McLean Citizens Association Puts LEDs in the Spotlight

The McLean Citizens Association meeting tonight (Wednesday) is scheduled to feature an illuminating discussion on replacing the local streetlights with LEDs.

The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the McLean Governmental Center (1437 Balls Hill Rd).

Over the next few years, Fairfax County plans to work with Dominion Energy to replace its streetlights with LEDs.

A resolution under consideration at tonight’s meeting would endorse the County’s plans and recommend lower levels of blue light emissions. The aim of the resolution would be to improve the light’s impact on humans as well as local animals.

In 2016, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted recommendations for LED color temperatures of 3,000 Kelvin or lower, based on studies indicating that blue light emissions from LEDs at higher color temperatures can create glare, impact human sleep patterns, and disorient animal species. […]

Now, therefore be it resolved that the MCA supports Fairfax County streetlight conversions to LEDs with lower blue light emissions, at approximately 2,700 Kelvin.

The resolution recommends updating the lighting ordinance to encourage warmer color temperatures as well as shielded fixtures to prevent upward light, adaptive controls such as dimmers, timers and motion sensors.