Taking Efficient Lighting to the Next Level

The International Facility Management Association's (IFMA) 2005 Sustainability Study found that 70% of facility managers have implemented some form of sustainable initiatives, and an additional 17% plan to take the efficiency leap in the coming years. The late adopters could provide significant design work, but Shari Epstein, IFMA associate research director, warns not to give up on buildings with sustainables in place. Many may have only installed energy-efficient T-8 lamps, leaving much room for improvement. In particular, Epstein points to bi-level lighting in stairwells, which uses motion sensors to dim as much as 50% to 99% of the light when the stairwell is unoccupied. “That's what I would consider the low-hanging fruit right now,” Epstein says. “[With energy-efficient T-8s], facility owners have been there, done that, and they're looking for things to get more bang for their buck.”