Beyond energy efficiency: Greenled responds as biodiversity and light pollution reshape outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting is no longer only about safety and energy efficiency. Growing evidence of how artificial light affects nocturnal wildlife, insects and pollinators is bringing biodiversity and light pollution into lighting design. Nordic lighting manufacturer Greenled is addressing this shift with Spectre lighting solution, which reduces blue light harmful to nature by more than 99%.

Across the Nordic countries, biodiversity is gaining a stronger role in the planning of cities, infrastructure and the built environment. For outdoor lighting, this means looking beyond energy use to consider what kind of light is introduced into the environment and how it affects surrounding ecosystems.

Light pollution is not only about how much we light

Research shows that blue wavelengths can disrupt feeding, navigation and circadian rhythms in nocturnal wildlife, insects and pollinators. The effects can reach beyond individual species, as many pollinators are active at dusk and during the night.

Reducing light pollution is therefore not simply a question of using less light or directing it more precisely. The spectrum matters too. Reducing the blue component of artificial light can help limit its impact on the surrounding environment.

Rethinking the spectrum of outdoor light

Greenled has developed the Spectre lighting solution together with Finnish optics manufacturer LEDiL. The technology converts more than 99% of blue light into other wavelengths while maintaining the light levels and quality required for safe and functional outdoor lighting.

The solution is already in use in outdoor lighting projects in Finnish cities, for example, Helsinki, Tampere and Pori. These projects demonstrate how safe outdoor lighting can go hand in hand with reduced light pollution and greater consideration for biodiversity.

Marko Hakola, Sales Director for Outdoor Lighting at Greenled, sees this as part of a broader shift in how outdoor lighting is designed.

– Energy efficiency has shaped outdoor lighting for decades and will remain essential. But it is no longer the only measure of good lighting. As we learn more about the effects of artificial light on nature, reducing light pollution and considering biodiversity are becoming increasingly important. The goal is to create lighting that makes our surroundings safe for people while disturbing nature as little as possible.

For more information

Marko Hakola
Sales Director for Outdoor Lighting
Greenled Oy
+358 50 476 3309
marko.hakola@greenled.fi

About Greenled

Greenled Oy is a Finnish lighting manufacturer with more than 10,000 customer projects across the Nordic countries. The company manufactures energy-efficient, long-lasting luminaires at its factory in Oulu, Finland, for applications ranging from industrial facilities and commercial properties to streets and other public environments. Greenled’s lighting solutions are designed to reduce energy consumption and support safety, efficiency and human wellbeing. Greenled operates in Finland and through its subsidiary Greenled Ab in Stockholm, Sweden.