Lexington Bluegrass Airport Parking Deck

January, 2003

You Can Use Prismatic Lighting for Appearance and Security

Appearance was almost as important as security when the
Lexington Bluegrass Airport constructed its new 500-vehicle parking deck. Since the three-level poured concrete garage is located in front of the terminal, the structure is highly visible and one of the first buildings seen by visitors.
"From the beginning, airport officials were concerned about quality and how the parking deck would look," said Randall Greer, senior electrical designer, Quest Engineers, Inc., Lexington. "They wanted to emphasize the deck's architecture, which blends well with the other airport structures."
Security was especially important since the airport is a regional facility and has fewer people coming and going at night compared to an international airport. Passengers utilizing the public parking facility need to be able to see in and around the cars so they feel safe after dark.
Greer designed the garage with heavy-duty luminaires with 100-watt high-pressure sodium lamps. The fixtures are installed on the first and second levels, mounted at 15 feet on the first floor and 12 feet on the second level. The ceiling heights vary on the two levels because of the ramps. All wiring and conduit are installed inside the concrete for a cleaner appearance.
The luminaires are spaced approximately 23 by 30 feet and are mounted between the poured concrete columns and beams, which form a 62-foot long grid. The entire garage is painted white.
"The prismatic glass optics on the luminaires allow us to take advantage of the reflectance of the walls and ceilings," Greer said. "We specified the high-pressure sodium lamps because they provide more light for the wattage and have a longer life, which results in lower maintenance costs."
The deck's third level, which is open, is illuminated with mounted 25-foot square straight aluminum poles. Two 250-watt HPS fixtures are mounted on each pole, with the poles spaced on a 69-by-62-foot grid. Each pole has a 3-foot concrete base that protects it from vehicle damage.
"Sometimes designers use metal halide lamps in this type of application because they have better color rendering capabilities," Greer said. "Color was not a concern in this facility because it was designed with such high illumination levels."
Light levels are 5.8 footcandles on the first level, with a maximum of 8.3 footcandles. On the second level, where the ceiling is lower, illumination levels average 6.4 footcandles, with a maximum of 12.4 footcandles. Illumination levels on the open deck average 4.6 footcandles, with a maximum of 12.3 footcandles.
While the parking areas within the garage are designed with HPS systems, luminaires with Enduralume optics and 175-watt metal halide lamps are installed at all vehicle and pedestrian entrances and exits. Two of the semi-transparent glass towers are located in the front portion of the deck adjacent to the terminal, with the other tower on the back of the garage. Two fixtures are installed above each landing.
"The stairwells seem to glow at night, which emphasizes the building's architecture," Greer said. "The light levels are nearly twice as high in this garage as they are in similar facilities, which makes the deck not only safe, but highly visible."
Luminaires around the deck perimeter and on the top level are controlled by photocell, with the remaining fixtures lit 24 hours a day. All units at the entrances and exits and in the stairwells are continuously illuminated.

The airport selected luminaries from Holophane. For more information
contact Ronda McCullar at Holophane at (740) 349-4446 or e-mail
rondamccullar@holophane.com