The paper considers the justification for the application of light-emitting diode (LED) technology to urban lighting. The results suggest that LEDs are convenient for architectural lighting and deserve to be considered for use in ambient lighting. The recently developed Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) mesopic system enabled the inclusion of mesopic effects into a comprehensive technoeconomic analysis, which dealt with efficiency, maintenance and financial aspects of the use of LEDs in street and roadway lighting. It is concluded that the average energy savings when using LED instead of high-pressure sodium (HPS) luminaires amount to 19-26% for single-sided, staggered and opposite layouts, although they are frequently negligible if mesopic effects are not included. The total costs of the LED lighting solutions, even including mesopic effects, are 1.36 to 6.44 times higher than those of the comparable HPS lighting solutions. Therefore, LEDs are questionable for street and roadway lighting.

In order to compare subjective impressions created by LED and metal halide ambient lighting, a pilot project was conducted in a Belgrade park. All general requirements for an adequate comparison of subjective impressions were fulfilled. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire related to all aspects the researchers considered relevant for subjective evaluation of illuminated pedestrian paths in parks. It was concluded that the respondents, both those who had and those who did not have previous knowledge in the field of lighting, strongly preferred the use of metal halide lamps for the illumination of parks, which is in opposition to the statements of some LED manufacturers. It was also shown that light level and feelings of safety and comfort are evaluated as most important.