Home > Structured Datasets > Sustainability Dataset

What Makes This Dataset Different

Dark Sky and environmental lighting guidance is scattered across ordinance PDFs, IES/IDA rating documents, and general sustainability articles that rarely agree on terminology. This dataset pulls the recurring concepts — BUG ratings, shielding categories, wildlife-friendly design choices, and life-cycle cost factors — into one consistent 13-field structure, so "which topics touch wildlife protection" or "which are Low cost-impact" is a filter, not a research project.

It is built from PortfolioLighting.net's own sustainability content library, restructured for reuse in design tools, RAG pipelines, and ESG-adjacent reporting rather than read start to finish.

Who Actually Uses This

Lighting designers: filter to fixture-selection and shielding topics when specifying Dark-Sky-compliant plans, without re-reading a dozen articles per project.

Sustainability / ESG teams: use the dataset as a starting taxonomy for landscape lighting environmental impact reporting, rather than building categories from scratch.

AI/RAG developers: ground a design-assistant chatbot in structured, source-linked sustainability records instead of letting a model improvise BUG rating thresholds.

Get the Full Dataset

$99

One-time purchase • Instant CSV + JSON download • Lifetime access to this version

I understand this is a research and organizational reference only, not legal, engineering, or electrical advice. I will independently verify any specific requirement with a licensed electrician, lighting designer, or my local planning office before relying on it for actual work. I understand PortfolioLighting.net makes no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or current applicability of any reference in this dataset.

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Schema Preview

Two real, unedited sample records from the actual dataset — not illustrative placeholders.

sustainability-preview.json

[
  {
    "url": "https://www.portfoliolighting.net/sustainable/dark-sky-compliance-guide.html",
    "topic": "Dark Sky Compliance Guide",
    "general_code_reference": "Not NEC-based (local dark-sky ordinance)",
    "risk_level": "Low",
    "internal_reference_code": "PLS-001"
  },
  {
    "url": "https://www.portfoliolighting.net/sustainable/fix-light-trespass.html",
    "topic": "Fix Light Trespass",
    "general_code_reference": "Not NEC-based (zoning ordinance)",
    "risk_level": "Medium",
    "internal_reference_code": "PLS-002"
  }
  // ... 20 additional structured topics in the full dataset
]

Want the raw file instead of a preview? Download the free sample CSV — no email required.

Full Topic Index (22 Topics)

Every topic in the dataset, linked to its public source page. This is the complete list — if a topic you need isn't here, it isn't in this dataset.

TopicCategorySource Page Dark Sky Compliance GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Fix Light TrespassNot NEC-basedView Source Outdoor Lighting Ordinance GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Understanding BUG RatingsNot NEC-basedView Source Color Temperature GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Smart Outdoor Lighting Controls GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Durable Landscape Lighting Materials GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Wildlife-Friendly Outdoor LightingNot NEC-basedView Source Solar vs. Low Voltage Energy EfficiencyNot NEC-basedView Source Minimizing Voltage Drop Energy WasteNot NEC-basedView Source Biological Impact of Outdoor Light ColorNot NEC-basedView Source Landscape Lighting Energy CalculatorNot NEC-basedView Source Lumen Pollution vs. Light PollutionNot NEC-basedView Source Carbon Footprint GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Dark-Sky-Friendly Fixture Selection GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Outdoor Lighting and Human HealthNot NEC-basedView Source Outdoor Lighting Curfew Requirements GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Bird-Friendly Outdoor Lighting GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Shielded vs. Unshielded Outdoor Lighting GuideNot NEC-basedView Source Lighting Life-Cycle Cost AnalysisNot NEC-basedView Source Reducing Night Sky Glow Around HomesNot NEC-basedView Source Outdoor Lighting Climate Performance GuideNot NEC-basedView Source

Key Topic Areas Covered in This Dataset

The dataset spans 22 topics; these are the recurring themes most records fall under.

Dark Sky Compliance & BUG Ratings

General dark-sky ordinance concepts and the BUG (Backlight-Uplight-Glare) rating system used to classify fixture light distribution. See Understanding BUG Ratings.

Wildlife & Bird-Friendly Design

Shielding, reduced blue-light content, and seasonal considerations for reducing lighting impact on local wildlife and migrating birds. See Wildlife-Friendly Outdoor Lighting.

Energy Efficiency & Life-Cycle Cost

Solar vs. wired efficiency tradeoffs, voltage-drop-related energy waste, and total cost of ownership considerations. See Life-Cycle Cost Analysis.

What This Dataset Is Not

To set accurate expectations before you buy:

Every record carries its own disclaimer field for exactly this reason — so the caveat travels with the data even if a record is extracted, filtered, or reused independently of this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is in the Sustainability Dataset?

22 structured records covering Dark Sky compliance, BUG ratings, wildlife-friendly design, energy efficiency, and life-cycle cost, delivered as CSV and JSON with a consistent 13-field schema.

Is this an official Dark Sky or IDA certification?

No. This is a research and organizational reference, not an official certification body’s document. Always confirm specific ordinance requirements with your local planning office.

Can I see sample data before buying?

Yes — the source-index table, live schema preview, and free sample CSV are all on this page, no purchase required for the sample.

How does this differ from the Compliance Dataset?

The Compliance Dataset covers NEC/electrical code topics. This dataset covers dark-sky ordinances, BUG ratings, and environmental/wildlife design — mostly non-NEC frameworks. See the full catalog for all 9 datasets.

Related Resources

This page contains AdSense advertising and a paid digital product. This is a research and organizational reference only, not legal, engineering, or electrical advice. Confirm all requirements with a licensed electrician and your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) before relying on this information.

Philip Meyer - Lighting Expert

Published by Philip Meyer

Lead Content Developer & Lighting Specialist