ABSTRACT
Empirical studies on resident's opinions and views on light and darkness are relatively rare, so the knowledge about the attitudes of the addressees-and thus the users-of artificial outdoor lighting is very limited. The trends in artificial lighting are deeply rooted in technical research and technical standards. Based on this knowledge the decisions in the lighting practice are mostly achieved by light engineers or the local administrations. The respondent's degree of satisfaction with the implementation of functions in their own residential environment is high, especially in the 'after' evaluation. The respondents expected a modernised to result in increased light levels, more energy efficiency, more security and an improvement in the aesthetic design of their streets. The modernisation of street lighting, the increased knowledge of the negative effects of high levels of light and a newly emerging participation culture all highlight the need for more systematic research on attitudes towards light and darkness.
