The energy used for lighting accounts for more than 10 percent of energy use from a typical large building in New York City. Lighting upgrades often have some of the quickest payback periods, so you can often recoup the upfront cost in two years or less.
Traditional incandescent bulbs waste energy because they create more heat than light. Replacing them with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), or other high-efficiency fluorescent lighting is a simple way to begin saving.
In many buildings, common areas are lit around the clock, even when no one is around. Lighting controls and sensors automatically turn lights on or off when you need them, which reduces the energy used for lighting as well as electricity costs. You can install: