The ILP’s Emily Bolt and Guy Harding used the Glasgow Lighting Live Annual Conference to update members on what’s in the pipeline when it comes to new technical publications, as well as urge members to get involved.
Given its focus on CPD and knowledge-sharing, it was appropriate that one important session for members at the Lighting Live Annual Conference in Glasgow was an update on the work of the ILP’s Technical Committee.
Presented by ILP Emily Bolt, Vice President – Technical, and Technical Manager Guy Harding, this talked members through the work the committee has been doing and what they can expect to see emerging in terms of technical publications and updates during the autumn.
Emily, first, explained that the committee has been focused on being able to respond more quickly to industry developments and changes. ‘There was a feeling that sometimes we aren’t really quick enough to react to industry hot topics,’ she said.
‘We have technical guidance notes, which are brilliant, but when we want to update them or do new ones it can take us a long time; and they don’t always match with our training offerings.’
MORE RESPONSIVENESS
To that end, the committee had published a number of statements in recent months on, among other topics, car headlight glare, CCT, the impact of LED on flora and fauna and so on. The committee, via Emily and Guy, had been proactive in terms of engaging with Lighting Journal and with the industry via social media, especially LinkedIn.
There was also work ongoing to develop and write guidance and technical documents on a faster cycle. ‘But of course we are still having to rely on our dedicated volunteers, who are all doing this for free alongside their full-time roles. So we do still want to widen our pool of volunteers,’ Emily emphasised, with new training also having been developed that better aligned with the ILP’s technical guidance.
In terms of publications in the pipeline, Emily highlighted that Lighting Against Crime had been updated and was now awaiting imminent publication. This update had been led by the architectural committee’s Graham Festenstein, and had been developed following close liaison with the police.
‘It focuses on how the use of good lighting can reduce the perceived fear of crime. It is not about reducing crime, it is about reducing the perceived fear of it. To have environments that you feel safer in when you are walking around at night, travelling to and from work, or going to and from school,’ Emily.
At the request of the police, it will be published on the ILP website. However, Guy added: ‘Bear in mind, it is not a document aimed at lighting professionals; it is aimed at non-lighting professionals.’
CONFLICT AREAS
Another publication being updated was PLG02: The Application of Conflict Areas on the Highway. For this, a review of the technology and terminology referenced is being carried out, plus updates on slip-road lighting, gyratories, the placement of columns at junctions and so forth. The diagrams and annexes were also being updated.
This updated publication is still in draft form currently, and so undergoing a final review, with publication due during the autumn.
PLG04 Guidance on undertaking environmental lighting impact assessments is also currently being reviewed and updated, as TR12 Lighting of Pedestrian Crossings.
Looking further ahead, members can in the coming months expect updates to TR30 Guidance on the implementation of passively safe lighting columns and signposts; TR25 Lighting for traffic calming features; GP10: Safety during the installation and removal of lighting columns and similar street furniture in proximity to high voltage overhead lines; PLG03 Lighting for subsidiary roads; and PLG23 Lighting for cycling infrastructure. So there is a lot of work in the pipeline and coming down the track for members to look out for.
‘We need members to come forward to work with us – really that is the call. There are other documents that need reviewing and updating. We want, for example, to look at high-mast lighting as well as lighting for TV. So if you have the time to do it that would great. We always need help!’ Emily then explained
‘The next step then is to look at what we haven’t got in the way of advice or guidance. Where do we need some more documents? Do we need something on sustainability or circularity for example?
‘If members have any ideas of things they would like to see from the ILP Technical Committee or anywhere they feel we are lacking in guidance or documents in your day-to-day job please let us know, either myself or Guy,’ Emily concluded.
Emily Bolt can be contacted on emily@theilp.org.uk and Guy Harding, similarly, at guy@theilp.org.uk
This is an abridged version of the article that appears in the September edition of Lighting Journal. To read the full article, simply click on the page-turner to your right.
Image: Emily Bolt presenting at Glasgow
