Light emissions can come from many sources including security lights, spot lights and flood lights, advertising signs and entertainment events. Sometimes light can affect neighbours and interfere with their normal activities. If severe enough, it can impact on people's health.

You can reduce light emissions by:

• turning off lights when not in use or not needed. Consider using sensor switches
• locating lights as far as possible from neighbours and away from sensitive areas, like bedroom windows
• avoiding placing the light near a reflective surface and use existing features to hide the light source from view
• directing light downwards to illuminate the target area. If there is no alternative to up-lighting, try shields and baffles to help keep spill light to a minimum
• using equipment that can minimise light spread near, or above, the horizontal
• fitting only the number of light bulbs you need for an area; over lighting can cause light pollution and waste energy
• keeping glare to a minimum; ensure the main light beam is kept below 70 degrees from horizontal.

This information is also available as a light fact sheet