CORDILIT stands for “Coordinamento Raccolta Dati Inquinamento Luminoso in Italia”, i.e. Italian coordination body for the collection of light pollution data. This was started in March 2011 by the BuioMetria Partecipativa project and the Veneto Stellato association to integrate SQM data collected by different stations [TO BE COMPLETED].
For more information: bmp@pibinko.org
In the context of the European collaborations that we manage via the BuioMetria Partecipativa project, in 2017 we started to follow a working group concerning the update of the Green Public Procurement guidelines for road lighting and traffic signals.
This group is coordinated by the Joint Research Centre (from its Sevilla, Spain, facility), and in the past 18 months is saw the active presence of several of the light pollution experts we know, together with experts from other domains.
Two days ago through the working group’s mailing list we had news that the results of the activity are available. Please see below the announcement. For more information: bmp@pibinko.org
We are delighted to announce that the EU Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria for road lighting and traffic signals have been published.
Although lighting systems in general are great examples of potential win-win scenarios for the environment and public budgets, the setting of appropriately ambitious criteria for energy efficiency and durability has been a particular challenge due to the rapidly evolving nature of LED technology. Thanks to detailed input from some of you, including an in-depth analysis of the LightingFacts database using data from the last 6-7 years, it has been possible to present a tiered approach to minimum luminaire efficacy requirements in EU GPP criteria for the next 6 years.
A novel and ambitious approach towards tackling the issue of light pollution has been taken, with requirements on both upward light output ratios and blue light emission being set. The emission of blue light is a particular concern with some LED lighting products and we are pleased to be able to promote a specially tailored metric for blue light (the G-index) which is much more precise and reliable than the commonly used CCT metric. We must say that this was only possible thanks to the previous work of a dedicated group of stakeholders on this particular matter, so a special thanks to those of you involved in the light pollution criteria.
We also have tried to emphasise the importance of durability aspects with LED lighting and to try to shed light (pun intended) on the general misconception that all LED lighting products have excellent durability. There are different quality specifications for different LED chips and durability depends a lot on the quality of the electrical components and appropriate luminaire design, not just on the lamp itself. In line with circular economy principles we are promoting more durable and recyclable products that are correctly labelled to aid in their future replacement, upgrading or disposal.
For more information
Presentation of the discussion by (in alphabetical order) Giacomelli A., Goebel C, Vargiu A., Van Reeth N, Zimmerman N, concerning the issue of credibility in the context of participatory investigation. Closing session of the workshop “Empowering civil society through participatory investigation?” promoted by the European Citizen Science Association in collaboration with various subjects.
In this summary I applied for the first time in public an idea which I had in 2014 or 2015 in Scansano (Southern Tuscany) during breakfast at Bar delle Cascine (the notes of this are in Tatti, Southern Tuscany).
I proposed to my colleagues the idea of putting this draft into a better shape, since all the workshop participants found it very interesting for its contents and the way they were presented…this is a work in progress in February. If you are interested to know more, please write to info@pibinko.org.
by Luciano Massetti – CNR IBIMET Firenze (l.massetti@ibimet.cnr.it)
DARKNESS was the topic discussed during the full arctic night in Longyearbyen, the northernmost city of the world (latitude ~ 78° N), in the Svalbard Islands, North of Norway.
The conference had over 90 experts from 22 countries, dealing with the topic of darkness from multiple angles.
Luciano Massetti presented the joint activities conducted by CNR IBIMET in collaboration with the Department of Biology from the University of Pisa and the BuioMetria Partecipativa project.
On Fridaty, Jan. 18, 2019 I attended a public meeting organized by the Municipality of Monte Argentario, where experts were invited to discuss various issues related to the design and management of future construction and renovation projects.
Some thirty people were present. I provided a presentation of the BuioMetria Partecipativa services on light and darkness.
At the beginning of the year the BuioMetria Partecipativa project, the Italian Research Council Institute of Biometeorology and the Department of Biology at University of Pisa have launched a new outreach initiative on the topic of protection and promotion of the night sky.
The idea took shape a couple of months ago, on the long tail of dissemination events following an international symposium organised by these subjects on Capraia Island, Tuscany, in September 2018 on the same issues.
The mailing list, which also represents one of the developments of the awareness raising and brainstorming on light pollution started in 2008 by the BuioMetria Partecipativa project is presented in this page.
The presentation (like the discussion) is in Italian, but the topics will not be restricred to Italy, so the mailing list may be of interest to experts worldwide who have some knowldge of Italian (we know personally a couple of them, and we figure that also Spanish or Portuguese readers may work out most of the contests, since we do the same with Spanish or Portuguese content).
To participate in the discussion, please write to bmp@pibinko.org ask to be subscribed. Allo stesso indirizzo è possibile chiedere delucidazioni o fornire commenti.
“..are you making an asteroid?”
Video credits: Luz Marina Tinjaca Ramirez from CAAT (Coordinamento Associazioni Astrofile della Toscana) e ball construction credits to Ilo Ferrandi from Torniella.
This was the final part of the annual conference of CAAT, the Tuscan network of amateur astronomer associations.
