by Edward Milford
9. July 2009 04:49
Walking into a restaurant with big windows on a bright summer’s day a while ago I noticed that the small lights in the high ceiling were on, but doing nothing for the illumination of the space. I asked if they could be turned off, and was told firmly that the designer had insisted that they should be on all the time the restaurant was in use. It struck me then that the wasted energy from the lights was the equivalent of sitting in a restaurant with the floor covered in litter. It was sufficiently uncomfortable for me to decide to leave.
We have finally had a small triumph in our office building. When we moved in just over a year ago, the lighting for the common parts (the hallways and staircases used by all the tenants in the building) was permanently switched on. We asked at the time if that could be changed, and after a few requests the landlord eventually agreed.The work has at last now been done, and light and motion-sensitive switches have been installed.
For the first time in years, the common parts lighting is now off in daylight or when the space is not in use. It is a huge relief to have been able to get the litter in our own building finally swept off the ceiling.
