On June 22^nd, Building Energy Exchange hosted its annual Daylight Hour campaign in partnership with Fitwel^®, inviting participants across the world to turn off their lights from 12-1pm local time and post their involvement using the hashtag #daylighthour.

Since its inception in 2014, the campaign has drawn on the collective action of turning off non-essential lighting for one hour to reduce energy use, save money, and cut carbon emissions.

The 2022 campaign sought to build upon this message and bring to light the connection between well-being and sustainability. While daylit spaces decrease our electrical lighting use, they also host a myriad of health benefits. Studies show that daylight exposure benefits productivity, circadian cycles, sleep quality, and job satisfaction, while lessening eye strain, headaches, stress, and depressed mood. In schools, daylight improves attendance and achievement. In healthcare settings, patients exhibit improved recovery time. The evidence is clear; daylighting is good for our health and our planet.

On June 21^st, BE-Ex and Fitwel^® hosted “Daylight Hour: Redesigning Daylight”, a panel event highlighting projects that were designed with daylight in mind. Over 100 registrants signed up to hear from lighting experts and witnessed material examples of daylighting improving our built environment.

On June 22^nd, an overwhelming number of individuals participated in our social media campaign. With 634 registrants, 377 organizations, and an estimated 30,000 individuals participating in 304 cities, 41 states, and 23 countries, we demonstrated the collective power to improve sustainability and well-being in our work environment.

Thank you to all who participated. Lights off, Daylight on!