PHOTOMETRIC PLAN, LIGHTING PLAN, ELECTRICAL SITE PLA

 A lighting plan demonstrates the location, height, and type of lighting fixtures on the site and proposed buildings, including the location of the electrical supply. A photometric plan demonstrates the lighting fixture locations and illumination levels.  Our licensed professional engineers prepare and certify lighting plans and photometric plans to support site plan applications and to obtain building permits. A lighting plan and photometric plan may be required as part of an application for Site Plan Control. The Planning Act Section 41(7)(a)(5) allows for lighting studies to be requested as part of a site plan approval process. As growth and intensification occur within the municipality in order to meet the future needs of residents and the Provincial Places to Grow Plan, it is important to maintain nighttime comfort and safe conditions, reduce light pollution, and support dark skies. and evaluate the impacts of new development on surroundings.Our service area includes all the regions. Counties in Ontario including Toronto (City of Toronto), Hamilton (City of Hamilton), Region of Durham which includes Oshawa (City of Oshawa), Pickering (City of Pickering), Clarington (Municipality of Clarington), Ajax (Town of Ajax), Whitby (Town of Whitby), Brock (Township of Brock), Scugog (Township of Scugog), and Uxbridge (Township of Uxbridge), Region of Halton which includes Burlington (City of Burlington), Halton Hills (Town of Halton Hills), Milton (Town of Milton), and Oakville (Town of Oakville), Region of Peel which includes Brampton (City of Brampton), Mississauga (City of Mississauga), Caledon (Town of Caledon), Region of York which includes Vaughan (City of Vaughan), Aurora (Town of Aurora), East Gwillimbury (Town of East Gwillimbury), Georgina (Town of Georgina), Markham (City of Markham), Newmarket (Town of Newmarket), Richmond Hill (City of Richmond Hill), Whitchurch - Stouffville (Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville), Bradford-West Gwillimbury (Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury) and King (Township of King), Kawartha Lakes (City of Kawartha Lakes), Barrie (City of Barrie), Guelph (City of Guelph), Kitchener (City of Kitchener), Cambridge (City of Cambridge), Waterloo (City of Waterloo)  Excessive and unnecessary site lighting can have several detrimental environmental and safety impacts. Specifically, excessive lighting can be inefficient in terms of energy consumption, as well as create glare levels that can be a detriment to drivers, pedestrians, and neighbouring properties.  From an environmental perspective, the overlighting of towns and cities creates a phenomenon known as Urban Sky Glow, which renders the night sky effectively unviewable to town and city dwellers.  Furthermore, poor outdoor lighting design can create light trespass, which is a nuisance that negatively affects the enjoyment of a person’s property. The uneven application of lighting standards can create issues around transition, moving from an under-lit area to an over-lit area.  This can have a significant effect on the night vision of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. The safety issues that pertain to shadowing, peripheral visual detection, and clarity of vision, with respect to seeing other people and objects, shall be addressed in a lighting plan for a proposed development.
Vertical surface illumination and accent lighting can provide a sense of security and mitigate shadows, and provide important aesthetic benefits.  All building facades, landscaping, and sign lighting should be designed to eliminate direct up lighting from reaching the sky and prevent glare onto neighbouring properties and roadways.   A professional engineer certified lighting plan and photometric plot plan are required to demonstrate a proposed development’s conformity with the applicable policies of the Official Plan, regulations of municipal by-laws. and adherence to relevant urban design guidelines, standards and feedback provided at the pre-consultation meeting.  The lighting plan should include the following information

• Lot boundaries
• Location of all structures
• Location and height of all existing and proposed exterior lighting fixtures, including wattage and lamp type
• Pole specifications, such as height, spacing, foundation details, and placement
• Mounting height of all existing and proposed lighting fixtures from the adjacent grade to the underside of the lighting fixture
• Site areas and/or building elements intended to be illuminated by the lighting fixtures
• Detailed specifications, including lighting fixture type, lamp type, lumens rating of lamp, wattage, colour temperature, and drive current, etc.
• Lighting source shall be LED with a colour temperature (CCT) 3000 K;
• As general principles, light fixtures should be positioned across a site so as to give a uniform distribution of lighting across the relevant area.  This assists in the avoidance of the creation of “hot spots,” which are areas of over-illumination that make adjacent areas seem darker.
• Encourage the conservation of energy
• Except where lighting is strictly ornamental, photometric performance (the glare, intensity and uniformity of the lighting) will be a more important factor in assessing the suitability of proposed lighting,
• That the lighting fixtures, electrical conduit, and areas to be illuminated do not conflict with existing or proposed vegetation
• Notations that all exterior lighting fixtures are full cut-off to direct illumination downward and dark sky compliant to reduce light pollution, sky glare, and light trespass onto neighbouring properties
• Only full cut-off and International Dark Sky Association (IDA) compliant lighting fixtures shall be accepted. '
• Manufacturer’s data demonstrating the specifications for all proposed lighting fixtures, including the photometric data, designation as IESNA "full cut-off" fixtures, and other descriptive information related to the lighting fixtures
• Lighting fixtures shall be located in such a way as to direct light away from neighbouring properties.
• Lighting fixtures shall be positioned such that they focus light down, preventing light from emitting above the horizontal plane (90-degree position relative to the ground) and preventing light trespass

