With a landscape contractors understanding of basic outdoor lighting concepts (uplighting, downlighting, wall-washing) a unique, no-cost lighting design and fixture specification software program is now available to help contractors save time in planning, bidding on jobs, product selection, installation and comfortably expand their accounts.

Landscape contractors know that well-lit fa??? 1/4 ades and attractively illuminated grounds, whether residential or commercial, increase the value of the properties to the owners. Well-selected, well-placed lighting increases safety, enhances security and, when artfully focused on fa??? 1/4 ades, trees, foliage, and architectural elements, improves a property?EUR??,,????'???s aesthetics after dark.

Specifying landscape lighting fixtures, traditionally somewhat complicated, is now easier with the aid of a new computer software package. Most existing lighting software requires expertise in lighting design or extensive application training to determine basic criteria: How high or far from the wall? How far apart for the fixtures for optimal lighting, and at what angle should light be focused? Then, what product to use, lamping and reflector options?

Now, landscape contractors don?EUR??,,????'???t have to hire a professional lighting designer to include some lighting design services. Contractors who can effectively specify the work in-house themselves stand a good chance of getting such work without competitive bidding, leading to higher profit margins on an expanded range of projects.

The software uses fixture-lighting characteristics defined in industry-standard IES Type C files, preloaded into the 3dOP database. In addition to identifying each fixture manufacturer, the IES file carries data-delineating types of lenses, wattages, angles of tilt, housings, reflectors and ballasts (if the fixture uses them).

The software is intuitive, easy to learn and can handle files for bollards, floodlights, step-lights, building-mount, pole-mount and in-ground fixtures. It comes with files for the manufacturer?EUR??,,????'???s full line of outdoor fixtures preloaded and accepts all other manufacturers?EUR??,,????'??? IES files.

One way 3dOP can be applied is in potential retrofits. Lighting fixtures that are 10 years old may be ripe for replacement with new products that are more efficient, more aesthetical and often using less energy overall. If IES files are available for the existing lighting (major fixture manufacturers often archive that data), a landscape contractor can use 3dOP to present or confirm a case for replacement. The contractor can also input specifications an owner or lighting designer wants to achieve, then test fixtures and criteria to match them. The graphic representation on the software program?EUR??,,????'???s grid can be rotated on any of three axes and zoomed in on for a closer look. When visiting clients image opening your laptop and letting them see for themselves what the lighting will look like, or printing a copy for them.

Such visualization is obviously helpful in showing clients how upgrades will improve quality of lighting, operating economy, security and aesthetic goals. The program eases the lighting design and specifications. It takes a complicated subject and breaks it down into understandable variables, providing easy-to-interpret answers. 3dOP helps expedite decision-making and can effectively serve as a sales tool, helping turn proposals into contracts and change orders.