Lighting Policy
Individuals are expected to turn off lights upon exiting rooms and to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms and common areas, whether used by that individual or not. There is no place on campus where leaving lights on is more efficient than turning them off.
The university maintains central control over lighting in only a select few buildings. The majority of lighting across campus is user-controlled.
Building emergency and safety lighting will always remain on, pursuant to safety codes. Occupants do not have control over safety lighting.
In commercial buildings, lighting can account for up to 30% of the electricity usage. Because the university does not have direct control over most lighting systems on campus via “smart” lighting controls, the community must act together to tackle the frequent problem of lights left on in unoccupied spaces.
Individuals are expected to not only turn off lights upon exiting rooms, but also to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms and common areas, whether used by that individual or not. Occupants do not have control over safety lighting. That means when you turn off the lights in an unoccupied space, building emergency and safety lighting will always remain on.