Lighting experts organize to reduce light pollution and raise awareness about the use of light in Chile

With the creation of the Association of Lighting Professionals in Chile (API), experts from various disciplines seek to promote an efficient and responsible use of light, addressing challenges such as the implementation of the New Lighting Standard and equity in access to good lighting.

Chile is the country with the most lighting professionals in Latin America, and with the aim of promoting the responsible use of lighting and minimizing its environmental impact, this year they decided to come together in the Association of Lighting Professionals in Chile (API). The way cities are illuminated has gained relevance due to the implementation of the New Lighting Standard throughout the national territory. Ximena Muñoz, interim president of the association, states that this regulation represents a “super opportunity to put the issue on the table, from Arica to Punta Arenas: let’s talk about light.”

With more than 75 members, the API brings together industry representatives, designers, suppliers, academics, and researchers, all focused on generating collective actions in search of an improvement in the quality of lighting, a greater lighting culture, and a better understanding of how the industry works.

What is good lighting?

For the Association of Lighting Professionals in Chile (API), good lighting consists of “illuminating with just enough, at the right time, and in the right place,” as explained by its president, Ximena Muñoz. “It is essential to work with the appropriate levels for the visual task to be performed; it is different to illuminate for a sewing workshop than for walking in a park,” she added.

Regarding outdoor lighting, the guiding principle is the appreciation of darkness. “In these cases, the levels should be as low as possible, use the warmest tones possible, and not illuminate upwards,” pointed out Ximena Muñoz. She adds that with the help of new technologies, control systems can be implemented to optimize the use of light, creating environments that are not only functional but also value aesthetics and people’s well-being.

Challenges of lighting in Chile

One of the main challenges for the association is addressing the relationship between security and public space lighting, especially in the context of the replacement of luminaires under the New Lighting Standard. Although public perception is that more light equals more security, recent studies have shown that there is no direct relationship between the reduction of lighting and the increase in crime.

In light of this, the president of API emphasizes the importance of changing the focus in the planning of nighttime public spaces. “The municipalities that have more resources have greater access to more aesthetically pleasing fixtures and better quality light. In contrast, there are other places that are planned in relation to fear, where a greater amount of light and a cooler light will be perceived as better. There is a deeply rooted cultural issue there that needs to be demystified,” emphasized Ximena Muñoz.

Territorial inequality in access to good lighting is another issue that has the group’s attention. Recently, a study by the University of Antofagasta confirmed the existence of what is known as “light segregation,” where lower social class neighborhoods have luminaires with a higher index of light pollution compared to the upper neighborhoods of a city.

On this, Ximena Muñoz argues that there is a significant responsibility on local governments and how to convey to them the importance of lighting in the health of their inhabitants. “Light is something that should be democratic, like sunlight, but at night there is a huge difference with territories that have fewer resources. I assure you that if you look at the city from above, you know which are the affluent neighborhoods and which are the more marginalized ones,” she pointed out.

The next steps of the Association of Lighting Professionals

In May of this year, API members met to discuss these and other key topics for the industry, such as the implementation of the New Lighting Standard. They also defined the steps to follow for the remainder of 2024: by December, they plan their first official assembly, where they will sign the statutes and elect a definitive board. In the long term, one of their goals is to strengthen ties with academia. “If we manage to integrate lighting-related topics into universities, it would be a great success,” concluded Ximena Muñoz.