Codified regulations, standard empowerment: Shenzhen reshapes the lighting landscape through obtrusive light control

March 12, 2026, the "Code of Ecological and Environmental Law of the People's Republic of China" (hereinafter referred to as the "Code") was officially promulgated, marking the first time that light pollution has been incorporated into the national legal system. Urban light environment governance now has a legal basis. As a practitioner who has long focused on standardization of urban lighting technical standards, I am well aware of the significance of this Code for the lighting industry.

When communicating with peers in the lighting industry, it is often found that understanding of light pollution remains at a perceptual level such as 'glare is too dazzling' or 'advertising screens are too bright'. When light pollution control rises from standard guidance to national law, if enterprises wait until regulations are implemented to respond hastily, what they lose will not only be project opportunities but also the qualification to participate in market competition.

The "Code" has transformed light pollution prevention from standard guidance into a legal obligation. This is no empty words.

Article 667 clarifies the definition of light pollution: "The phenomenon where human vision in the surrounding living environment is disturbed due to excessive or improper use of artificial lighting, or improper alteration of daylight exposure conditions." The definition takes human visual disturbance as its core basis, providing a benchmark for identifying light pollution.

Article 668 establishes the unified supervision and management responsibilities of the ecological environment competent department, while clarifying that local people's governments at or above the county level, as well as relevant departments such as housing and urban-rural development, transportation, etc., are responsible for light pollution prevention and control and supervision and management work within their respective scopes of duty. This means that planning, design, construction, and operation and maintenance of urban lighting projects will be subject to coordinated supervision by multiple departments.

Article 673 is the key provision of this chapter: local people's governments at or above the county level shall, based on actual conditions, implement zoned management for light pollution prevention and control, and strengthen control over artificial lighting and daylight exposure conditions in areas requiring special protection. This regulation establishes zoned control as the core system for light pollution prevention and control.

或许有人会问，照明光污染能有多严重？我想说的是，光污染并非只盯着大型景观照明。法典第671条明确将“广告屏、广告牌、灯箱、媒体立面墙、道路、体育场、施工场地”等纳入管控范围。即使是小型广告公司设置了显示设施，都将面临光污染合规要求。这已是摆在眼前的现实。

On the occasion of the promulgation of the Code, T/SZZM 005—2026 "Technical Specification for Control of Obtrusive Light in Urban Areas", formulated under the leadership of Shenzhen Lighting Society, was released and implemented. This standard takes "Obtrusive light" as the control object, transforming the principles of the Code into quantifiable and actionable technical specifications, forming an organic connection with the Code characterized by "legal basis, technical standards, and execution pathways".

标准将城市环境划分为五类区域，实施差异化管控。例如，E0、E1区灯具上射光通比为0；E2低亮度区不超过2.5%；E3中亮度区不超过5%；E4高亮度区不超过15%。这一划分既遵循法典“分区管理”原则，又回应了高密度城市精细化治理的现实需求。

Standards, based on current national and industry standards, supplemented technical requirements for construction sites, dark sky communities, and natural dark environment areas by considering Shenzhen's actual conditions and control needs, providing full-chain technical guidance for lighting planning, design, construction, and operations & maintenance.

The code establishes regulations, enabling light pollution governance to have a legal basis; standards are implemented, allowing obtrusive light control to follow established criteria.

The lighting industry should understand and implement the provisions of the "Code" on light pollution prevention from the following aspects:

Rule of law awareness. Light pollution prevention and control has been elevated to a statutory requirement; all stages including lighting planning, design, construction, and operations & maintenance must be brought under the rule of law. Enterprises should proactively internalize legal requirements into their compliance management systems, treating compliance as the bottom-line requirement for project construction.

标准引领。标准将法律原则转化为技术指标，是行业执行法典的直接依据。从业者应依据分区定位确定照明方案：敏感区域坚持“非必要不设灯”；其他区域优先采用智能调光、定时控制等技术手段，实现最优照明。

Technological innovation. Both the code and standards require preventing light pollution at the source. Lighting enterprises should increase R&D investment, achieve technical breakthroughs in optical design, spectrum optimization, and intelligent control, drive source control of light pollution through technological innovation, and set a new benchmark for green lighting.

Full-process control. Light pollution control extends beyond the design and construction phases. The standard dedicates a chapter to "System Management," recommending that functional lighting, landscape lighting, and display systems possess capabilities for single-lamp control, dimming, monitoring, and data upload, actively promoting the establishment of a full-process management system covering "planning–design–construction–operation & maintenance–monitoring–evaluation."