A simple method for designing efficient public lighting, based on new parameter relationships

•New parameter relationships for efficient public lighting design were obtained.•Optimization criteria included maximum energy efficiency and overall uniformity.•The values of mounting height and spacing between luminaires are calculated by simple lineal relations.•The results have been successfully tested with a well-known and reliable free software.

New parameter relationships for public lighting design (i.e. average illuminance, luminaire spacing, and mounting height) were calculated from a large sample of data sets optimized with a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. Optimization criteria included maximum energy efficiency and overall uniformity. The relations thus derived are a simple and elegant method for designing any type of public lighting installation without the need to use complex, expensive and/or unavailable software. It would therefore be desirable that manufacturers include such parameters in the product datasheet in order to make the calculation easier.