We encounter parking lots in our daily lives, but we don’t give many thoughts to these structures. Managing a parking lot is not as easy as you think. If you’re a parking lot manager, and you want a revamp to your company and building’s parking lot system. One of the easiest things you can do is to revamp your lighting system. Here are the five basic things you can do about this matter.
Is something wrong about the light?
There are a lot of things that can go wrong in a parking lot: unexpected damages, petty crimes, long lines, insufficient space, inconvenient entry and exit, and more. However, if there’s one problem that most parking lot owners tend to overlook, then that’s a sufficient lighting system. Without proper lighting, accidents tend to happen, and the customer’s safety is compromised. If you don’t know how to start, then keep reading:
Things you can do to improve your parking lot lights
1. Use LED parking lot lights
LED parking lot lights are becoming more and more common these days due to its energy efficiency and ease of management. But if there’s one thing that makes it stand out, that is its brightness. According to reports, converting to LED from High-Pressure Sodium or even Metal Halide can make your parking lot brighter while only paying 50% of your original system’s expenses.
2. You can upgrade your lamps
What if your parking lot is one of those lots that are still using old technology to light up the whole place? Nobody may like to park in a shady-looking parking lot at night. If you can’t still make the switch to LED, at least upgrade your lamps to HPS or MH. These are cheaper than LED, but can still do the job. It’s perfect if you’re still working on the funds for the LED upgrade.
3. Change your lamp locations
Depending on your parking lot shape and area, there are a lot of optimal layouts you can use to maximize the coverage of your lamps. The US Department of Energy itself gives the guide for parking lot lighting, which you should check if you want to improve your parking lot lighting.
4. Get your maintenance guys working out
Unless you’re using LED, maintenance is a must for all your lighting systems. You won’t know when one of the lights will go out, and it would be a pain in the neck (and wallet) to replace a bulb unexpectedly. Maintenance is the only proactive way to avoid getting gap lights during parking operations. LED lights have a long lifespan and can survive years’ worth of usage with minimal maintenance.
5. Improve your landscape
Last but not least, make sure that there are no trees and plants that can obstruct your lighting. Even if you have the brightest LED with the highest lumens and wattage power, if unwanted trees obstruct these, your light upgrades will be pointless. Strategic placement of trees can make your parking lot healthier, cooler, and more aesthetic in the day, but not obstructive at night.
