Public & Outdoor – correctly illuminating public and private paths
Path lighting
Paths connect places. When dusk falls, glare-free light makes paths safe and provides orientation. Successful path lighting is characterized by the fact that it fulfills design tasks as well as functional needs. In this way, paths naturally extend a warm welcome to a museum, office building or hotel. There are various ways to illuminate paths in public spaces or private gardens attractively and efficiently. We give helpful tips on which luminaires – bollard luminaires, facade luminaires or ground-recessed luminaires – fulfill these outdoor lighting tasks most effectively.
Exciting project examples
Lighting paths perfectly: what you should know!
Which luminaire is the right one?
Which luminaire is the right one?
Bollard luminaires are particularly suitable for illuminating footpaths in urban surroundings. They can be freely positioned along the edge of the path and, due to their linear design, create elegant routes that catch the eye both during the day and at night. Facade luminaires can be useful for paths close to buildings. Mounted on walls or buildings, they illuminate the path from there. Recessed ceiling luminaires and surface-mounted luminaires for outdoor applications are also used for covered walkways. They are a minimalist as well as vandal-proof variant for illuminating paths. Projectors mounted on masts allow flexible alignments.
These light distributions are ideal
For paths, luminaires are available with narrow and wide light distributions. Round bollard luminaires are also available with 180° light distribution for paths or 360° light distribution for large open areas. For efficient lighting along paths, we recommend luminaires with wide beam distribution or 180° light distribution. These illuminate paths very uniformly, and the large luminaire spacing also has a positive effect on investment costs. Narrow distribution luminaires are suitable for wide footpaths or small squares.
Ensure good visual comfort
ERCO luminaires have excellent glare control and thus ensure maximum visual comfort. In bollard luminaires, ERCO Dark Sky technology prevents light from escaping above the horizontal plane—the light is guided solely onto the ground. Because the optic is concealed, neither passers-by nor drivers are dazzled by glare.
How bright should paths be illuminated?
A horizontal illuminance of 0.6 to 5lx is recommended for good path recognition. This reference value corresponds to the EN 13201-1 standard used in Europe. ERCO bollard luminaires are designed to achieve at least 1lx at a luminaire spacing of up to 10 meters. The softly diminishing light beam also ensures that passers-by are not subjected to any unpleasantly harsh brightness contrasts.
Create atmosphere with the right light color
Select a warm light color of between 2700K - 3500K if paths have warm material colors such as wood or sandstone and if you wish to accentuate these. A neutral white light color of 4000K on the other hand is suitable for cool material colors such as grey granite.
Design with weather resistant luminaires
Luminaires in public spaces or private gardens must be able to withstand adverse weather. A high protection rating is therefore needed. All ERCO luminaires for outdoor use have at least an IP65 protection rating. This means they are dustproof and protected against jets of water from all directions.
Bollard luminaires and cars
Bollard luminaires are easily overlooked by drivers in car parks. For this reason, select luminaires whose light also illuminates the bollard. In combination with positioning in beds and borders and 360° light distribution, the bollard remains visible for drivers as well.
Designing light for paths and open spaces
Achieve good orientation on paths by direct lighting from the side of the path. Ground washlights illuminate the path surface well with wide light distribution, whilst uniformly arranged bollard luminaires visually guide passers-by. To efficiently illuminate paths near a facade, facade luminaires that flood the ground with light over a large area are suitable. Downlights with wide or oval light distribution are ideal for the general lighting of covered paths.
Example lighting and arrangement of luminaires
Bollard luminaires with single-sided light emission
A wide distribution light beam or 180° distribution is suitable for the efficient lighting of paths. Bollard luminaires with 180° light distribution (h ≥ 800mm) enable uniform path lighting with luminaire spacing (d) of up to 8m and 12 watt consumption.
Wider distances can be selected for visual orientation.
Arrangement: d ≤ 8m
Bollard luminaires with 360° light distribution
Rotationally symmetric light beams are ideal for illuminating forks in paths and open spaces. Bollard luminaires with 360° radial light distribution provide uniform illumination and visually link paths and squares. The distances (d) between two luminaires (h ≥ 800mm) with 24 watt LED modules can be up to 10m.
Wider distances can be selected for visual orientation.
Arrangement: d ≤ 10m
Ground washlights
With wide light distribution, ground washlights enable the discreet, glare-free and uniform illumination of paths near to facades. The recommended mounting height (h) is 0.8 to 2m above the ground according to the luminaire range.
Arrangement: h = 0.8m - 2m
For uniform ground washlighting, luminaire spacing (d) may be up to 2 times the mounting height (h). If the luminaire is used for visual orientation, the luminaire spacing can be up to 10 times the mounting height.
Arrangement: d ≤ 2 x h
Downlights: Flood
For uniform general lighting, the approximate luminaire spacing (d) between two downlights may be up to 1.5 times the height (h) of the luminaire above the working plane.
Arrangement: d ≤ 1.5 x h
Half the spacing between luminaires can be used as the distance to the wall.
Arrangement: a = d / 2
Downlights: Oval flood
For linear general lighting, the approximate luminaire spacing (d) between two downlights may be up to 1.5 times the height (h) of the luminaire above the working plane.
Arrangement: d ≤ 1.5 x h
Half the spacing between luminaires can be used as the distance to the wall.
Arrangement: a = d / 2
Dark Sky technology
ERCO has perfected Dark Sky technology for its bollard luminaires. Light pollution is prevented because no light is emitted above the horizontal plane. In addition, glare to passers-by and drivers is avoided.
Technical features
Accessories for different mounting methods
ERCO's system design allows different mounting variants. For example bollard luminaires can be installed both in the ground using an anchorage unit, and on solid substrates by means of a mounting plate. The product data sheets of luminaires specify the accessories matching the luminaire.
Robust and weather resistant
All luminaires have an IP65 protection rating and are therefore dustproof and protected against the ingress of water jets from all directions.
Luminaires in various sizes
The luminaires in the ERCO product range cover a wide variety of lumen categories and therefore offer appropriate solutions for a wide diversity of lighting tasks.
Dark Sky
ERCO has perfected Dark Sky technology for its bollard luminaires. Light pollution is prevented because no light is emitted above the horizontal plane. In addition, glare to passers-by and drivers is avoided.
Customize
"ERCO individual" offers extensive options for the customizing of product ranges: www.erco.com/individual
