| Facade Lighting |
When lighting building facades with ground-mounted floodlights, three factors are considered:
The recommended setback is 3/4 times the building height. If a building is 30 feet tall, the recommended setback is 22.5 feet from the building. Locating the floodlight closer to the building will sacrifice uniformity; setting it farther back will result in loss of efficiency.
Setback distance = 3/4 x building height
3/4 x (30 ft.) = 22.5 ft.
The rule of thumb for spacing floodlights is not to exceed two times the setback distance. If the setback is 22.5 feet, the floodlights should not be placed more than 45 feet apart.
Spacing = 2 x setback distance
22.5 ft. x 2 = 45 ft. apart
The floodlight should be aimed at least 2/3 the height of the building. For example, if a building is 30 feet high, the recommended aiming point is approximately 20 feet high. After installation is complete, aiming can be adjusted to produce the best appearance. Mounting a full or upper visor to the floodlight can reduce unwanted spill light.
Aiming Point = 2/3 x building height
2/3 (30 ft.) = 20 ft. high
