Nearly
20 percent of all electricity used in the United States is
used for lighting homes, buildings, factories, and streets.
According to a recent U.S. Department
of Energy analysis, lighting accounts for more than
40 percent of commercial sector electricity consumption in
the United States, a total of 391 TWh/year [U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
Building Technologies Program. 2002. U.S. Lighting Market
Characterization, Volume 1: National Lighting Inventory and
Energy Consumption Estimate. Prepared by Navigant Consulting.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Energy]. Offices,
retail, and warehouses are the largest contributors to commercial
lighting energy use (see figure), but grocery stores, health
care facilities, and retail stores are the most energy-intensive
due to their long hours of operation and bright lighting in
most areas.
In all
commercial building types, attention to the selection of the
lighting system can result in lower energy consumption and
lower operating cost, with minimum additional cost and equal
or greater lighting quality than conventional lighting. Side
benefits include improved building appearance and aesthetics,
and improved building asset value (for both owner-occupied
and owner-leased/revenue-producing space). Many of the recommendations we
offer are commonly used in everyday construction in regions
where energy codes and expensive electric power has forced
more efficient design.
