Mapping Artificial Lightscapes: high resolution solutions to artificial light pollution in cities

The proposal is a first attempt to secure high-resolution maps showing the intensity and spectral quality of artificial lighting for multiple urban areas anywhere in the world. We argue that they are an essential first step for understanding and addressing the engineering, social and biological impacts of artificial lighting and their related policy dimensions, which has hitherto been undermined by a lack of quality data at an appropriate spatial scale. Artificial lighting (AL) and urbanisation are linked, so much so that remotely sensed measures of AL are used as proxies for urban area, population, electric power consumption, density of built infrastructure and economic activity. Increases in AL have not only led to a wide range of benefits for society, but also an equally wide range of costs (e.g. changes in energy consumption and supply, infrastructure, human health, quality of life and ecological function and ecosystem services). The central platform for this research is quantification of the spatial variability in lighting at a city scale, both in terms of its intensity (illuminance and radiance) and spectral quality. This is needed because although accurate and comprehensive ground-based measures of artificial lighting and its impacts (e.g. safety) are available, they are not scalable. Conversely, larger scale satellite-based measures are typically of coarser resolution (1km), have poor sensitivity to low radiances, and lack multiple spectral bands. The demand for datasets at a spatial extent, resolution and quality relevant for managing urban landscapes has therefore not yet been met. Our research team's recent focus on urban futures (SUE 2 grant) identified AL as a local condition critical to the success of many of today's sustainability investments. We identified that changes in spectral range and intensity of lighting will either support or undermine initiatives aiming to improve road safety, energy efficiency and urban biodiversity. Further investigation revealed the lack of datasets to support a more quantitative sensitivity analysis and associated future proofing. We created a pilot project with Birmingham City Council, who were in the process of commissioning unrelated aerial surveys and were keen to support our research. The stunning results led to the first ever high-resolution quantification of the luminance and spectral quality of lighting within a City. It is likely data of this type have not been produced before due to technical, financial and logistical barriers, which we have demonstrated no longer exist. The aim of this project is to collect, process and analyse data from remotely sensed digital images to provide the first set of geo-referenced, radiance-calibrated, high-resolution city lightscape maps, for multiple cities in the UK. Data calibration, processing and analysis will follow an initial phase of collection. Throughout these phases the team will work across disciplines and sectors, with an international partner, lighting industry representatives and data collectors to ensure the outputs are targeted to end users. The deliverables from this project are (i) the first fully quantitative high resolution mapping of artificial lighting at a city scale for multiple urban centres in the UK, (ii) the first model of the relationship between urban structure and artificial lighting, and (iii) the first multi-city comparison of artificially lit landscapes. These have broad utility and are expected to generate considerable public interest. The AL issue is significant, as it impacts a very wide range of issues associated with the built environment that have become core topics of debate within academic and practitioner communities as well as within wider society. The deliverables from this project will provide an essential and timely dataset from which to better consider lighting issues at appropriates scales, depending upon the subject of interest (energy, health, ecology, etc.).

A broad range of groups will benefit from the development and analysis of these unique datasets, many of whom are associated with our past, current or proposed future project partners. These include: - Consultants contracted to produce spatial lighting strategies and to undertake PFI lighting projects, or impact assessments for development proposals. The most obvious beneficiary is Amey, who recently began a 25yr (2.5 billion) PFI project with Birmingham City Council to replace 50% of all existing streetlights over the next 5 years. Amey is already aware of our work through the Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP) and we will use this practitioner network to identify impact opportunities elsewhere. - City Councils, who manage the existing lighting infrastructure and implement policies on lighting trespass, energy efficiency, access, crime and biodiversity. Our datasets will be of value to staff tasked with targeting and justifying maintenance and investment into lighting infrastructure. We already have strong links with planning and policy officers within the West Midlands local authorities, where flights are scheduled for winter 2010. - The Highways Agency, which recently downgraded its estimates of the benefits of lighting in reducing traffic accidents and is trialling lights off on motorways. Opportunities for dissemination through the ILP are already being explored. - Civil engineers who supply and maintain the utility services infrastructure to urban areas, enabling them to streamline current infrastructures and design efficiently new additions. - Architects and urban designers wishing to understand the lighting context of a particular site. Our pathway here will professional bodies seeking to disseminate best practice on sustainability and the built environment (e.g. RIBA, BRE). - Those involved in remote sensing, who are aware of the potential applications and emerging markets for these data. Initially this collaboration would directly benefit the EA Geomatics Group, supporting the development of their survey methodology. However, we expect that other remote sensing groups within the private sector will subsequently adopt and develop this approach. - Regional and national agencies who will be better informed of the magnitude of costs and benefits associated with artificial lighting at a city scale. Interest here relates to major policy drivers such as the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. However, the relevance of artificial lighting to the broader sustainability agenda will be highlighted in briefing notes targeted at this audience (via the BRE). - The PDRFs, and their future employers, who will gain invaluable experience of this truly cross-disciplinary field. - The international academic community, which will gain insight into the variety of potential applications of such datasets and the opportunity to explore and exploit them. - EPSRC, EU and other research councils are likely to benefit, as baseline datasets of lighting intensity and quality over large areas provide the opportunity to support thematic programmes (e.g. SUE) that include a wide range of disciplines. - Members of the public, who enjoy the benefits of artificial lighting (safety, flexible working hours), but are also subject to many of the negative impacts. - Amateur and professional astronomers, seeking locations to gain clear views of the night sky. For the first time both higher-level strategies and decisions on specific lighting proposals can be informed and shaped by the same comprehensive light intensity and spectra maps. Our datasets will be available to the academic, private and public sectors through journal publications, conference papers and ultimately KTNs. However, our major pathways to impact will be via our collaboration with the ILP and a workshop with organisations tasked with disseminating research and best practice to public and private sector audiences.