ABSTRACT
The ceilings of parking garages should be painted or stained white to get the best reflection possible from lighting. With respect to lighting, consider LED because it is the most energy efficient, cost-effective lighting and produces a clean, white light. If you also paint or stain the walls white, it will enhance the effect of not only the crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principle of surveillance but also that of access control (due to visual sense of place) and maintenance, as related to the broken windows theory 1 of crime and disorder. The placement of lighting must be carefully considered in conjunction with video surveillance to avoid obscuring or making images undetectable due to glare and possible “hot spots” when using warm lighting sources.
