Sept. 5, 2008 - IT hosting firm The Planet says it expects to save 1.4 kilowatt hours of electricity and $140,000 annually thanks to a new program that powers down datacenter lighting during off hours.

The company has initiated a lights-out policy for 15 hours a day in its six datacenter facilities, including all computer, electrical, battery, uninterrupible power supply, and mechanical functions. Datacenter technicians who work around the clock now turn on lights as needed in computer rooms.

The program also extends to the company’s corporate offices in Dallas and Houston. Motion-sensor lighting has been installed in all individual offices, with main lighting and HVAC units programmed to run for 12 hours a day. For the other 12 hours, 95% of office lighting remains off.

"Texas is the energy capital of the world, so we’re acutely aware of conserving resources," says Jeff Lowenberg, The Planet's vice president of facilities. "We employ a common-sense approach to energy conservation, so our lights-out program focuses on another simple solution to reduce energy consumption."

Simple solutions can often earn big paydays when implemented companywide. Last summer, Wal-Mart saved more than $1 million in electricity costs by turning down the lights in its stores.