Outdoor commercial lighting involves artificial light sources used in the exterior of commercial buildings such as offices, warehouses, parking lot lights, hospitals, and other types of commercial outdoor lighting. Specifically, they are implemented outdoors where very bright light is required. These commercial outdoor lights have been adopted in various industries to illuminate the environment, especially at night.
Commercial outdoor lighting offers several benefits to business owners and those working in or visiting business premises. Lighting and Supplies also offers bulk outdoor light price breaks!
Types of Commercial Exterior LED Lighting Fixtures
Commercial exterior LED lighting fixtures refer to the lighting systems used to illuminate outdoor spaces for businesses and other commercial properties. These systems are designed to enhance the visibility, safety, and aesthetic appeal of the property, as well as to increase the security of the area. There are many different types of commercial exterior LED lighting fixtures available, including traditional street lights, flood lights, spotlights, canopy light fixtures, and wall-mounted lights.
Street lights are typically used to light up roads, sidewalks, and parking lots, while flood lights are used to illuminate large open areas such as sports fields and parks.
Spot lights are used to highlight specific features or areas of a property, such as a statue or a sign, while wall-mounted lights or wall packs are used to provide illumination along the sides of buildings.
Enhancing Security with Exterior Commercial Lighting
When dealing with exterior commercial lighting, one of the most important considerations is security. Investing in a safe and robust system can help to deter crime and increase the safety of the area. Properly placed and adjusted lights can help to eliminate dark areas and provide visibility for surveillance cameras.
It's also important to properly install and maintain commercial outdoor lighting. This includes ensuring that the lights are properly aimed and adjusted to provide the best possible illumination, and are regularly cleaned and maintained to ensure their optimal performance.
Benefits of Commercial LED Outdoor Lighting
The benefits of commercial LED outdoor lighting spread across illumination, security, and aesthetic appeal, amongst others. Let's dive into each:
1. Illumination
The most notable benefit of commercial LED outdoor lighting is its aid in illuminating large spaces. These lights are of different types, shapes, and sizes, and the choice of which is dependent on how well it will brighten the space. For instance, there are LEDs, metal halides, and high-pressure sodium as types of commercial lighting that can be used outdoors.
That being the case, people can still be productive during the day and at night thanks to outdoor lighting fixtures. It’s also noteworthy that CCTV cameras can still pick up the events if the environment is well-illuminated.
2. Security
Commercial outdoor lighting helps people to feel secure in parking lots, hiking trails, or while taking a walk at night. Employees can visit and leave offices at late hours and do so without feeling like they are in harm’s way.
3. Aesthetic Appeal
Lights can also enhance the look of the areas they are used in. Whether it is a bright light for parking lots or a low light for watching movies in an open space, these lights can be used.
Energy Efficiency of Commercial LED Outdoor Lighting
One important consideration when selecting commercial LED outdoor lighting is energy efficiency. Many traditional lighting systems are not very energy efficient and can be expensive to operate. On the other hand, commercial LED outdoor lighting is much more energy efficient and can help to reduce operating costs.
In addition, LED lights have a longer lifespan and require less maintenance than traditional lighting systems. Also, they are very durable, providing up to 50,000 to 100,000 hours of uniform light; hence, it can be used outdoors for years longer than other artificial light sources.
Popular Commercial Outdoor Light Fixtures
Commercial outdoor light fixtures are an important aspect of maintaining a safe and attractive property. By selecting the appropriate lighting system, ensuring proper installation and maintenance, and considering energy efficiency and security, businesses and commercial property owners can create a well-lit and inviting space for their customers and employees.
Some trendy commercial outdoor light fixtures include wall packs, floodlight fixtures, sports lighting, area lighting fixtures, decorative poles/light fixtures, street lighting fixtures, and bollard lights.
Wall packs are commercial outdoor lighting fixtures that are installed into the wall or vertical surfaces directly, without a pole being used. They are suitable for outdoor spaces with heavy pedestrian and vehicular movement and can serve as surveillance lights. They also have shatter-resistant glass that helps to protect the fixture from harsh weather. Wall packs can either be semi-cutoff or full-cutoff depending on the shape of their beam.
