Exterior security lighting

Good, properly planned exterior security lighting should be neither intrusive nor wasteful.

That’s why we endeavour to provide the correct levels of external lighting to give you peace of mind, without causing light pollution. Our range of environmentally sensitive security lighting systems use lower wattage light ratings, as recommended by The Institution of Lighting Engineers, the UK's premier guideline body. The Institute’s Guidance Notes for the Reduction of Light Pollutionstate for most domestic tasks, the 150w full cut off floodlight correctly positioned with no light spillage is the maximum wattage needed, and indeed recommends lower wattages. We also install white LED lights which are low voltage, use very little power and last a significant amount of time. The initial costs of these systems can be high, but because of low consumption, reduced installation costs, reduced call out charges to replace lamps, they can prove to be as cost effective as any other lighting system.

Shedding light on effective deterrents

It is important to understand that lighting in isolation is not a sufficient deterrent. A survey by the UK Home Office "Decision-making by house burglars: offenders' perspectives" (see the Home Office website or download the pdf) showed that the belief that a house was occupied was the most off-putting to a potential burglar. Outside lighting did not figure in their list of possible deterrents. If an indoor light is on then there is a risk of somebody being at home. Outdoor lights alone don’t state anything about the occupancy of a house.