In addition to the requirement for a lighting plan, a photometric plot plan may be required for development proposals located adjacent to sensitive land uses and/or other contexts. Photometric analysis shall be carried out with independent software. The photometric plot plan should include the following information

• photometric diagram showing the predicted lighting levels from each of the proposed lighting fixtures
• photometric diagram showing the predicted lighting levels at the property line and throughout the development site
• provide all illumination levels in photometric units (lux)
• demonstrate illumination levels of 0.0 lux measured at all property lines
• provide photometric readings that extend 6.0m beyond the property lines of the subject site

The purpose of the lighting zones is to recognize the lighting needs for various land uses, while at the same time setting maximum photometric values at the property lines.  This will ensure that sites are adequately lit as well as controlling light trespass.  The land uses that will typically require Lighting Plans & Photometric Plans are

• Commercial uses such as Plazas, Retail Outlets, Car Dealerships, Offices, Personal Service Uses, and others;
• Employment uses such as warehousing, manufacturing, fabrication, aggregate extraction, and processing uses;
• Institutional uses such as places of worship, schools (public and private), hospitals, and government facilities;
• Residential uses (3 or more units, save and except for on-street townhouses).

Glare is the sensation produced by a lighting fixture within the visual field that is sufficiently greater than the background brightness to which the eye is adapted to cause discomfort, annoyance, or loss in visibility. The control of glare is primarily a function of the light distribution characteristics of the lighting fixture, and to some extent, the brightness of the surroundings.Outdoor lighting must be aimed, located, designed, fitted, and maintained so as not to present a hazard to drivers, pedestrians, or adjacent users by impairing their visibility or creating a nuisance by projecting or reflecting objectionable light onto neighbouring properties. All outdoor lighting equipment and fixtures shall be properly shielded and directed downward.  Lighting sources are not to be visible from adjacent properties or on-site residential units.  Glare control must be achieved through the use of cutoff fixtures, shields, and the appropriate application of the fixture mounting height, wattage, aiming angle, and fixture placement. For outdoor lighting applications, the impact of glare can be contained by limiting the Glare Index as outlined in the IES TM15-07 (Lighting fixture classification system for outdoor lighting fixtures).Light pollution is considered undesirable, and many people feel that it reduces the enjoyment of the night sky.  Effective lighting systems must be designed to eliminate direct and indirect skyward lighting. Lighting complaints are frequently due to nuisance glare or excessive brightness in the normal field of vision even though there may be no measurable light at ground level; there is the complaint that “light is shining in my window.”  Such concerns can be addressed by containing light within the design area and carefully selecting, locating, and mounting well-shielded lighting fixtures.Where a property is adjacent to another zone, the more restrictive photometric level shall apply at the property line. Where multiple zones exist on the same lot, the zone line shall be treated as a property line for the lighting plan. Where the Natural Heritage System is within the property line (as identified through an EIS or other document), the photometric level will be required to be met at the limit of the Natural Heritage System and/or the property line, whichever is greater. For industrial sites or large commercial sites (i.e., 2,000m² or greater), the maximum pole height may be increased to 7.3 m - check with the municipality's Urban Design Guidelines. Enhanced security applies to lots where night staff may be using the facility (e.g., Hospitals). During periods of non-use, the lighting fixtures of certain parking facilities may be turned off or reduced to conserve energy. If reduced lighting is to be used for the purpose of security, the minimum value should not be less than 1.0 lux. Reductions should not be applied to facilities subject to intermittent night use, such as apartments, hospitals, and transport terminals. If there are a number of handicap parking spaces, enhanced lighting levels may be used.Photometric levels provide an effective method of measuring the performance of a lighting design. Photometric uniformity is measured by the ratios Maximum to Minimum and Average to Minimum.  These photometric ratios provide a measure of the consistency of lighting across a site and provide assurance that the illuminance is within a range that the human eye can properly discern all objects in its field of view. The following charts indicate the required photometric levels and uniformity ratios for various types of use
Typical Lighting & Photometric Design Criteria 

