Councillors asked to consider amber LED lighting
DUNEDIN city councillors have been given a demonstration of the difference colour could have on LED lighting.
Dunedin Dark Skies Group member Michael Broughton asked the councillors, during his submission on the council’s 10year plan yesterday, to consider delaying introduction of the planned LED street lighting programme in the city.
About $12 million has been set aside in the plan to upgrade the city’s street lights to LED lighting, which the council plans to start installing later this year.
The type of LED to be used, and when different suburbs would be upgraded, has not been decided.
Mr Broughton said since the council had decided to replace the older street lighting with LEDs there had been research published which outlined the negative effect white LEDs could possibly have on human health.
There was also a debate as to whether white LEDs further obscured the night sky, he said.
He urged the councillors to investigate the use of amber instead of white, as it had a much lower effect on humans, wildlife and the night sky.
To demonstrate his case, Mr Broughton brought a light box into the hearing and asked councillors to stare at the three different coloured LED lights positioned on the box.
He then asked councillors which colour they preferred. Almost all of them said they preferred the amber light.
Mr Broughton said the council should be applauded for its moves to making Dunedin a dark skies city but it should be careful not to rush and install a light which could have a negative effect, not only on the night sky and the city’s wildlife but also on human health.
Cr David Benson Pope asked whether the use of amber was internationally recognised as the best choice for dark sky cities.
Mr Broughton said there was no 100% positive choice, as all LED coloured lights had downsides as well, but Flagstaff was seen as one of the best examples of a dark sky city in the world.
Flagstaff, in Arizona, was internationally recognised as the best dark sky cityand had successfully made the transition to amber LEDs, Mr Broughton said.