Are you using the right tactics for energy efficiency in your building? When is the right moment to act for the biggest impact?
Energy efficient lighting strategy cuts costs, improves comfort, and boosts your property’s value, regardless of whether it’s a new build or renovation. According to industry authorities like the DesignLights Consortium, implementing an intelligent lighting control system and using features such as occupancy sensing and daylight harvesting on top of a LED installation can unlock an additional 50% in energy savings.
The impact of a good lighting strategy is clear in real-world applications. For instance, at the EuroPark P-City Forum in Finland, implementing an intelligent lighting control system resulted in a documented monthly energy reduction of 20 MWh. To put that in perspective, that’s enough energy to power over 65 typical homes for a month and prevents 5 tonnes of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere.
For many properties, lighting is viewed as a fixed, unavoidable cost. Here we’ll cover three tactics for turning your lighting system into an active asset that delivers truly energy efficient lighting and directly addresses your biggest business challenges: budget pressures, tenant retention, sustainability and the long-term value of your property.
#1 Automate your lighting to eliminate waste
Unpredictable energy bills are a pain for anyone managing a property budget. A smart system gives you control by targeting the single biggest variable in your costs: waste. This goes beyond just installing energy efficient lighting fixtures; it ensures those fixtures only run when needed.
It’s about replacing manual guesswork with intelligent automation. Smart occupancy sensors ensure you never pay to light an empty room, while daylight harvesting automatically dims artificial lights when enough natural daylight is present.
AND here’s a bonus – because the system tracks occupancy to control the lights, you can learn exactly how your spaces are being used. This allows you to cut costs further, for example, by optimising cleaning schedules and heating based on real activity, not just guesswork.
#2 Use smart data and secure green certifications
In a competitive market, tenants are increasingly drawn to modern, sustainable buildings. Green certifications like BREEAM or WELL are the clearest proof of a property’s quality, making your building significantly more attractive to high-value tenants.
Achieving the highest levels of lighting performance is a cornerstone of these standards. The data-rich nature of a smart system provides the concrete evidence needed to meet these stringent requirements.
For example, Istanbul Airport achieved LEED certification, with the intelligent lighting control system contributing significantly to the terminal’s energy-efficient and environment-focused design.
“If you want sustainability you have to use data. DALI lighting automation systems have a very big advantage creating data from each lighting fixture. With that data we are predicting everything about the lightning.”
– Bilal Yildiz, Electronic Systems Manager at Istanbul Airport.
To understand the specific requirements needed to achieve these standards, see our detailed guide: The Impact of Intelligent Lighting Control in Achieving Building Certifications.
#3 Mimic natural light cycles to improve comfort
A positive occupant experience is a key factor in keeping tenants happy long-term. While poor lighting is a frequent source of complaints, a modern system actively tailors the light to the people using the space.
The design strategy used here is human-centric lighting, which supports people’s health, wellbeing and performance by combining the visual, biological and emotional benefits of light.
One example of a human-centric design choice could be to mimic natural daylight patterns indoors, providing cooler, energising light in the morning and warmer light in the afternoon, to improve occupant comfort and focus.
PZ Cussons’ HQ Project – Manchester
Furthermore, advanced sensors in an intelligent lighting system collect critical environmental data on CO2, temperature, and humidity. This provides the metrics needed to validate your building’s performance and prove you are meeting wellbeing targets.
We answer your questions
We know that navigating the world of energy efficient lighting can bring up a lot of questions. Here are clear, straightforward answers to some of the most common ones we hear.
Does dimming lights save energy? If yes, how?
Yes – any time you dim a light, it consumes less power. However, relying on manual dimming controls often leads to missed opportunities. The biggest savings come from energy efficient lighting strategies like daylight harvesting, where the system automatically dims lights based on available natural sunlight, ensuring you never use more energy than necessary.
Do motion sensor lights save energy? If yes, how?
Yes, by ensuring lights are off in unoccupied spaces. But basic motion sensors are just the start. Advanced occupancy sensors in a smart system provide greater value by collecting data on how your building is used. This allows you to optimise cleaning schedules, HVAC usage, and space planning, driving savings far beyond just the light bulb.
Are LED lights the key to energy savings?
LEDs are the foundation, but not the whole key. While an LED upgrade reduces your baseline energy use, it is a passive saving. To unlock bigger savings, you need an intelligent control system. This transforms your LEDs from simple fixtures into an active, manageable asset, maximising your ROI and securing long-term efficiency and sustainability.
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