Parking Lots and Loading Areas                                                   

Basic(Lux)    Enhanced Security (Lux) 

Minimum Horizontal               20 (2f.c.)        50 (5f.c) Illuminance             Uniformity Ratio (Max : Min)    20:1                15:1  Average Vertical Illuminance 10 (1f.c)           25(2.5f.c)  Glare Rating                          G1  Car DealershipsAutomobiles are typically placed on display adjacent to the roadway, and the lighting of this area should meet the needs of the business without producing excessive brightness.  Lighting should not compromise motorists' visibility on the roadway or that of the customer viewing the merchandise.  Lighting fixtures should be placed between the property line and the display.                                        Max Illuminance         Uniformity                                     Horizontal (Lux)         (Max : Min)Adjacent to roadway    200                              5:1 Other areas                 100                              10:1 Entrances                    100                              5:1            Driveways                    30                                10:1 Glare rating                  G2  Private Roads and Driveways                                    Avg. Horizontal(Lux)    Minimum (Lux)Commercial/Industrial Driveways                   6(0.6f.c)                         2 (0.2 f.c.)  Residential/ Institutional Driveways                  4.5(0.4f.c.)                      1.5 (0.15 f.c.)  Glare Rating              G0  Service Stations (Gas Stations)Light levels for gas stations should be adequate to facilitate on-site activities without producing excessive brightness.  All light fixtures mounted on canopies must be recessed or flush with the bottom surface of the canopy.  Areas away from the pumps used for parking or vehicle storage should be designed in accordance with the Outdoor Parking Area Lighting Requirements.                                  Average Illuminance (Lux)Approach                               20 Driveway                                20 Pump island                         200 Building facades                    30 Service areas                        30 Landscape highlights            20 Glare rating                           G1  Floodlighting Buildings and Monuments                                               Average Target Illuminance                                               (Vertical) Lux Bright surroundings and light surfaces                  50  Bright surroundings and medium light surfaces    70  Bright surroundings and dark surfaces               100  Dark surroundings and light surfaces                 20  Dark surroundings and medium light surfaces   30  Dark surroundings and dark surfaces                50  Lighting Zones, Spill Light Limitations, and Maximum Pole Heights Ambient     Locations                          Zoning Category      Lighting levels Lux-Level     Maximum Brightness                                                                           at Property Lines                 Pole Height(m)  Dark           Natural Heritage System  Wetland                      0(0 f.c.)                               4.5                                                             Conservation Land     at the limit of the                                                                                                Natural Heritage System  Low            Open Space                     Urban Reserve               2(0.2 f.c)                          4.5  Medium      Low/medium density         Residential                    5(0.5 f.c.)                          6                    Residential                        Institutional                    or Institutional                   Residential Mixed Use                                                             Park  High           Dense Urban with             Downtown Zones           7.5(0.75f.c.)                     6                   Mixed Commercial            Residential Apartment                   and Industrial                    Commercial                                                             IndustrialFull Cut-Off Lighting Fixtures:These lighting fixtures are independently certified by the manufacturers and do not allow light to be emitted above the lighting fixture. The lighting fixture reduces glare by limiting the light output to less than 10% at and below 10 degrees below the horizontal zoning standard.  Definitions Candelas - related to luminous flux is luminous intensity.  Candelas are the intensity of a lighting fixture in a particular direction.  One Lumen = one Candela emitted within a solid angle known as a steradian.  (There are 4 pi, or 12.57 steradians in a sphere).Foot candles: Lumens per square foot.Disability Glare - Glare, which impairs the ability to see detail without necessarily causing visual discomfort. Discomfort Glare - Glare, which causes visual discomfort without necessarily impairing the ability to see detail. Direct Glare - Glare caused when excessively bright light sources in the visual field are seen directly, e.g.,: lamps which are inadequately shielded. Reflected Glare-A term used to describe various visual effects, such as reduction of contrast, discomfort or distraction, produced by reflection of light sources or other bright areas in glossy or semi-matt surfaces. Illuminance is the amount of light that actually falls on an object.  