Bat-Friendly Lighting – When Sustainability Begins in the Dark
The night is not an empty black. It is a habitat, a guide, and a shelter for countless species, including bats. But where artificial light dominates the darkness, their behavior changes. Hunting routes disappear, roosts are abandoned, and entire populations come under pressure.
For us as lighting designers in Berlin, this means: sustainability does not begin in the day but in the night.
🦇 Why bats deserve our attention
Bats are a central part of healthy ecosystems. They control insect populations, secure balance in nature, and act as an early warning system for environmental change. When their behavior is disrupted by artificial light, it signals a larger problem: our interventions in the night extend far beyond one species. Protecting bats therefore means preserving both biodiversity and quality of life.
🔦 Why light is problematic for bats
Bats navigate with highly sensitive echolocation. Light can disorient them, cut through their flight paths, and draw insects away from familiar hunting grounds. Cold-white or blue-rich light, in particular, acts like an invisible barrier. What gives us a sense of safety often means danger and stress for them.
Common mistakes in outdoor lighting
Continuous illumination instead of targeted control
Excessive light intensity far beyond what is necessary
Cool color temperatures that strongly affect insects and therefore bats
Unshielded fixtures emitting light in all directions
These mistakes are widespread – yet easy to avoid.
Principles for bat-friendly lighting
Sustainable lighting design always considers darkness. This includes:
Warm-toned LEDs (ideally < 2200 Kelvin)
Directed light pointing downward instead of scattering into the sky or greenery
Smart control with sensors, activating light only when needed. Lights should switch on and off smoothly to avoid startling animals.
Respect for sensitive areas such as waterways, forest edges, or roosting sites, where light should be avoided altogether.
This creates atmospheres that provide safety for people without endangering nocturnal biodiversity.
As lighting designers, we are committed to protecting the night and actively raising awareness about the dangers of light pollution.
🌌 Responsibility of lighting designers
We believe: lighting design means shaping perception. Those who define spaces with light carry responsibility for the interplay of humans, nature, and culture. Bat-friendly lighting is not a niche concern, but part of a sustainable mindset. It shows that good lighting not only works – it protects.
🌙 A new perspective on darkness
Bat-friendly lighting challenges us to see darkness not merely as the absence of light but as a valuable design element. When we consciously reduce light, we do not create less spatial quality. On the contrary: a more subtle, layered experience emerges. Darkness brings depth, calm, and a stage for what truly deserves to be seen.
✨ The future of sustainable lighting design
In times when cities grow ever brighter, conscious lighting design can make a powerful statement. Protecting bats means protecting biodiversity, ecosystems, and human quality of life alike. Sustainable lighting concepts combine ecological responsibility with cultural value, showing that respectful use of the night does not impoverish our cities – it enriches them.
“Sustainable light does not mean shining more – but making conscious decisions about where darkness is more valuable than brightness.” – Sabine De Schutter
