Detecting Inefficient Lighting Solutions: Step-by-Step Geographic information system (GIS) Technique

Outdoor lighting is used to illuminate roadways, parking lots, yards, sidewalks, public meeting areas, signs, work sites, and buildings. It provides us with better visibility and a sense of security. When well designed and properly installed, outdoor lighting can be and is very useful in improving visibility and safety and a sense of security, while at the same time minimizing energy use and operating costs. But, because nobody thought at this, most street lights shine light not only on the nearby ground, where is needed, but also miles away and skywards. Thus a large fraction of the light is lost, at consumer expense and without his/her consent. In the other hand, shortage in street light may cause more crimes as well as accidents. Most of the wasted or short light comes from the poorly designed street lights. Billboards, decorative lights, poorly shielded security lights are part of the problem too, but the main culprit for the waste and ugly glow one sees above one's head at nights is from the streetlights. Thus, recent computer technology gives us tools to be employed for testing the quality of light. Geographic Information System (GIS) software could be utilized to achieve that mission through applying mapping technique. This technique could analyze digital photographs and define light polluted areas as well as bad lighted. This paper reveals that step by step technique, which employs hybrid technologies to solve such problem for better planning decisions.