Primary audience: Specifying engineers
Map the site before selecting a shoebox light
A shoebox area light is a fixture form, not a parking-lot layout. Begin with a scaled plan showing poles, parking rows, drive lanes, pedestrian paths, entrances and property boundaries. Record mounting height and the direction each existing fixture faces. Include trees, signs and other obstructions that affect light reaching the ground.
Separate vehicle circulation from pedestrian tasks. People need to identify kerbs, steps and routes between parked vehicles and entrances. A large average light value over the whole site can conceal a dark path beside a building. The design review should consider those places explicitly rather than averaging them into the open parking area.
State whether the project must reuse poles and foundations. Reusing a position limits the available distribution choices, and replacing a head changes the load on the structure. Have the appropriate project professional review pole condition, mounting compatibility and structural suitability. The luminaire selection alone does not establish that an existing pole or arm can support the proposed installation.
Choose distribution for the pole position
Distribution describes the pattern of light around a fixture. A pole near a boundary has different needs from a pole in the middle of a parking area. The AR07 area-light page publishes Type II, III, IV and V distribution options. The quotation should name the selected option, not simply the AR07 family.
| Site geometry | Design question | Evidence needed |
|---|---|---|
| Narrow route | Can the pattern follow the route? | Exact optic and orientation |
| Perimeter pole | How much light crosses the boundary? | Boundary calculations and shielding review |
| Interior pole | Does coverage extend around the pole? | Layout using the selected distribution |
| Building edge | Will area lights overlap wall packs? | Combined calculation for both systems |
These are review questions, not a universal mapping from distribution number to application. Ask for the photometric file corresponding to the actual optic and output setting. A family’s list of available distributions does not demonstrate the performance of a particular order configuration.
Check minimum light, glare and spill together
Parking-lot design is not a contest for the highest lumen total. Review the required average, minimum and uniformity criteria with the designer, along with glare and boundary light. Keep the project criteria in writing so the submitted layout answers the same questions as the specification.
A high mounting position can change both coverage and the light reaching a driver’s eyes. A tilted head changes the pattern again. Do not use a site photograph as proof that a proposed aim angle will control glare. Model the installed orientation and inspect important viewing directions, especially entrances and nearby occupied buildings.
AR07 lists a dark shield among its accessories. That is an option to evaluate, not evidence that any arrangement meets a local lighting restriction. Shielding can alter useful coverage, so include it in the photometric review. Where wall packs also illuminate the perimeter, combine their contribution with the pole fixtures. The wall-pack guide explains the separate checks for building-mounted lighting.
Specify the complete electrical and mounting configuration
AR07’s model tables publish selectable wattage and multiple input-voltage options. Use the exact row rather than combining the output of the largest model with the dimensions of a smaller one. The 347 V and 480 V directory provides the published voltage entries; a licensed electrician must identify the site supply.
The area-light page lists slip-fitter, arm, yoke and trunnion mounting options as sold separately. Check the required bracket against the existing pole or surface details. Include the mount in the quotation and installation documents. A fixture head without the intended bracket is not a complete order for that mounting arrangement.
Photocell and motion-sensor accessories are also listed separately. Define the switching sequence and any occupied or unoccupied output settings. Confirm accessory compatibility with the selected driver. Do not assume a photocell controls every pole in the lot or that motion detection covers the entire calculation area. Commission the controls against the agreed site operating plan.
Request the documents needed for a real layout
We do not publish project parking-lot photometric layouts. Product-page photometric information is not a site-specific calculation or a promise of fixture spacing. Send the scaled plan, pole schedule, mounting heights, voltage and project criteria through RFQ. Request the IES files for your lighting designer and identify any boundary or glare constraints.
If this is a retrofit, include the existing head and mounting information and state whether poles must remain in place. The metal-halide replacement guide distinguishes published replacement statements from lumen-based comparison. Our area-light page describes complete fixtures; it does not establish a universal kit for converting any existing housing.
Before release, compare the quotation with the layout schedule line by line. Model, optic, output setting, colour temperature, voltage, bracket and controls should agree. If a substitution changes one of those fields, ask the designer whether recalculation is needed. Archive the approved schedule so a later maintenance replacement can match the installed configuration.
Document checklist for the handoff:
- Scaled site plan with poles, heights, roads, pedestrian routes and boundaries.
- Exact fixture configuration, bracket, tilt and configuration-matched IES file.
- Local lighting criteria and designer-reviewed minimum, uniformity and spill calculations.
- Control schedule, structural review where needed and final aiming records.
Related guides
- BUG Ratings and Dark Sky Lighting: A Specifier’s Guide
- Lighting Spec Sheets and IES Files: Submittal Guide
- DLC Lighting and Utility Rebates: A Buyer’s Guide
- Canopy Lighting for Gas Stations and Parking Garages
Request configuration-matched design documents.
Browse all buyer guides or send your fixture schedule for a quote.
Follow NEC/local code and use a licensed electrician.