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Reviewing the Role of Outdoor Lighting in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Author

Listed:
  • Pedro Tavares

    (Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland)

  • Dmitrii Ingi

    (Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland)

  • Luiz Araújo

    (Department of Electrical Engineering, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36036-900, Brazil)

  • Paulo Pinho

    (Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland)

  • Pramod Bhusal

    (Department of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland
    Department of Optometry, Radiography and Lighting Design, University of South-Eastern Norway, 3603 Kongsberg, Norway)

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim at providing a healthier planet for present and future generations. At the most recent SDG summit held in 2019, Member States recognized that the achievements accomplished to date have been insufficient to achieve this mission. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of 227 documents contextualizing outdoor lighting with SDGs, showing its potential to resolve some existing issues related to the SDG targets. From a list of 17 goals, six SDGs were identified to have relevant synergies with outdoor lighting in smart cities, including SDG 3 (Good health and well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities), SDG 14 (Life below water) and SDG 15 (Life on land). This review also links efficient lighting roles partially with SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (Climate action) through Target 7.3 and Target 13.2, respectively. This paper identifies outdoor lighting as a vector directly impacting 16 of the 50 targets in the six SDGs involved. Each section in this review discusses the main aspects of outdoor lighting by a human-centric, energy efficiency and environmental impacts. Each aspect addresses the most recent studies contributing to lighting solutions in the literature, helping us to understand the positive and negative impacts of artificial lighting on living beings. In addition, the work summarizes the proposed solutions and results tackling specific topics impacting SDG demands.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedro Tavares & Dmitrii Ingi & Luiz Araújo & Paulo Pinho & Pramod Bhusal, 2021. "Reviewing the Role of Outdoor Lighting in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-28, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12657-:d:680560
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dominika Cupkova & Erik Kajati & Jozef Mocnej & Peter Papcun & Jiri Koziorek & Iveta Zolotova, 2019. "Intelligent human-centric lighting for mental wellbeing improvement," International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, , vol. 15(9), pages 15501477198, September.
    2. Brandon C. Welsh & David P. Farrington, 2008. "Effects of Improved Street Lighting on Crime," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 4(1), pages 1-51.
    3. Tanja Congiu & Giovanni Sotgiu & Paolo Castiglia & Antonio Azara & Andrea Piana & Laura Saderi & Marco Dettori, 2019. "Built Environment Features and Pedestrian Accidents: An Italian Retrospective Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-14, February.
    4. Jennifer L. Doleac & Nicholas J. Sanders, 2015. "Under the Cover of Darkness: How Ambient Light Influences Criminal Activity," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 97(5), pages 1093-1103, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    1. Valeriu-Sebastian Hudișteanu & Ionuț Nica & Marina Verdeș & Iuliana Hudișteanu & Nelu-Cristian Cherecheș & Florin-Emilian Țurcanu & Iulian Gherasim & Catalin-Daniel Galatanu, 2025. "Technical and Economic Analysis of Sustainable Photovoltaic Systems for Street Lighting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-35, August.
    2. Vincenzo Maccarrone & Enza Maria Quinci, 2024. "Assessment of Artificial Light at Night Across Geographical Features in the Sicilian Coastal Zone," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-21, December.
    3. Başak Aytatlı & Selcan Bayram & Semiha İsmailoğlu, 2025. "Deepening Layers of Urban Space: A Scenario-Based Approach with Artificial Intelligence for the Effective and Sustainable Use of Underground Parking Structures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-31, October.
    4. Sadeghian, Omid & Mohammadi-Ivatloo, Behnam & Oshnoei, Arman & Aghaei, Jamshid, 2024. "Unveiling the potential of renewable energy and battery utilization in real-world public lighting systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    5. Jianming Yang & Yonglang Huang & Jie Han & Hongxing Mai & Peng Li, 2025. "Optical–Thermal Performance and Energy Efficiency of Electrochromic Glazing in Hot Summer and Warm Winter Residential Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-24, February.
    6. Stéphanie Bordel & Kévin Nadarajah & Sylvain Bouquet & Samuel Busson & Maud Rebibou & Alain Somat, 2025. "When Night Falls: An Exploratory Study of Residents’ Perceptions of Policy Measures Regarding Extinction of Public Lighting in the ‘Heart of the Night’," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-15, March.
    7. Roland Brémond & Gaël Obein, 2025. "Tuning the Spectrum of Outdoor Light Sources to the Ambient Spectrum," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-13, October.
    8. Jorge Alberto Cárdenas Magaña & Marco Antonio Celis Crisóstomo & Juan M. González López & Sergio Sandoval Pérez & Daniel A. Verde Romero & Francisco Miguel Hernández López & Efrain Villalvazo Laureano, 2024. "Sustainable Lighting Systems Implementation Methodology Aligned with SDGs and International Standards: A Case Study in a Mexican Technological Institute," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-21, December.
    9. László Balázs & Ferenc Braun & József Lengyel, 2023. "Energy Saving Potential of Traffic-Regulated Street Lighting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-15, April.
    10. Tomasovits, M. & Zerefos, S. & Tsangrassoulis, A. & Th, Balafoutis & Vital, R. & Madias, E.N.D. & Doulos, L.T., 2025. "The impact of facade lighting on environmental sustainability: Investigation methods," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    11. Karolina M. Zielinska-Dabkowska & Katarzyna Bobkowska, 2022. "Rethinking Sustainable Cities at Night: Paradigm Shifts in Urban Design and City Lighting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-34, May.
    12. Clement, Jessica & Ruysschaert, Benoit & Crutzen, Nathalie, 2023. "Smart city strategies – A driver for the localization of the sustainable development goals?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).

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