With the careful use of motion detectors, we can reduce energy demands for unoccupied space.  Rather than turning lights off when no one is in the area, we can use bi-level lights to reduce the energy going to the light fixture.  The results in parking lots have been shown to reduce energy demands by as much as 60 percent over the course of a month.  This technology is available with different styles of lighting, including Metal Hallide, LEDs, and Fluorsecent.  Campus is developing a project using bi-level LEDs in Parking Lot E-15.

The project at Lot E-15 is part of the M-CAL project which is a project working to advance the application of adaptive energy efficient lighting in Midwestern universities. The goal of the project is to reduce the exterior-lighting energy use on participating campuses by 50% through widespread installation of adaptive lighting systems, while improving security and maintenance characteristics of these lighting systems. By working with other universities in this project, the University of Illinois will be able collaborate to develop a common knowledge base of technological specifications and expected outcomes. The collaboration will also allow the university to participate in group purchases and minimize costs.

The University is in the process of planning an LED bi-level lighting project at the parking lot at the corner of Fourth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. The Project would install 25 LED bi-level fixtures. Parking lots are a prime candidate for this type of lighting. Lights in these lots stay on all day or all night, despite the fact that there are long periods of time without occupants. Bi-level fixtures dim to approximately 50% of noticable brightness, which corresponds to approximately 18% of power demand because there is not a linear relationship between the power demand and the brightness.