New regulations in Shenzhen: lighting must not shine directly into residential windows

In June, the light show in Futian Central District went viral on WeChat Moments. In addition to adding a beautiful scenery to the urban night scene, urban lighting sometimes also brings considerable troubles to citizens' lives, such as light pollution.

Yesterday, the "Shenzhen Urban Lighting Management Measures" (hereinafter referred to as the "Measures") were officially implemented, which included functional lighting and landscape lighting in communities and parks into unified management. In order to avoid affecting the lives of citizens, the "Measures" stipulate that urban lighting shall not shine directly on the windows of residential buildings. The functional lighting supporting the main project shall be designed, constructed and put into use at the same time as the project. The Shenzhen Municipal Urban Management Bureau stated that the next step will be to eliminate high-energy-consuming and inefficient lighting products in a timely manner and promote the use of intelligent, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly lighting technologies and products.

Landscape lighting is included in urban lighting management

In the general concept of citizens, urban lighting is generally street lights on roads and parks. However, in the context of rapid urban development, functional lighting such as street lights is no longer rare. There are more and more landscape lighting such as street lighting sculptures and building facade light shows, which not only reflect people's pursuit of beauty, but also highlight the image and cultural heritage of the city.

The reporter saw that the "Measures" expanded the connotation of urban lighting, including functional lighting and landscape lighting in residential areas, parks, public green spaces, etc. other than urban road lighting, into the scope of urban lighting management. At the same time, it is clarified that the "Measures" apply to the planning, construction, maintenance and supervision and management of urban lighting in Shenzhen.

Yesterday, the relevant person in charge of the Shenzhen Urban Management Bureau interpreted the highlights of the "Measures". As early as 1997, Shenzhen promulgated the "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Urban Road Lighting Management Regulations". But 21 years have passed, and the original regulations are no longer able to meet current management needs. In 2010, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development promulgated the "Urban Lighting Management Regulations", which included functional lighting and landscape lighting in tunnels, squares, parks, etc. into the scope of urban lighting management. The newly introduced measures precisely meet the needs of higher-level laws.

The person in charge said that due to the limitations of legislative authority, the 1997 "Special Zone Regulations" only applied to the original special zone. The difference in standards resulted in the construction standards of urban road lighting facilities in the original special zone being much higher than those outside the original special zone. After the special zone was integrated in 2010, the "Special Zone Regulations" were expanded to apply outside the original special zone. However, there are too many historical debts and the phenomenon of duality inside and outside the original special zone still exists. This urgently requires the introduction of new unified urban lighting management regulations.

Encourage buildings to implement interior lighting

Although urban lighting is beautiful, sometimes it shines into residents' homes or moving vehicles due to specific angles, affecting the health and safety of residents. The "Measures" are also very considerate, stipulating that lights from urban lighting facilities must not shine directly into the windows of residential buildings. If urban lighting facilities are close to the windows of residential buildings, shading measures should be taken.

In addition, the "Measures" encourage buildings to implement interior lighting. A lighting designer said that the principle of internal light transmission is the same as that of a lantern. The lighting facilities are inside the building and emit light through glass windows and other media. The benefit of internal light transmission is to minimize glare.

In order to create a neat, beautiful and environmentally friendly urban night landscape, in January last year, the Shenzhen Urban Management Bureau promulgated and implemented the "Shenzhen Urban Lighting Special Plan", planning to create an integrated spatial landscape structure of "three axes, four cores, five bays and six points". The "Measures" determine the guiding role of urban planning in urban lighting, especially landscape lighting construction management.

The "Measures" stipulate that functional lighting facilities and landscape lighting facilities in key areas constructed in conjunction with the main project should be designed, constructed and put into use at the same time as the main project. For construction projects that implement the "Three Simultaneities", the construction unit shall also inspect and accept urban lighting facilities when organizing completion acceptance. If they do not meet the requirements, they shall not be delivered for use.

The Shenzhen Municipal Urban Management Bureau stated that in order to implement the "three simultaneities" requirements, first of all, the scope of landscape lighting must be limited to important urban landmarks, nodes, major landscape corridors, important transportation portals and other key areas determined by the special urban lighting plan; secondly, the planning requirements must be clearly stated in the land approval document or land transfer contract; thirdly, when the planning and land department reviews the main project design plan, the landscape lighting design plan must be reviewed based on the special urban lighting plan to ensure that the planning requirements are implemented.

