California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) is researching how to improve the outdoor lighting landscape, with paying special attention to ecological concerns, as opposed to human needs. BALANCE (Biologically Appropriate Lighting Aligning Nature, California Codes & Energy Efficiency) studies the ALAN systematically with its effects on essential species, including nocturnal pollinators, bats, and migratory birds that are critical to California's biodiversity and agricultural output. Established results illustrate how ALAN really does disrupt various environments, turning down pollinator activity, fragmenting wildlife corridors, and disabling bird migration. The BALANCE project seeks to maintain advancing strategic lighting development for conservation goals while also considering energy efficiency, public safety, and the state's climate goals.
While traditional codes chiefly consider energy usage, BALANCE finds itself derived from the latest scientific understanding of species’ spectral sensitivities. Technical recommendations currently undergoing development consider measures to reduce the detrimental blue light incidence down to 1.8% of the total flux using advanced LED chip components, spectral tuning to suit species activities in different seasons, full uplight cutoff to preserve dark skies, and light intensity reductions by 75% while vacancy prevails through adaptive control. These result in effective, safe lighting for communities and minimal ecological disturbance.
For the updates of California Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards and CALGreen Code concerning identification of new requirements for biologically appropriate lighting will be based on the project findings. All stakeholders, from policy-makers to developers and urban planners, will be assisted with medium-term actionable, science-backed outdoor lighting guidelines that conserve wildlife and lessen energy use and emissions. In summary, BALANCE aims to be a keystone of a future-proof approach to a codes-and-standards development framework, fusing lighting technology innovation together with the urgency of biodiversity conservation and California's long-term sustainability goals.