It is the density of light on a particular surface –measured in lux or lumens per square foot (foot candles –fc). Lamp refers to a bulb or other light-producing source. Light Pollution - the overall impact that the lighting of cities and towns has on the night sky. Light Trespass - the projection of light from one site onto another. Lumens measurement of the total amount of light emitted by a bulb, known as luminous flux. A 100-watt incandescent bulb will put out roughly 1,800 lumens, while a high-pressure sodium street lamp of the same wattage will emit about 8,550 lumens. Luminaire - lighting fixture itself. It is a combination of the bulb, socket, reflectors or lenses, ballast, and housing. Luminance is the light that the eye sees –i.e., light that has been reflected by a surface.  It is measured in Candelas per square foot or metre.Lux:is the measure of illuminance, expressed in units of Lumens per square metre. Pole Height - Height of a light standard, measured from grade to top tenon cap. Qualified Lighting Design Professional -  Registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng). Uniformity - Defines the uniformity of light distribution. Measured as maximum: minimum and average: minimumMost of our outdoor lighting fixtures not only shine where we want them on our streets and buildings, but also up into the sky. Big cities like Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Burlington, Hamilton, Guelph, Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, and London glow intensely, visible testaments to incomplete planning and wasted energy. Lighting is an important component of urban life. Properly designed lighting provides safety and security so the city may be navigated and used at night. Well-designed lighting uses energy efficiently and minimizes the negative effects on human and nocturnal animal life. Effective lighting improves the quality of urban life for everyone.  Although artificial lighting has had a positive impact on city life, it has resulted in negative effects when it has been poorly designed or improperly installed. Most types of lighting are beneficial, but glare, light trespass, overlighting, and sky glow can actually worsen visibility for city inhabitants. Light pollution is growing faster than the rate of increase of population increase. Controlling this wasted light results in energy savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Lighting improvements can pay for themselves in energy savings, sometimes in a matter of months.  Certain animals, such as Migratory Birds, are negatively affected by lighting at night. For humans, there is growing evidence that lighting at night may be affecting many facets of mental and physical health.  In May 2016, the Province of Ontario approved Official Plan Amendment 262 with respect to the Environmental Policies and Designation of Environmentally Significant Areas, which were adopted by Toronto City Council in November 2015. The new environmental policies included the following additions about light pollution: 3.4.1. To support strong communities, a competitive economy, and a high quality of life, public and private city-building activities and changes to the built environment, including public works, will be environmentally friendly, based on:v) mitigating the unacceptable effects of noise and light;  Light pollution in the form of glare, light trespass, overlighting, and sky glow can reduce visibility for pedestrians and vehicles and have a negative impact on the health of humans, birds, and the natural environment. Light pollution has also drastically limited our view of the stars in the night sky. Properly designed lighting is efficient and effective, providing light exactly where it is needed for safety and security and results in energy savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Controlling light spillage can also result in darker environments for sleeping, less light at night that may attract migratory birds, and less disturbance for fauna in natural areas. Effective lighting improves the quality of urban life for everyone.  The proposed location of the transformer shall meet Clearance Standards. The transformer must also be located within 3-4.5m of a parking area, driveway, or hard surface for access by service vehicles. The access to the transformer pad must be from within the customer’s property, not from a local roadway or adjacent properties, and must provide adequate access for a line truck.  The transformer precast base cannot be located over parking structures or over an underground parking garage. Where the transformer is to be situated on a graded slope, a notched-out area must be established for the transformer base to be installed, with adequate space to accommodate the grounding requirements and guard posts/bollards if required.  2m CLEARANCES AROUND THE BACK AND SIDES, AND 3m CLEARANCE AROUND THE FRONT OF THE TRANSFORMER SHALL BE MAINTAINED. TRANSFORMER PAD LOCATION SHALL BE MINIMUM 3m AND MAXIMUM 4.5m FROM PARKING AREA DRIVEWAY, OR HARD SURFACE. INSTALL GUARD POST BOLLARDS IF THE TRANSFORMER IS LESS THAN 3m FROM THE TRAVELED AREA.  The Hydro will require one architectural site plan showing the proposed transformer location, one electrical site plan, and an electrical single-line drawing, both in hard copy (PDF file, P.Eng. approved version) and electronic AutoCAD (latest version). Additionally, a complete building elevation drawing, including subsurface excavations, is required to ensure the project is not in conflict with any existing overhead or underground components of the electrical distribution system. Hydro also requires a letter from the owner or the agent stating that the proposed building-to-existing electrical distribution system clearances have been checked and are in compliance with the current requirements of the applicable standards, acts, and codes.