2. LED Flood Lights for Commercial Spaces
LED Flood Lights come with an adjustable base and their beam can be projected on an object. Also, LED floodlights are used to illuminate the landscape for an extra layer of security or to bring out specific architectural features making them one of the best commercial LED outdoor lighting products. These lights can be used for wall washing or paired with motion sensors, photocells, and timers.
3. Canopy Lighting for Outdoor Commercial Areas
Canopy lighting fixtures are installed underneath outdoor canopies in drive-through banks, gas stations, drive-through restaurants, etc. They are perfect outdoor commercial lighting use since they are unaffected by the rain and resistant to vibrations.
4. Linear Lighting for Commercial Parking Areas
Linear lighting is narrow and elongated and can be used in multistory parking areas. Their hermetic construction protects them from dust, moisture, and insects making them a great choice for outdoor commercial lighting.
5. Pole-Mounted Lighting for Commercial Use
These fixtures are built to have a wide beam that can provide sufficient light to cover the area below them. Pole-mounted commercial outdoor light fixtures also have different light distributions such as type III, type IV, or type V. Their color temperature ranges between 3000K to 5000K which makes them suitable for decorative purposes.
These lightings are installed on poles in open parking lots, streets, underpasses, pathways, green spaces, loading docks, etc.
Outdoor Lighting Controls for Commercial Properties
Although you need bright outdoor commercial lighting at all times, lighting controls will help to lower your utility bills. Therefore, some light controls you should consider are:
Dusk-to-Dawn Sensors – Photocells: A dusk-to-dawn photo control automatically turns off the light during the day depending on ambient light. This lighting control can save utility bills immensely.
Motion Sensors: Motion sensors help to detect movement. These sensors can also help the light to turn on or move to a predefined higher level.
Lighting Up Commercial Gardens with LED Fixtures
More businesses and commercial properties now feature beautiful gardens, soothing fountains, and natural elements to create a welcoming place for visitors and a great place for team members to work. Commercial outdoor lights can draw attention to your business 24/7 and throughout every season.
To light up your commercial gardens and shrubs:
Consider Different Types of Lighting Fixtures - LED lighting fixtures, like LED Bollard Fixture, can spark interest, even if your business is set back from the street.
Lower-Voltage Options - They can work for closer-up features and areas. Custom commercial lighting fixtures can illuminate your gardens and any other special features of interest.
Mix and Match - You may want to use an uplighting technique to highlight a historic tree or colored lights for seasonal interest, for instance.
Hire Experienced Lighting Designer - They can help you determine the best blend of light intensity, lighting fixtures, and any lighting accessories that you may need.
Plan for Growth - Gardens grow and evolve, so plan your garden lighting to offer room for expansion. Create a plan that will work today and tomorrow. Make it evergreen.
Why LED Lights Are Ideal for Commercial Outdoor Use
There are different types of commercial LED outdoor lighting you can display for your commercial space. LEDs have gained more popularity over the years. With LED lights being so energy-efficient, the outdoor commercial lighting industry has rapidly adapted to installing LED light fixtures as they reduce energy consumption significantly in comparison to traditional lighting.
Let’s take a look at some specific reasons why LEDs are ideal outdoor lights:
1. Bright, Clear Light
Many legacy outdoor lightings use metal-halide or mercury vapor lamps whose bulbs create a clear, white light but burn down to a visible orange or even pink color over time. LEDs, on the other hand, produce a consistent, clear, white light (depending on the CCT). Some LEDs even allow you to manually adjust the color temperature of the light, creating warmer mood lighting or brighter safety lighting as needed.
2. Energy Efficiency
Outdoor incandescent or metal-halide lamps burn hot. Hot lights put additional strain on wiring and circuits which burns out the filaments, creating unnecessary replacement costs and wasted energy. LED technology transforms electricity directly into light using a semiconductor, which means there’s no waste heat created and nearly every watt of energy you put into that lamp is being used to create light.
3. Reduced Cost of Ownership
LED efficacy means you can create the same number of lumens (light) using much less wattage (drawn energy). That directly translates to savings on your monthly utility bill. LEDs run cool, so they don’t “burn” themselves out, which means you’ll significantly reduce the frequency of maintenance and replacement by switching to LEDs.