The lighting rate of expressways and trunk roads shall not be less than 98%

The "Measures" clarify the responsible entities for the management of lighting facilities. Based on the historically formed power supply network and professional management needs, road lighting facilities in Futian, Luohu, Nanshan, and Yantian Districts are directly managed by the Shenzhen Municipal Lighting Competent Department; other areas are managed by the urban lighting competent departments of each district (new district) on a territorial basis.

In addition, the transportation department is responsible for the maintenance and management of lighting facilities in the tunnel. In addition to the above two items, the owners or managers of other urban lighting facilities are responsible for the management of corresponding facilities.

The "Measures" stipulate that the lighting rate of lighting facilities on expressways and trunk roads should be no less than 98%, and the lighting rate of secondary trunk roads and branch roads should be no less than 96%. If urban road lighting facilities fail, simple failures such as a single lamp going out should be resolved within 24 hours; more complex failures such as line or equipment damage should be resolved within 3 days.

In order to encourage energy conservation and environmental protection, the "Measures" also clarifies maintenance fees. Landscape lighting facilities invested and constructed by the public, if they are included in the urban lighting intelligent control system and are located in key areas, or if the internal lighting of the building is lit according to the requirements of the competent department, maintenance fees and electricity bills will be subsidized in accordance with relevant regulations.

In terms of protection measures, if the construction project really needs to relocate, dismantle, or modify urban road lighting facilities or excavate above urban road lighting pipelines, the construction unit shall sign a protection agreement with the competent department or transportation department to clarify the responsibilities of both parties before starting construction. It is prohibited to connect electricity to urban road lighting facilities and set up advertisements or decorations without authorization, and the prohibited behaviors that hinder or damage urban lighting facilities are clarified.

Urban lighting will be intelligent and environmentally friendly

Shenzhen is a strong city in science and technology, and the technological content of urban lighting is constantly improving. At the "Shenzhen City Lighting Cup" lighting art creative design competition in June this year, many design works won awards. The first-prize work "Light·Induction" can remind car owners whether there is a traffic jam ahead through the change of light color on the street light pole.

The "Measures" also reflect the direction of smart and environmentally friendly urban lighting in the future. The "Measures" stipulate that the competent authorities should build urban lighting intelligent control systems to carry out intelligent monitoring and management to achieve scientific and reasonable lighting switching and brightness control. Carry out green energy-saving lighting demonstration pilot activities to improve the scientific and technological level of urban lighting.

The Lighting Environment Management Center of the Shenzhen Municipal Urban Management Bureau stated that the next step will be to find out the basic number of urban lighting facilities, and vigorously promote intelligent monitoring and management of urban lighting facilities based on factors such as population density and citizens’ production and life patterns, and scientifically and rationally control illumination and lighting time. Support the promotion of the use of energy-saving and environmentally friendly lighting technologies, new products, and new equipment, and promptly eliminate high-energy-consuming and inefficient lighting products. Develop urban lighting energy-saving plans and reasonably control the scope, brightness and energy consumption density of landscape lighting. The Shenzhen Municipal Urban Management Bureau will work with the planning and land department to clarify the scope of the "three simultaneous" landscape lighting areas as soon as possible and announce it to the public.

The maximum fine for damaging facilities is NT$100,000.

The reporter learned that the "Measures" have increased the penalties for relevant illegal activities. Anyone who relocates, dismantles, or alters urban road lighting facilities without authorization, or excavates above urban road lighting pipelines, shall be ordered to restore the unit or individual to its original state, and shall be fined 200 yuan for individuals and 20,000 yuan for units; if urban road lighting facilities are damaged, the unit shall be ordered to Or the individual can be restored to his original status and compensate for losses. The individual will be fined 500 yuan, and the unit will be fined not less than 20,000 yuan but not more than 50,000 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, the individual will be fined 1,000 yuan, and the unit will be fined not less than 50,000 yuan but not more than 100,000 yuan.

If urban lighting facilities are not designed, constructed, and put into use at the same time as the main project, the construction unit shall be ordered to make corrections within a time limit; if corrections are not made within the time limit, a fine of 30,000 yuan will be imposed. If urban lighting facilities do not meet the requirements of the approved design plan, relevant technical standards and technical specifications for delivery, the construction unit shall be ordered to make corrections within a time limit and a fine of 100,000 yuan shall be imposed.