White Occupancy Sensor with Nightlight. Lighting accounts for 30 to 50% of a buildings energy use, or about 17% of total annual US electricity consumption. Simply turning off unneeded lights can reduce lighting energy consumption up to 45%. Reducing lighting electricity usage reduces your energy cost and lessens the environmental impacts associated with electricity generation. Occupancy or vacancy sensors are devices that turn lights and other equipment on or off in response to the presence (or absence) of people in a defined area.
Occupancy sensors are inexpensive and effective devices that can quickly and easily be installed. Sensors have become more widely used in the last five years as the devices have become more reliable and as building automation and home energy savings have become more prominent. Where there are utility rebates available, sensors can pay for themselves in less than one year, but most pay for themselves in two or three years without rebates.
