How we light our public and private spaces is of ever more recognized importance. Our lighting has an affect on us both physically and psychologically as well as an affect on our neighbors and the environment at large. Growing bodies of research show that light pollution and poor lighting considerations can contribute to a plethora of issues, both physical and psychological, and limits visibility of stars and disturbs natural nocturnal cycles for nighttime creatures. While safety is often touted as a reason to over-light our spaces, evidence suggests that there is no correlation between lighting and crime and that in some instances, over-lighting may actually increase potential crime. However, this expanding awareness means that constructing responsible and effective light environments has never been more important or accessible!

With years of experience researching and dealing with electric light and light pollution, Jordan Miller may take on occasional commissions and projects for lighting design. These projects are often for exterior lighting, as seen in the sample project below, but can also be interior lighting.

The artist’s approach seeks to balance a need for light with a need for darkness, making sure the things that need lighting are lit but that excess is minimized for the benefit of the resident, their neighbors, and their environment.

660 Dark Sky & Vintage Appropriate Deck Lighting Re-design

The old electrical conduit was removed, along with the bare-bulb lighting fixtures on each floor that ran the central conduit. A new conduit was run up the back side of the building with weather protected outlets on each floor. Branch lines were run to each unit’s back door for an individual light fixture. The new fixtures were fully capped and dark sky compliant and designed to look vintage and appropriate for the building’s age and aesthetic. Lines were also run from the central conduit to the underside of the stairway landings where simple, full cutoff light fixtures were placed to illuminate the stairs and landings. One of these fixtures was also installed in the garden level landing by the laundry room and boiler room doors. Without an overhang or landing above, the top section of stairs was lit by step-level and under-rail LED lighting. The old incandescent bulbs were all replaced with LED bulbs. The vintage porch lights make use of LED bulbs designed to mimic the vintage-filament Edison bulbs.

Despite increasing the number of light fixtures on the back of the building from 3 to 10, the new wiring and LED bulbs reduced energy usage and costs and the dark sky compliant design of the lighting actually reduced glare, light trespass, and light pollution while simultaneously increasing visibility and access to the lighting by each individual unit.

Since the completion of the project, fewer falls and accidents have taken place, residents have made more use of the patios and decking, eye strain has been reduced, and the number of fireflies seen in the yard has increased.