Loews Miami Beach Hotel - Pool Lighting

Miami Beach, FL

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) developed a model lighting ordinance as a guideline to help coastal counties and municipalities in Florida develop their own local ordinances to protect sea turtles from the adverse effects of artificial lighting. However, not all coastal governments have adopted a lighting ordinance, and many lack the funding or political will to properly enforce the regulations. As a result, there are still several important nesting beaches in Florida with high disorientation rates due to bright beach front lighting.

Protecting the Wildlife was extremely important to the Loews Miami Beach Hotel owner. Knowing the beach is rich with sea turtle hatchlings and other beach-dwelling animals such as beach mice and shorebirds they hired a FWC consultant to ensure compliance with the ordinance. AKLD worked closely with RJT+R Architects to design a pool side lighting system that not only met the guidelines but created a glamorous ambiance fitting to the overall 5-star appearance of the hotel. All luminaires adjacent to the pool and ocean are located close to the ground and are shielded to eliminate light trespass and/or light pollution. In addition, and most importantly the luminaires utilize LEDs that have very long wavelengths (580 nanometers or longer). This wavelength produces a very warm, amber color of light.