How light affects your sense of security

Eric Talley
Smart City Segment Manager for North America

By looking at lighting as an integral part of security systems we can work on improving the sense of security of the spaces we are designing.

Imagine a safe space on your campus or in your city. 
What do you see?
 

Is the area covered effectively with cameras? Are there emergency intercoms available? Is there a guard or officer present? 

Did you ask yourself about lighting? You likely envisioned a bright, well-lit space that has excellent visibility. We take spaces like this for granted because we assume that effective lighting will be present, but that isn’t always the case. A well-lit space inherently feels safer. Even as young children, we needed light to feel safe is a space. You were afraid of the dark and the unknowns that you needed to make sure weren’t going to harm you. Our fears as adults are different, but not as drastically different as we think. 

Dark, poorly lit spaces present unknowns. If you can’t properly see who or what is in your path then you can’t prepare for that interaction. The fear isn’t always top of mind. We may not even acknowledge that it’s there, but we enter dark spaces tentatively; preparing for whatever might be in our way. At the very least, walking through a dark space is mildly uncomfortable and you are likely picking up the pace to reach the light on the other side. 

Now ask yourself: is this how we want people to feel? 

In our effort to make cities smarter and safer, is there room for dark areas? Is it enough to place cameras in a space that can record footage in low light conditions? The technology is impressive, but is it making people feel safe? 

Emergency call buttons are very useful if somebody needs help quickly. Even in a world where we are constantly connected to our phones, there is an undeniable need for these devices. Providing access to these systems is a great way to give people quicker access to police or paramedics. The issue with both technologies is that, however vital to creating a safe environment, they are both reactionary. Often, they are used after an event has taken place, and after that feeling of safety was taken from that individual. 

The importance of proper lighting conditions and the role of lighting in public safety cannot be overstated. Even the best intentions with security technology can fall short of creating the feeling of safety, which in the end should be the true goal in a community. What good is a neighborhood watch if you can’t see anything? We can never truly eliminate risks and danger for citizens, but we can give them the visibility needed to identify a risk.