Amber is not yet the white knight for sustainable outdoor light

Abstract

Non-white light (NWL), and specifically yellow-orange or amber light sources, are often posed as a solution for environmentally sensitive areas and for astronomical sky glow. Lighting requirements published by various institutions ranging from public advocacy groups to governmental regulators demonstrate little agreement on NWL spectral thresholds and metrics. A recent market and performance analysis of NWL policies and products found that current international guidelines are not aligned, the terminology currently used by the lighting industry is inconsistent, and NWL LED products would likely not meet performance requirements for luminaire efficacy or colour rendition set by existing certification bodies.