Tips From The Top

One of the best parts about living in Jackson Hole is the access we have to the incredible outdoors. And that includes the awe we feel looking up at the immense dark sky at night.

We know our clients value that dark sky inspiration. We’ve never been a fan of harsh or overly dramatic outdoor lighting that blots out one of the very reasons so many of us live here. We design outdoor lighting landscapes to reflect our clients' love of the night sky while giving them a way to immerse themselves in it.

The rest of the country has been catching on to the importance of our dark night skies. The global organization DarkSky International is committed to restoring the night environments and protecting communities – people and nocturnal animals – from the harmful effects of light pollution. The organization has more than 2,000 volunteer advocates in more than 30 countries around the world. Now, cities and towns across the nation are adopting a new series of DarkSky regulations recognizing the importance of preserving our dark skies.

There are two important reasons to follow DarkSky guidelines. A big reason is how light pollution affects animals. It disrupts migratory birds. It changes the feeding areas for nocturnal animals. A second reason DarkSky guidelines are vital is that artificial blue light at night can disrupt our circadian rhythm and melatonin, increasing risks for sleep disorders plus a whole host of other problems like obesity, depression, diabetes, and more.

Plus, overlighting our landscapes is just wasting energy. Think about it – if you’ve ever seen an image of the earth from above at night, you can see just how much wasted energy is sent into space for no reason at all. 

Integrators and lighting experts are upping their game to make sure their landscapes are within regulations. The regulations provide guidelines for the types of fixtures, bulbs, shielding rules, brightness levels, and the use of timers and color temperature requirements to gain DarkSky Approval.

To ensure our outdoor landscapes are DarkSky Approved, we practice human-centric lighting principles. Lutron is one of our favorite providers for lighting designed for our circadian rhythms. We integrate tunable lighting fixtures with automated home systems that adapt to the time of day. At night, for example, we lower the blue-rich light that disrupts melatonin production. We also take into account zoning regulations and how they change, by making sure uplights and path lights are in separate zones for optimal control. For example, uplights will have to be turned off at a certain time in the evening, while downlights can remain on. In separate zones, our clients can control which lights go on and off at different times.  

The best part is the beauty of it all: The elegant integration of lighting systems designed to feature the majesty of our natural environment.

To learn more about how your outdoor spaces can glow in the Dark Sky, call us at Jackson Hole AV. We’d love to discuss the possibilities.