Promoting friendly outdoor lighting fixture against light pollution (2018-19)
Body
| Funding year | 2018-19 |
|---|---|
| Proposal/Project No. | KP-IP-2018/19-68 |
| Project title | Promoting friendly outdoor lighting fixture against light pollution |
| Approved budget (HKD) | 85,000 |
Summary
This project aims to (1) promote good lighting practice by organizing a STEM competition (along with associated public seminar and public exhibition) on designing outdoor lighting fixtures which help improving energy efficiency while reducing possible adverse effects of light pollution, (2) co-produce a bilingual education booklet on light pollution with the International Astronomical Union; (3) continue our successful international knowledge exchange effort through the Globe at Night – Sky Brightness Monitoring Network (GaN-MN) project which adopts the HKU-developed standardized method of quantifying the extent of light pollution.
Project Objectives
- To promote good practices of lighting in Hong Kong which maximize energy efficiency and minimize light pollution.
- To engage the local community on the adverse impacts of light pollution.
- To enrich STEM skills of secondary school students.
- To educate local people on the importance of light pollution reduction.
- To promote the light pollution measurement technique developed by HKU and the results from the ongoing HKU’s international light pollution study to the public.
External Partner Organization
Hong Kong Space Museum
Ho Koon Nature Education cum Astronomical Centre (Sponsored by Sik Sik Yuen)
Office for Astronomy Outreach, International Astronomical Union
Non-academic Sector(s) benefitted
Hong Kong general public, Hong Kong local astronomy community, international light pollution research community
Deliverables
- Organized public seminar “Let there be light – benefits AND harm” cum briefing of “Dark-sky-friendly Lighting Fixture STEM Competition” on 8 December 2018.
- Organized teacher workshop “STEM Astronomy Workshop for Secondary School Teachers” on 14 January 2019
- Organized the competition “Dark-sky-friendly Lighting Fixture STEM Competition”.
- Organized the competition presentation and award ceremony on 14 April 2019.
- Organized public exhibition “Display of Winning Works of the Dark-sky- friendly Lighting Fixture STEM Competition” on 19-22 April 2019 during the STEM × SCM of HK SciFest.
- Invited speaker, “Light Pollution and Outdoor Lighting Design” on 6 November 2018, Continuing Professional Development Event of the Hong Kong Green Building Council.
- Invited speaker, “Effect of light pollution on astronomical observation and the latest development of astronomical observation” on 21 February 2019, Enriching Knowledge Series - Seminar on Astronomy and Space Science of Science Education Section of Education Bureau.
- Invited speaker, “The prospect of astronomical observations under light pollution” on 7 May 2019, the “Curator Talk” series of Museum Volunteer Scheme of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
- Invited speaker, “Light Pollution in Hong Kong”on 28 May 2019, Lighting Professional Short Courses of CIE (Hong Kong) Limited.
- Invited speaker, “Too bright to observe? The prospect of astronomical observations under light pollution” on 20 October 2018, Hong Kong Space Museum.
- Invited speaker, “Too Bright to Observe? Measuring and Combating Light Pollution to Preserve Dark Skies” on 19 June 2019, the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
- Co-produced a bilingual booklet “Light Pollution ” with IAU-OAO which serves to both educate the public on the issue and to highlight light pollution research conducted by HKU.
- Created bilingual educational infographics on meteor showers and dark sky preservation.
- HKU’s research on light pollution was featured in a 2-page spread in the April 2019 issue of “STEM 少年偵探團” magazine (targeting junior and senior primary school students).
- Contributed to dark sky preservation in Taiwan by expanding the PI’s Globe at Night - Sky Brightness Monitoring Network to include the Mt Hehuanshan area which is being considered to be an International Dark-Sky Association’s international dark sky park.
Impacts
Promote good public practice of lighting to reduce light pollution
Enhanced public awareness of light pollution in Hong Kong
Disperse the HKU-developed standardized scientific method of measuring light pollution overseas