The purpose of the outdoor lighting is to increase the efficiency of human activities during the time when it is dark and to make production, transportation, construction, city beautification, etc. in the outdoor areas efficient, safe, secure and comfortable.
Security lighting provides a level of illumination to clearly identify persons or objects and creates a psychological deterrent to criminal activity in the area being protected.
CONTINUOUS LIGHTING
Continuous lighting, the most familiar type of outdoor security lighting, can be designed to provide either of two specific results: greater projection or controlled lighting. The glare method of continuous lighting originated in prisons and correctional institutes. It is still used today.
It is described by some security experts as a “barrier light” and is particularly effective for lighting boundaries around a facility and approaches to a site. This technique is normally used when the glare of lights directed across an area does not annoy or interfere with neighboring or adjacent properties.
The controlled lighting method is generally employed in situations where, due to surrounding property, nearby highways, or other limitations, it is necessary to more precisely focus the light. For example, the controlled lighting method is used when the width of the lighted strip outside an area must be controlled and adjusted to fit a particular need, such as illuminating a wide strip inside a fence and a narrow strip outside, or lighting a wall or roof.
One of the most popular methods of controlled lighting for industrial and commercial use is the “surface method”. This method provides for the complete illumination of a particular area or structure within a defined site; not only are the perimeters of the property lighted, but also the various parking areas, storage lots, and other locations that require improved security.