Key takeaways
- Modern parking lot lighting is the source of first impressions, safety, and the way people will feel about your property the moment they pull in.
- Upgrading parking lots with LED controls and smart controls can reduce energy cost by 40-70% in many cases, which can increase the long-term value of a property.
- Key points on good lighting design regardless of the lighting fixtures used, good lighting design is as important as the fixture itself, particularly when it comes to security and branding, as well as tenant satisfaction for all busy parking lots.
- What a structured plan and having audits and numbers for ROI helps you to justify a parking lot lighting upgrade to your owners and stakeholders.
Why Parking Lot Lighting is Important to Property Value
When I visit a site for the first time, I usually park, sit for a minute and just look around. You probably do the same. In those first seconds, the parking lots tell you if the place is cared for or neglected. Faded poles, dim lighting in parking lots and dark corners signal the wrong message to customers and tenants.
There is some interesting data here. Retail research has found that more attractive and inviting parking lots can boost dwell time and repeat visits. Safer-feeling parking lots also reduce slip and fall claims and late night incident reports. One property manager said that their insurance carrier lightened their stance after they improved lighting around main parking spaces and walkways.
Tenants notice. Employees who are walking to cars at night discuss their perception of the safety of parking lots. That feedback is often reflected in lease renewal discussions.
Elements Of Contemporary Parking Lot Lighting Design
When you are planning selected parking lot lighting, you are not just selecting fixtures. You are defining the movement and physicality of people in parking lots every night. Light levels must be appropriate for the use. A busy retail parking area requires a different level of light, as will a quiet overflow lot or a parking garage.
Uniform light is key. People feel safer when parking lots do not have bright hot spots and dark patches. IES guidelines help you focus on achieving reasonable levels of light without going overboard. Glare control is also important so drivers are not blinded as they cross parking lots.
The Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program notes that effective parking lot lighting design should balance light levels, uniformity, glare control, and lighting controls to improve safety while minimizing energy waste.
Color temperature and color rendering influence the appearance of faces, vehicles and signs on cameras. Many land around 4000K for a balanced look. Pole height, spacing and lighting layout determines how many poles you actually need, and where. Good lighting design often equates to less complaints and calls back.
LED parking lot lighting and how it can affect property value
When you schedule the replacement of parking lots with older lamps with LED lighting, it can surprise some of us how a number of lots are going to surprise. I worked with a mid sized retail center that replaced metal halide with a led parking lot light package. Their energy use for parking lots fell by roughly half and maintenance calls nearly vanished.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED lighting uses significantly less energy and lasts far longer than traditional lighting technologies, making it a practical solution for reducing operating and maintenance costs in outdoor applications such as parking lots.
LED lighting typically has a very long life, you don’t have constant bucket truck visits. That stability makes it easier to budget and fill parking lots from year to year. Lower operating costs flow directly into net operating income, which is closely monitored by buyers and appraisers.
There is also the angle of sustainability. Many corporate tenants now question the role of parking lots in supporting ESG goals. Reducing kWh and CO2 with modern lighting technologies may help you win, or retain, those tenants.
Design Ways To Increase Property Value Through Lighting
Different properties require different approaches to parking lots. A retail center wishes to have their parking lots bright and welcoming, with easy access to stores and entrances. Multi-family sites emphasize resident comfort and have well-lit areas for parking close to units and visible walkways. Office and medical parking lots tend to feature staff areas and patient drop-off zones.
Industrial and logistics sites have lean on security. They need good coverage in truck courts, loading docks and perimeter parking lots in order for cameras to work well. I recall one warehouse in which we simply re-pointed fixtures and used a few poles to fill in blind spots. Security calls decreased and drivers were no longer complaining of backing into dark loading zones.
Branding plays a role too. Consistent color temperature between building, signs, and parking lots makes the whole site appear intentional. That sort of modern lighting refresh can assist rent bumps in the long run.
Financial And Investment-related Perspective
When talking to owners, parking lots typically boil down to numbers. A basic ROI model for parking lot lighting considers the cost of fixtures, installation, energy rates, maintenance and any rebates. A lot of times I will do a simple five-year total cost analysis: Keep existing parking lots as is or convert to LED.
One office property where I worked saved approximately $18,000 per year across its parking lots with a lighting upgrade. At an 8 percent cap rate, that savings alone was enough to support an appreciable value increase. That is before you count less complaints and a clean look.
Utility rebates can also help. Some of the programs cover a chunk of the cost for parking lots using controls and great-efficiency fixtures. It is worth checking your local utility site before you finalize specs.
Planning Your Parking Lot Lighting Upgrade
I always recommend that you begin with a nighttime stroll through your parking lots. Take photos. Notice where you hesitate or are unsure while walking across the parking area. Look for broken fixtures, incorrect colors and leaning, piping poles. Ask tenants or staff which are the most uncomfortable parking lots.
From there, set clear goals. Is your priority security, if so energy savings or maybe just a refresh of the look of parking lots? Rank quick wins such as re-aiming fixtures or installing controls, then larger steps, such as full lighting retrofits with LED technology.
When you speak with a provider, ask for a photometric layout for your parking lots. That layout shows predicted light levels, coverage and helps you do away with guesswork. Or you can phase work by section in order to keep busy parking lots open.
Common Mistakes Causing Inefficient Lighting
I see the same problems with many parking lots. Some owners over-light and think that brighter is always better. That can cause glare, neighbor complaints and wasted energy. Others under-light parking lots to save money which leads to dark corners and more peril. Testing light levels on site prior to final sign off helps.
Another error is neglecting controls. Parking lots running at full output throughout the night are cash burners. Simple lighting controls that include schedules or motion sensors in areas with less traffic can cut down on cost. I once saw a site reduce parking lots energy by about 25 percent due to schedule adjustments alone.
Mixing too many types and colors of fixture over time makes parking lots look patchy. A plan to standardize is a gradual one, keeping the site coherent and easier to maintain.
How FSG parking lot lighting Solutions Support Property Value
When you bring in a specialist, you want more than a catalog of fixtures for parking lots. You want someone who walks the site, listens to your lighting needs and builds a lighting layout that will fit your goals. A good team will model light levels, check the condition of poles and think about cameras, entrances, and traffic in your parking lots.
With FSG parking lot lighting projects, for example, you can tie together product selection, lighting controls, and installation so the parking lots feel consistent. I have seen retail centers repopulate old poles, add parking lot LED fixtures and come out with a clean modern look.
Those lights provide visibility, cost savings, and a more stable light system suitable for long-term value.
How To Get Started From Your Parking Lot Lighting Project
If you’re looking for an immediate action, take a walk in your parking lots after dark this week. Ask yourself, if I were to be alone, would I be comfortable to be here? Is it possible to read plates and see faces on cameras? Are there areas of the parking lots that I try to avoid?
Collect utility bills, old drawings and photos of problem areas in your parking lots. That gives a provider enough information to suggest the proper lighting solution and the proper lighting design.
When you make the transition to led you have the led lighting solutions that go along with led technology according to your site. Parking lot LED lights are reliable lighting solutions compared to those of traditional lighting, and often become the new favorite for parking improvements. With the right lighting, you have a well-lit parking lot, outdoor lighting that fits your brand, and parking lots that are safer for everyone.
