London plans to switch off lights of high-rise buildings at night
The City of London Corporation has drafted a new rule to switch off the lights of the city's high-rise buildings at night to curb light pollution
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The skyline of London at night may look very different from what it looks today as new rules have been drafted by the city authorities according to which skyscrapers will be required to dim their lights overnight.
The step will “cut light pollution and save energy”, as stated by the City of London Corporation, which is the governing body of the financial district.
After the new rules are adopted, the high-rise buildings in the Square Mile – the area in London where most of the high-rise buildings remain clustered – will be required to switch off unnecessary lights in the building after sunset.
The new buildings will have to compulsorily follow the rules. The authorities will encourage the existing buildings to adopt the policy, however, it won't be mandatory.
The authorities have introduced the rule as an increasing amount of evidence shows the light pollution's devastating impact on human health and biodiversity as well as the wasted energy.
What is the new policy?
The new policy has been stated in the 'Lighting Supplementary Planning Document', as reported by Britain’s Financial Times.
According to the plan, different curfews will be imposed on various ‘brightness zones’ across the capital. If the rule is implemented, businesses in heritage and residential areas will have to switch off lights at 10 pm and businesses in tourist and cultural areas will be allowed to keep the lights on till 11 pm.
In commercial areas, people are allowed to keep unnecessary lights on until midnight. City of London Corporation planning and transportation committee chairman Shravan Joshi said that currently, the document is under the process of consultation.
“The City is a unique place in which 24/7 business districts and busy transport hubs rub up against historic buildings and residential neighbourhoods,” he said.
"The strategy laid out in this document is aimed at ensuring an intelligent, sensitive approach to lighting which ensures the City is safe and accessible while protecting its historic character and the amenity of our residents,” Joshi added.
What is the situation of light pollution in London?
According to the researchers, the human eye must be able to see thousands of stars on a clear night. However, less than 30 per cent of people from around the world can get a clear view of the stars. This is because, in most areas, artificial light blocks out the night sky.
The biodiversity also suffers a devastating impact of the ‘skyglow'. In the UK, 60 per cent of the wildlife depends on natural darkness for their survival, as natural signals set pollination rhythms, migration and reproduction.
Light pollution also adversely affects human health by causing an interruption in the circadian sleep rhythms, which can lead to depression and heart and blood problems.
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