Lighting the Way: STR-1 Pioneers Fauna-Friendly Innovation in Hazardous Areas
The market for fauna-friendly lighting is expanding rapidly as awareness grows about the negative effects of light pollution on wildlife. With countries across Europe implementing new legislations on outdoor lighting, companies need to make sure they are compliant with new standards.
Light pollution poses significant threats to wildlife, particularly species adapted to dark environments. According to the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), over 80% of the world’s population now lives under light-polluted skies, leading to widespread disruption in natural behaviours among animals. Studies have shown that outdoor lighting can disrupt natural behaviours like navigation, migration and foraging in animals. Recent research has shown that artificial lighting is disorientating migratory birds causing them to collide with buildings and other structures, resulting in an estimated 1 billion bird deaths annually in the United States alone. Other animals, such as sea turtles, rely on natural light for navigation. Exposing their habitats to artificial lights leads to hatchlings heading inland instead of towards the ocean, drastically reducing their chances of survival.
Fauna-friendly Streetlighting
Light pollution also has several other effects on Fauna with many nocturnal predators depend on darkness to hunt effectively; certain species also utilise darkness for mating rituals.
With the recent emersion of Fauna-friendly Lighting market, there are several key areas in which streetlighting must comply for it to be considered Fauna-friendly. The product must use a warmer light, 3000 Kelvin or lower, to reduce the blue light output. The streetlight must also use fully shielded fixtures to limit the amount of light spilling upwards and sideways from the source.
Hazardous Area Lighting
Hazardous Area Lighting
Current models of fauna-friendly lighting may not be acceptable and safe to use in all areas. In certain areas such as power plants, pharmaceutical industries, distilleries and oil & gas industries, hazardous area lighting is essential to ensure safety. Certification such as ATEX & IECEx may be a mandatory requirement in these establishments however current hazardous lighting ranges do not factor in safety for wildlife.
STR-1 Streetlight
The STR-1 is an ATEX certified LED roadway luminaire suitable for Zone 2 hazardous locations, providing excellent horizontal distribution of light.
Manufactured from marine-grade Aluminium and epoxy powder coated, the STR-1 features highly efficient warm white (3000k) LEDs. It is available with a choice of four lens options that alter the forward or horizontal throw. This ensures the STR-1 streetlight is flexible enough for almost all hazardous area roadway and perimeter lighting applications.
Ideally suited to mounting on seven to ten metre roadway poles, the STR-1’s compact design provides a lightweight and low windage option for LED street lighting.
The STR-1 Streetlight
When being installed in coastal locations, an additional protective coating can be selected to increase its resistance to saline marine conditions.
The STR-1’s ATEX certification aligns seamlessly with its fauna-friendly design. The streetlight’s 3000K Warm White LEDs minimises blue light emissions, mitigating interference on nocturnal wildlife. Also, the fully shielded design ensures that light is directed downwards, preventing unnecessary light pollution into the sky and surrounding habitats.
The STR-1 streetlight exemplifies a solution that balances environmental responsibility and safety in hazardous areas, with its ATEX certification, warm white LEDs, and fully shielded design. As awareness of light pollution's harmful impact on wildlife grows and regulations tighten, the STR-1 serves as a beacon of innovation for sustainable, compliant, and wildlife-friendly outdoor lighting in even the most challenging environments.