Lighting

One aspect of a security plan that may not be apparent upon first glance is the defensive applications in the usage of lighting. Obviously a dark and unlit property is a more attractive target for intrusion, but how lights are applied has a significant effect on the operation and effectiveness of the physical protection plan.

There are many considerations that need to be made when choosing the type of lights and their location. While it may seem that more lighting is always better, too much in the wrong place can create glare or high contrast shadows that decrease visibility. Some color temperatures are effective at illuminating without reducing dark area visibility, but are not appropriate in all environments.

Special consideration needs to be taken in regards to the display limitations of any camera systems, and to make sure that lights are angled in a way that faces are identifiable. LED technology has fallen in price sufficiently to be today largely preferred over all other types of bulbs due to it’s higher brightness and lower energy consumption, and along with solar charging panels can reduce operating costs to negligible levels. While devices such as motion detectors and IR sensors can help detection in low light levels, it is essential for an area to be properly lit in order to remain secure.