Context and motivation
The Barcelona Comprehensive Lighting Renovation Plan (2018–2020), promoted by Barcelona City Council, constitutes a strategic initiative to modernise public lighting and adapt it to new standards of efficiency and urban sustainability. With a total investment of €18 million and the replacement of more than 10,000 light points across the city, the plan prioritises streets with obsolete installations or lighting deficiencies.
Within this framework, the Eixample district hosts one of the most representative interventions, involving the comprehensive renovation of lighting along nine main urban axes to improve lighting quality, safety and the environmental perception of public spaces.
Typology and scope
An executive public lighting project is carried out within the framework of the Comprehensive Renovation Plan (PRI), promoted by Barcelona d’Infraestructures Municipals (BIMSA). The intervention includes the complete replacement of the existing lighting system with LED technology along Bruc, Roger de Llúria, Pau Claris, Alí Bei, Provença, Calàbria, Viladomat and Rosselló streets and their surrounding areas, covering a dense and highly trafficked urban environment. Overall, more than 400 light points have been renovated across these urban corridors.
Technical execution
The works included the removal of obsolete columns and electrical cabinets, as well as the installation of double-arm columns equipped with LED luminaires ranging from 25 to 110 W and heights between 5.5 and 9.2 metres, designed to ensure uniform lighting on both pavements and roadways. Electrical conduits were replaced and undergrounded, new control monoliths installed, and the electrical network reconfigured to reduce the number of existing control cabinets, centralising management and improving operational safety. The system incorporates remote control and intelligent lighting regulation through the Vossloh iMCU protocol, fully integrable with the municipal lighting management platform. The works were coordinated with all affected services and executed over an approximate period of five months, minimising the impact on urban mobility.
Results and benefits
The renovation has enabled a reduction in energy consumption and a substantial improvement in lighting uniformity and colour rendering quality. The new LED lighting increases the perception of safety and comfort, reduces light pollution and optimises maintenance through intelligent remote management. This intervention reinforces Barcelona’s position as a model of an efficient and sustainable urban district, aligned with the city’s objectives for energy transition and the modernisation of public services.