4. Variety of Styles
LEDs are increasingly available in a variety of different shapes and forms to meet both practical and decorative outdoor lightning needs. Let’s dive into some of the possibilities.
What Kinds of LED Lights Are Usually Used Outdoors?
A wide array of reliable, efficient outdoor LED lights are available on the market for commercial and residential applications. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular choices one at a time.
Commercial Outdoor LED Lights
Shoeboxes
LED shoeboxes are attached to light poles or the sides of buildings to provide light below. They are most commonly used in parking lots, office parks, and public spaces to create a safe, visible environment. Browse our Shoeboxes here.
Wall Packs
LED wall packs are bright, compact lights that attach directly to the sides of houses, offices, schools, and other buildings. Wall packs can be angled downward (as they might be above a garage or loading dock door) or faced outward (as they might be on a porch or entryway). See the many varieties of Wall Packs here.
Flood Lights
LED flood lights are designed to light the place up, delivering a bright, wide area of light from above. Flood lights are the gold standard for security and safety, as they provide maximum lumens at night. Flood lights can be driven by solar energy and be activated by motion sensors, making them even more energy-efficient.
Residential Outdoor LED Lights
String Lights
As their name implies, LED string lights are small individual lights strung together on a line. String lights pack a lot of light and personality into any space are extremely popular for decorating patios, fire pits, grill areas, porches, and so on. See our String Lights here!
Pathway Lights
LED pathway lights generally rest on or are stuck down into the ground to provide safe walking across landscapes, lawns, down outdoor paths, across driveways, and so on. Pathway lights are perfect for bringing an upscale look to your yard and improving safety without breaking the bank.
Bollards
An LED bollard is a decorative pillar or post that contains an LED lamp. Bollards are essentially like larger, more permanent pathway lights. They’re ideal for walkways or residential parking areas that are frequently used at night and require clear, striking lighting.
Bulbs
Bulbs can many times be used outdoors if covered and kept away from direct exposure to changin weather conditions. If you’re not looking to buy all new outdoor lighting fixtures, you can install energy efficient LED lightbulbs into your existing fixtures, just like you would a standard bulb, and reap many of the reliable, cost-cutting benefits of LED technology. Browse our large inventory of LED bulbs here.
What to Look for in Commercial Outdoor Lights
Still unsure if you know what to look for while buying commercial outdoor lighting? Don't worry, we'll dial it down for you. At base, all commercial outdoor light fixtures should guarantee 3 things, dusk-to-dawn functionality, a good IP rating, and safety certifications. Here's what you should know about each:
Dawn-to-Dusk Functionality
One of the best ways to maximize your savings with LED lights is to make sure they stay off when you don’t need them. Dawn-to-dusk functionality uses a photocell to detect the presence of sunlight and keep your lamp switched off until the sun is down. If you’re looking to make the most of your outdoor LED investment, dawn-to-dusk lights are the way to go.
IP Rating
The IP rating is a two-digit number that represents a lamp’s resistance to dust and water. That might not mean a lot for indoor lights, but it’s essential when shopping for outdoor LEDs. The first digit of the IP rating represents resistance to dust, with 6 being the best. If you want your LED lights to have longevity, you want the first digit in your IP rating to be a 6, which will prevent dirt and dust from dimming your light or interfering with your circuitry.
The second digit of your IP rating represents water resistance, with 8 being the best. Your outdoor LEDs should have a score of at least 5 to prevent rain and elements from infiltrating your lamp; however, a score of 6 is required if you’ll be cleaning the area around the lamp with a power washer.
The short answer: rugged outdoor LEDs should have an IP rating of 65 or 66.
Area Lights
Bollards
Bulkhead Lights
Canopy Lights
Dusk to Dawn
Flood Lights
Gooseneck Fixtures
Hazardous Location Lights
Jelly Jar Lights
Light Posts
Parking Lot Lights
Portable Work Lights
Security Lights
Shoebox Fixtures
Sign Lighting
Solar Powered Lights
Sports Lights
Street & Roadway Lights
Stadium Lights
Wall Packs
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