Free parking lot lighting layout
Send us a parking lot, the luminaires you would quote and your targets. Within one business day you get a pole layout, the illuminance on every grid point against your targets, and every input the engine used, so you can check it in AGi32 before it goes into a quote. It is free during early access.
What to send
- The lot
- A DXF, an AGI file, or the lot dimensions and drive aisle.
- Where poles may stand
- The islands and curbs. Poles are placed only inside these areas.
- Luminaires
- The IES files of every fixture you would quote, any manufacturer.
- Targets
- Minimum illuminance (fc) and Max:Min uniformity, and a pole-height range such as 25–30 ft.
Missing something? Send what you have; we reply within one business day and ask for the rest by email. Targets come from you: your specification, your local code or the RP-8 values for the lot. The engine checks the layout against them; it does not pick the class for you.
What you get back
| File | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Pole table | Every pole: position, mounting height, heads and orientation, luminaire. Ready to put on your sheet. |
| Isolux sheet (PDF) | The layout on the lot with illuminance contours. |
| Point grids | Horizontal illuminance on a 10 ft grid, plus vertical illuminance 5 ft above the drive-aisle centerline, facing both directions of travel. |
| Summary | Minimum, average, maximum and Max:Min against your targets, every input, and how many layouts were tried and rejected. |
How it works
- You request a run with the form and send the files by email.
- We set up the lot, the allowed pole areas, your luminaires and your targets.
- Runnax Engine searches regular pole arrays, up to 16 poles in up to 3 rows, inside your pole-height range. Any layout with a pole outside the allowed areas is rejected.
- It keeps the layout with the fewest poles that meets every target. With several IES files, it keeps the luminaire that passes with the fewest poles.
- You get the files within one business day and tell us where they are wrong.
A worked example
The lot on our homepage: 300 × 200 ft, synthetic, drawn before the run, with poles allowed only on two islands and two curbs. Two luminaires were offered: a 70 W and a 166 W Type III, both with measured IES files. Targets: minimum 0.2 fc, Max:Min at most 20, vertical minimum 0.1 fc, poles 25–30 ft, light loss factor 0.9.
| Target | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| Poles | fewest that pass | 8 × 166 W Type III at 30 ft, all on the islands |
| Minimum, horizontal | ≥ 0.2 fc | 0.25 fc on 651 points |
| Max:Min | ≤ 20 | 17.6 |
| Minimum, vertical | ≥ 0.1 fc | 0.11 fc |
| Search | 70 W: 10,944 layouts tried, none passes with 16 poles or fewer. 166 W: 11,840 tried, 8 poles kept. |
The 70 W luminaire could not pass with 16 poles or fewer, so the engine chose the 166 W. You can watch the search and move the poles yourself on the homepage. Pole counts for other lot sizes, run the same way: how many light poles a parking lot needs.
How to check it in AGi32
- Load the same IES file and set the same light loss factor.
- Place the poles from the pole table: position, mounting height and orientation.
- Add a calculation grid at grade with the same spacing and run a direct-light calculation.
- Compare minimum, average, maximum and Max:Min, or point by point with the grid file.
On a real parking lot, the engine's minimum, average and maximum agreed with an AGi32 direct-light run within 0.5 % over 271 points. How it's verified.
What it doesn't do
- Parking lots only. Roadway runs are calculation-only and not part of this offer: only the single-side arrangement is validated and there is no roadway pass/fail.
- Not a stamped plan, not a construction approval, not an RP-8 or code-compliance statement.
- Direct light only: no inter-reflection, obstructions or shadowing. Not field-verified against measured light levels.
- Not yet: curved or polyline aisles, mixed mounting heights in one lot, several parking zones in one run, aiming optimisation.
- Regular arrays only; free pole placement is upcoming.
Your files
Used for your run and never shared with other customers. Original files are deleted 30 days after the run. De-identified results (no names, addresses or locations) may improve the engine; free runs can opt out. No case study without your written permission. How we use data.
Questions
Is the parking lot lighting layout really free?
Yes, during early access. Paid plans, such as the engine API, will have their own terms, which we share before you are charged anything.
How fast do I get the layout?
Within one business day. The engine's search itself takes about a minute; during early access a person at Runnax prepares the run and sends you the files.
Is it a stamped photometric plan?
No. It is a layout with photometric results you can check and put on your sheet. It is not a construction approval; the engineer of record signs the design.
Does it meet IES RP-8 or my local code?
It calculates with the RP-8 point method and checks every grid point against the targets you set: minimum illuminance and Max:Min uniformity. Give it the RP-8 or code values for your lot and you see whether the layout meets them. Choosing those values, and signing off compliance, stays with the engineer of record.
Can I use any manufacturer's fixtures?
Yes. The engine reads standard IES files. Send the files for every luminaire you would quote and it keeps the one that passes with the fewest poles.
What if no layout passes?
You get a no-pass result with the reason instead of a layout. On our 300 × 200 ft demo lot, a 1.0 fc minimum could not be met by any regular array of up to 16 poles with either luminaire, and the engine said so.
Can I check the result in AGi32?
Yes. Every input is in the run summary: lot outline, pole positions and heights, luminaire file, light loss factor and grid. Rebuild it in AGi32 with direct light and compare the point grid.
What happens to my files?
They are used for your run and never shared with other customers. The original files are deleted 30 days after the run. De-identified results may improve the engine; you can opt out.