Illuminating Engineering Society of North America

Lighting for Parking Facilities - with Errata: May 2016
 N RP-20

Annotation

Purpose and Scope

The primary purpose of this document is to provide recommendations for the design of fixed lighting for parking facilities. This document deals entirely with lighting and does not give advice on construction. It provides recommended practices for designing new lighting systems for parking facilities and it is not intended to be applied to existing lighting systems until such systems are redesigned. However, this document does represent current good practice.

These recommendations include interior and exterior lighting practices for the reasonably safe movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic in parking facilities, the enhancing of personal safety and security and the deterring of vandalism and theft, while optimizing energy use and minimizing maintenance. Their application may vary from these recommendations based upon sound engineering judgment (see Section 4.5).

The guidelines exclude recommendations for public roads (see ANSI/IES RP-8-14 Roadway Lighting10), and bikeways and walkways, which are given in other IES publications (as cited). Environmental issues (light trespass, light pollution, stray light, glare and control of light) are covered in detail in IES RP-33-14, IES Recommended Practice on Lighting for Exterior Environments. Security lighting is covered in IESNA G-1-03, Guideline for Security Lighting for People, Property, and Public Spaces.

Excluded from this practice:

• Computer-controlled, automated vehicle parking facilities that utilize mechanical means to store and retrieve vehicles in an unoccupied storage vault.

• Curb parking along streets