Paul Mitchell
Virtual
FridayApril 10, 2026
9:00 am - 10:00 am ET
Credits LU | HSW TBD
Intermediate
BUG ratings are the Luminaire Classification System (LCS) introduced and referenced by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). As they become integrated into outdoor lighting ordinances, BUG ratings are commonly misunderstood and misapplied. The result in some cases is a roadway or area application that is less safe for both pedestrians and drivers. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of BUG ratings to properly apply and consider this metric in your design.
Attendees should have a basic understanding of the impact of introducing artificial light to nighttime environments.
Learning Objectives
- Participants will learn why the IES adopted BUG ratings as the Luminaire Classification System, and understand why the IES moved away from references to ‘Cutoff’
- Participants will become familiar with how the B, U, and G values are derived, as well as where to find and confirm them
- Participants will gain an understanding of both the Pros and the Cons of the BUG rating metrics
- Participants will gain an understanding of how & when to properly apply BUG ratings in order to maintain safety and visual comfort
Speaker
Paul Mitchell
Paul Mitchell is an expert in the field of outdoor lighting, particularly site lighting and roadways. Paul supports a ‘best practices’ approach to lighting design, focusing on education that includes lighting agents, specifiers, and end users. He served for 5 years on the IES Roadway Lighting Committee, and over 12 years on the Planning Group of the IES Street and Area Lighting Conference. Over the past 25+ yrs he has spoken at multiple lighting conferences, and written articles published in multiple trade journals, including LD+A. He has helped design and specify lighting standards for municipalities, utilities, DOTs, universities, theme parks, resorts, and residential developments. Paul lives just outside of San Antonio, TX.