DARK SKIES, BRIGHT FUTURE
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Published: May 19, 2003
Section: BUSINESS, page D1
Source: DEBORAH MARKHAM THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
© 2003- Landmark Communications Inc.
CAPE CHARLES - Virginia Beach developer Richard S. ``Dickie'' Foster, 59, remembers that as a teenager he could see a sky full of stars from the Croatan section of
As the glow from the resort area grew, he had to go south to Sandbridge to see that sky full of stars. Now, he must go to Nags Head or the
The association, which Foster's Baymark Construction Corp. joined in 1999, focuses on diminishing light pollution. Stray light causes problems in three main ways.
With urban sky glow, city light gets into the night sky and reflects off dust and water droplets, blocking the view of stars. Light trespass is when illumination crosses property lines, such as when a neighbor's porch light shines into your window. And glare occurs when too much illumination is used, impairing visual performance for people nearby.
The IDA says urban sky glow is destroying the world's view of the universe. Astronomers everywhere are squinting to see objects they could have easily observed 100 years ago.
We can typically see at least 2,600 stars under mildly polluted residential skies on any clear moonless evening, according to the IDA. In some rural areas, it is possible to see four times that many stars on a clear night. But most urban areas, and even in some suburban and rural areas, less than 100 stars are visible in the night sky, the IDA says.
The lighting that causes the glow is also draining the nation's pocket: An estimated $1 billion a year is wasted in lighting roads, homes and businesses, according to the IDA.
The IDA's first guideline for fighting light pollution: ``Use good lighting.'' That includes shining light downward and only where it is needed, and using only the amount of light necessary for the task. The IDA says this can be done by properly installing energy-efficient light sources and quality light fixtures.
``It's important to look at the whole design,'' said Philip A. Ianna, a retired University of Virginia professor and founder of the
``Full- cut-off'' fixtures, which point all light downward, are the best way to go for most roadways and residential areas, Ianna said. However, partial cut-off fixtures are better for highways.
Baymark, using recommendations from lighting engineers, installed 100 partial cut-off luminaries along Bay Creek Parkway and on Palmer and Nicklaus drives, Bay Creek's main arteries.
The 14- and 20-foot lampposts are topped with colonial-style fixtures. Aluminum baffles ring the lamps' high-pressure sodium bulbs, reflecting light to the ground. A photocell controls when the lamps come on.
After installing the lights, Foster decided it was too much. Several lights were turned off. Foster said that it was too dim. Now, every third light is lit, with more light at intersections.
``And, I don't think the experiment is over,'' said Saunders.
Once Foster and his crew are settled on the amount of lighting, the next step will be to figure out what to do with the extra street lights.
The rest of the community has different requirements. The cart paths on the golf course are lined with lights that illuminate only the paths, sending little or no light into the sky. The rest of the course is unlit.
The residential areas are free of streetlamps, and builders have to adhere to deed restrictions and architectural regulations. Porch lighting includes recessed bulbs on patios and hooded garage lights with motion detectors.
The idea is to light what needs to be lit when it needs to be lit.
``You don't want a big scene from `Close Encounters of the Third Kind' or stadium lighting in your neighbor's back yard,'' Saunders said.
Fixture selection is somewhat limited, however, because demand for light-saving devices is low. Therefore, few manufacturers make them.
Quality nonpolluting residential fixtures start around $50, and commercial lights, such as parking-lot poles, start near $1,000. The prices are comparable to regular lighting, Saunders said.
``But you're not going to find a $17 special at Wal-Mart,'' Saunders said of the fixtures.
The long-term savings come from using energy-saving bulbs in a properly laid-out design, he said. Through www.bulbs.com, 75-watt incandescent bulbs can be purchased for 46 cents apiece and 20-watt compact, fluorescent triple-tube bulbs can be bought for about $3 each. The fluorescent tubes burn eight times longer than the regular bulbs, which pop after 750 hours.
In addition to the long-term energy savings, maintaining the beauty of the environment increases the aesthetic value of a home.
``In the long run,'' said Foster, ``it's a good return.''
Reach Deborah Markham at 446-2033 or deborah.markham(AT)pilotonline.com.
Description of illustration(s):
COLOR PHOTOS BY VICKI CRONIS
VP GRAPHIC
TIDEWATER AREA LIGHT POLLUTION MAP