Abstract
Public space lighting (PSL) contributes to pedestrians’ feeling of safety (FoS) in urban areas after natural dark. However, little is known how different PSL attributes, such as illuminance, light temperature, uniformity and glare, affect people's FoS in different contextual settings. The present study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by developing a model linking different PSL attributes with FoS, while controlling for individual, locational, environmental and temporal factors. To develop such model, the study employs a novel interactive user-oriented method, based on a specially-designed mobile phone application–CityLightsTM. Using this app, a representative sample of observers reported their impressions of PSL attributes and FoS in three cities in Israel, following a set of predetermined routes and points. As the study shows, higher levels of illumination and uniformity positively affect FoS, while lights perceived as warm tend to generate higher FoS than lights perceived as cold. These findings may guide future illumination polices aimed at promoting energy efficiency while ensuring urban sustainability.
Highlights
Public space lighting (PSL) is an important component of the urban environment and has a major contribution to the pedestrians’ overall feeling of safety (FoS) and comfort after natural dark [1,2,3]
The app was used by a representative sample of participants, who followed a set of predetermined routes and points, and reported their perceptions of PSL attributes and FoS, along with the date and time of assessments
The app was designed as location–and time-based, assuring that each participant reports in situ from the designated points, only after dark, and continuously follows a particular route without an option to report from the same point again
Summary
Public space lighting (PSL) is an important component of the urban environment and has a major contribution to the pedestrians’ overall feeling of safety (FoS) and comfort after natural dark [1,2,3]. PSL is characterized by several attributes—illuminance, light color temperature, uniformity and glare [4],—each of which may influence FoS, as well as energy consumption [5,6,7,8], and human health [9, 10]. PSL is currently designed according to international, national or local standards, such as EN 13201 [11]. Since the association between the above-mentioned lighting attributes and pedestrians’ FoS has not been sufficiently studied [1, 12], it is not clear enough how well do the abovementioned standards, albeit technically efficient, contribute to FoS. Human perceptions of PSL attributes may be influenced by socio-demographic characteristics and may vary according to individual, locational, environmental and temporal circumstances. An empirical model that links lighting attributes to FoS and considers various contextual factors is currently lacking
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