U BANISM - Center for Applied Transect Studies

SMARTCODE ANNOTATED
These annotations are advisory only. The SmartCode
itself appears only on the right side of each spread.
PUBLIC DARKNESS
The Public Darkness table defines standards to maintain
desired general ambient light levels across the Transect.
Lighting standards protect against glare, preserve the night
sky, and reduce unnecessary energy use from overlighting.
Rural zones tend to be darker, while higher levels of outdoor
lighting may be more suitable in mixed use urban zones.
See Table 5 of the base SmartCode and the Lighting and
Lighting Design Modules at www.transect.org.
Lighting is regulated by the type of lamp and the effective
brightness, or lumens. A “full cutoff” luminaire does not
allow light above a horizontal plane and directs light
downward without allowing light to escape upwards where
it is no longer useful. Dimmers and other similar methods
of managing light output assist in reducing energy usage
and lowering the impacts on the dark night sky.
“Initial lamp lumens” is a measure of how much light the
lamp is emitting near the beginning of its life, as most highefficiency
light sources decline in light output over time.
Shielded luminaires limit light trespass beyond the property
line and prevent the lamp from being directly visible. A
lighting curfew promotes a dark night sky by restricting
commercial lighting during late-night non-business hours.
This may occur after the official close of business to allow
employees to leave the building safely.
MA20 S m a r t C o d e Ve r s i o n 9.2