Parking Lot Lights

Parking Lot Lighting Fixtures

Parking lot lights are a critical component to just about every commercial property you could think of. Incidentally, we have experience sourcing top-quality parking lot area lights for grocery stores, restaurants, retail stores, industrial parks, government facilities, and more.

Lighting and Supplies carries the most common fixtures that can provide bright and energy-efficient illumination for parking lots of any shape or size. These fixtures can conveniently be complemented with a variety of mounting options including straight arm pole mounts, adjustable slipfitter mounts, light poles, brackets and wiring. 

Why are Parking Lot Lights Important?

Proper lighting in high traffic or overflow outdoor parking areas means providing bright visibility for employees and customers to feel safe and confident to walk about the parking lot and leave their car unattended. This is especially important for car dealerships whose inventory is otherwise vulnerable during the night. 

These fixtures are made specifically to withstand the challenges associated with outdoor lighting, remaining durable through harsh weather, exposure to moisture, debris, and other hazardous conditions that mother nature has in store.

Over the years, we have expanded our offerings of area lights, street & roadway lights and flood lights to deliver lighting solutions for and endless list of grocery stores, shopping centers, and large parking lots across the United States.

Different Types of Parking Lot Lights

There are many different types of light sources for street, roadway and parking lot lights. These generally include HID (high-intensity discharge) and LED.

In the past, High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps were the most popular lamps used to illuminate parking lots, but over the years LED bulbs have become more popular because they are more efficient, durable, and require little to no maintenance after they’re installed.

Here are the most common parking lot lights and components we recommend for the job:

• Area Lights
• Cobrahead Street Lights
• Flood Lights
• Light Poles
• Mounts & Brackets
• Post Top Lights
• Shoebox Lights 

Additional Types of Parking Lot Fixtures 

• LED Canopy Lights: Canopy-mounted fixtures are often used in gas stations, carports, walkways and parking garages. They feature a dust, weather and water-resistant lens, which are designed to repel the elements of any environment while still allowing sufficient light transmission.

• LED Flood Lights: Flood Lights are most powerful and versatile of the different parking lot lights available. These lights provide a broad beam angle that is useful for providing security and safety for parking areas.

• LED Post Top Area Lights: These are commonly used for small to medium-sized parking lots, walkways and other areas where visibility is needed.

• LED Wall Packs: Like canopy lights, wall packs are designed to be mounted on the façade of a commercial property wall or other exterior structure. They provide intense, focused and wide lighting for parking areas, roadways and sidewalks adjacent to buildings and privacy fences.

What is Light Distribution?

There are specific light patterns that define how light is dispersed from a fixture. In short, Light Distribution is defined by the point at which 50% of the fixture’s luminous intensity is met. You will see these distributions used regularly in the led lighting, for example, area lighting, roadway lighting, and parking lot lighting, etc.

Over the years, the lighting and electrical industries have identified 5 main types of light distribution patterns: Type I, Type II, Type III, Type IV, or Type V light distribution.

Below are the definitions for each type of light distribution:

1. Type I
• Type I distribution is commonly used for illuminating paths, walkways and sidewalks. Our lighting experts recommend this type of lighting in the middle of a pathway and it is great for narrow pathways.
2. Type II
• Type II is often used on larger walkways and street or roadway lighting since it is efficient distribution for a larger but still narrow area. You may see this type used on side streets or jogging paths.
3. Type III
• Type III is very commonly used in roadway lighting as it gives more beam coverage further from the point source, outward. The Type III lighting distribution needs to be placed to the side of the focal area, allowing the light to project outward and fill the area with adequate visibility
4. Type IV
• This light distribution is one that produces semicircular light that are ideal applications for outside buildings and walls. This type does a superior job lighting up a parking area perimeter to make people feel safe during the dark.
5. Type V
• Type V is classified the widest light distribution pattern and is an excellent solution for illuminating the inner areas of a parking lot or even at intersections. 

Light Distribution for Parking Lot Lights 

Parking lot lights must be designed to distribute light within the specified zones so as to not to produce obtrusive light. The well-known “BUG” (Backlight, Uplight and Glare) rating system is based on the LCS zonal lumen classifications for luminaires.

The “B” rating considers the amount of light leaving a luminaire in the opposite direction to the main aiming angle. The backlight solid angle is separated into four secondary solid angle zones of low, medium, high and very high (BL, BM, BH and BVH) angles.

Any light distributed within these zones is considered spill light. Spill light that falls onto neighboring properties is called light trespass. The U rating considers the total light propagating from the luminaire in a near-horizontal or above-horizontal direction, which causes the sky glow. 

The "U" rating consists of both uplight solid angle is refined into uplight low (UL) and uplight high (UH). The term "Low angle uplight" defines the lumen distribution between 90 and 100 degrees (vertically). In contrast, the "High angle uplight" relates to luminaire lumen distribution between 100 and 180 degrees vertical.

Lastly, the "G" rating in BUG evaluates the fowardlight in the high and very high (FH and FVH) zones, which commonly cause glare and spill light. 

Upgrading Parking Lot Lights to LED 

LED lights are up to 70% more efficient than traditional lighting technologies such as fluorescents, incandescent and HIDs. This reduction in energy consumption has a massive effect on ROI for large scale commercial, retail and office operations. In addition to the boost in efficiency, LED fixtures require zero maintenance.

The minimization or even elimination of maintenance requirements normally associated with traditional lighting saves a considerable amount in both parts and labor for building managers and facility maintenance crews.

Chart Source: EIA

Get a Quote on LED Parking Lot Fixtures 

Parking lot lighting is an essential staple of any commercial property with public access. With all the different lighting brands and fixture options, it can be difficult to select the right fixture for the required application.

If parking lot lighting is a key focus of your next project, contact Lighting and Supplies today to learn more about how we can help provide the adequate indoor and outdoor lighting solutions for parking lots of all shapes and sizes!