Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin introduced legislation Tuesday
aimed at conserving energy use, requiring downtown office buildings
to turn off lights outside normal business hours.
Photo by Luke Thomas

By Ari Burack

March 26, 2008

San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin yesterday announced legislation to conserve energy by requiring downtown office buildings to turn out the lights when workers hit the doors.

The proposed ordinance would amend the city’s building code to require commercial buildings in the downtown area to turn off lights in unoccupied offices after business hours.

According to Peskin, the legislation would help conserve electricity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and save money by reducing utility bills.

Building owners could be accommodated by available technologies that turn lights off automatically after the last office worker leaves, and by rebates from utility companies for investing in those lighting controls, according to Peskin.

The ordinance would be enforced by warnings and possible fines beginning a year after it takes effect, and also calls for an environmental study on its energy impact.