaires. By positioning the luminaires appropriately and taking possible obstacles into account, excessive shadows can be avoided and the risk of accidents reduced.

Advantages of LEDs for car park lighting

Energy-saving effects for parks of any size

Reduction of maintenance work to a minimum

Uniform light output in all weather conditions

Legal requirements for car park lighting

The legal requirements for car park lighting include DIN 67528 "Lighting of public parking structures and public car parks" as well as DIN EN 12464-2 and DIN EN 13201 Part 1 and 2. It contains various provisions to ensure adequate lighting in car parks. An important aspect is that the lighting is glare-free so that road users' vision is not obstructed at any time. Equally important is uniform illumination with a defined illuminance level depending on traffic intensity. According to DIN EN 12464-2, at least 5 lux is required at low traffic levels (U0 ≥ 0.25), 10 lux at medium traffic levels (U0 ≥ 0.40) and 20 lux at high traffic levels (U0 ≥ 0.40). DIN EN 13201 also defines illuminance levels for different lighting classes. For example, 5 lux (Emin > 1 lux) is provided for the P4 lighting class and 10 lux (Emin > 2 lux) for the P2 lighting class. In addition, an appropriate minimum semi-cylindrical illuminance of 0.4 to 3 lux is necessary to ensure good perception of people and their faces.

Various areas of application for car park lighting

A customised lighting concept for car park lighting takes into account the individual requirements of each parking situation. Outdoor car parking spaces, for example, require different lighting solutions to those in multi-storey or underground car parks. The location of the parking spaces, the size of the car park and possible obstacles or sources of danger are all taken into account when planning the right lights, as are the general legal requirements.

Lighting for small car parks

Luminaires on shorter masts with a mounting height of up to 4.5 m are suitable for illuminating small car parks in city centres and residential areas. The use of pole-mounted luminaires helps the park area to blend harmoniously into the urban environment. The low mast height also ensures that neighbours are not disturbed or dazzled by the light. Car park lighting therefore contributes to a pleasant living environment and possible conflict avoidance. To maintain this positive effect, it is important to regularly check that bushes and trees do not shade the light from the luminaires. A balanced ratio of horizontal and vertical illuminance is also relevant in order to be able to recognise oncoming persons and their behaviour at an early stage. The semi-cylindrical illuminance should therefore be at least 0.4 lux.

Lighting for large car parks

The lighting of large car parks requires special lighting design to ensure optimum illumination and safety. In larger car parks, luminaires can be installed on higher masts of up to 12 m. The positioning of the mast lights should follow the layout of the car parks. The illuminance depends on the expected traffic volume. If, on the other hand, luminaires with a lower mounting height are preferred, it is essential to achieve a uniform and correspondingly high illuminance. When lighting large car parks, it is also important to take immission control into account. If the car park is close to neighbouring roads, there is a risk of glare from the lighting system. Another example of the risk of glare is a supermarket car park located directly next to a motorway or dual carriageway. Appropriate lighting design with precisely selected luminaires makes a significant contribution to safety and immission control.

Car park lighting close to buildings

In the vicinity of company buildings, for example, car park lighting often performs not only functional but also representative tasks. The car park lighting close to the building contributes to a positive first impression. In these cases, good lighting design also adds an aesthetic component to the light sources. In car parks belonging to companies or businesses, designer luminaires are therefore often used that combine functionality in the form of appropriate, compliant lighting quality and professional style.

Swivelling car park lighting

Swivelling car park lighting enables the accent lighting to be precisely aligned to specific areas and architectural features of the car park. Examples of such zones that can be emphasised with light are automatic pay stations, pedestrian crossings or exits. Swivelling car park lighting offers a high degree of flexibility to highlight these important zones, draw attention to them and reduce potential accidents.