Saving Energy - Public Works - Department of Administration

Conserving Energy

Lighting

You can help conserve energy by following some simple everyday guidelines, both in your office and at home:

Avoid using incandescent task lights (desk lamps). Compact fluorescent lamps use one-fourth the energy, and last ten times longer, than incandescent lamps.
Turn off lights when you leave an area or room. The effect on lamp life and energy use when turning the lamp back on is negligible.
Turn off all lights at night and on weekends, including task and office lights.
Many areas are lit more than necessary for their present use. Only use lights that are necessary for tasks being performed.

Energy savings estimate for one fluorescent ceiling fixture: 35 Watts per hour x 4 lamps per fixture x 5 days x 52 weeks per year/1000 Watts = 36 kW per year savings, or $1.80 per fixture per hour it's turned off (based on $0.05 per kWh). Think about all the light fixtures in your office area, then about all of them in your building, then about all of them in every State building -- the savings add up! Calculations were received from data provided by Idaho Power publication ESD-263.

Exterior lighting should also be used only when necessary, and should be shut off during daylight hours and between the hours of 11:00 pm and 4:00 am. Necessary safety and security lighting should remain on as required.

Energy savings estimate for one 1000-Watt outdoor light: 7 hours per day x 5 days x 52 weeks/1000 Watts = 1,820 kW per year savings or $91 (based on $0.05 per kWh).

For more information regarding this page, please email the Facilities Management or call 208.332.1900.