Green Building Primer

Artificial lighting can account for up to 15% of a household's annual electricity use. Use of new lighting technology and designing to minimize the need for artificial lighting can decrease lighting energy use in buildings by 50-70%.

Some general design guidelines:

• Amount and quality of light should be matched to the function of a space. Task lights should be installed where needed, and ambient light reduced elsewhere.
• Maximize opportunities for daylighting. See the section on daylighting in this document for more information.
• Install occupancy sensors that automatically turn lights on and off as needed.
• Paint interior walls and ceilings a light color to reduce the overall need for lighting.
• Sections of lighting for different areas or different functions should be on separate controls, to allow the users of a space to decide how much light is needed.