Many of the lighting upgrades that reduce energy consumption also improve the visual environment and provide maintenance savings.

Lighting systems offer extraordinary opportunities for cost-effective energy savings. In addition, many strategies for reducing lighting energy use often can improve the visual environment.

This Design Brief discusses in detail the essential steps to creating an efficient and effective lighting system. It also shows designers how to:

Deliver the appropriate amount of light for the tasks that will be performed in the space, and distribute that light in a way that prevents glare.
Take advantage of natural daylight whenever possible, while avoiding direct sunlight
Install appropriate controls for electric lights
Use high-efficiency fluorescent systems as the primary light source for most commercial spaces.
Use compact fluorescent and incandescent sources where appropriate to "round out" the lighting system and provide visual variety.
Use high-intensity-discharge (HID) systems (particularly metal halide) for outdoor and high-bay lighting.