Leading by example, 

saving energy and 

taxpayer dollars 

in Federal facilities 

New and emerging lighting technologies with 

well-designed 

fixture optics 

improve lighting quality of our 

national monuments, while decreasing energy 

requirements. 

Bringing you a prosperous 

future where energy is 

clean, abundant, reliable, 

and affordable 

A Monumental Improvement 

An advanced new lighting system for the Washington Monument greatly improves the 

Monument’s lighting, while decreasing energy use. 

Background 

The Washington Monument is one of the most prominent 

symbols in Washington, D.C., a landmark visible day and 

night from miles around. Standing at a height of 555 feet, the 

Monument is the tallest structure in Washington, D.C. Made 

of marble, granite, and sandstone, the gleaming and dignified 

obelisk serves as a symbol of the Nation’s gratitude to George 

Washington for his contributions to liberty and democracy.1 

Construction of the Monument began in 1848, by the Washington National Monument Society and the U.S. Government2. The project was completed on December 6, 1884.3 

Lighting designers have always grappled with how to light the 

slender structure at night because the Monument’s tall, thin 

shape makes it inherently difficult to light. Prior to 2005, traditional lighting approaches and technologies were used with 

mixed results to illuminate the Monument. The lighting system also included a total of twenty 400-watt fixtures mounted 

in surface-mounted vaults to illuminate the lowest level of the 

Monument. Lighting installed after the Monument was 

restored in 2000, and used twenty-seven 1,000-watt fixtures 

located in vaults around the edge of the plaza and eight 400­

watt lights on poles. As good as this system was at the time, it 

still had limitations and underperformed, both in terms of 

lighting and energy use. The lighting on the Monument was An evening view of the Washington 

Monument. uneven, with dark areas, especially at the very top of the obelisk. 


Meanwhile, only 20 percent of the light hit the Monument, 


with the rest spilling into the night sky as wasted energy and light pollution.
 

Photo courtesy of Paul Frederickson 

1 Sharidan Alexander, About.com. “Washington Monument” 

http://godc.about.com/od/monumentsusgovernment/p/washingtn_mon.htm 

2 John Lockwood. “A Monument Within A Monument.” Washington Post. July 22, 2007. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/20/AR2007072001811.html 

3 Philip Kennicott. “Bathed In the Right Light There’s a Star System That Decides What Does and Doesn’t Glow in the 

Washington Night.” Washington Post. August 26, 2007. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/24/AR2007082400650.html 

Internet: www.eere.energy.gov/femp/ 

No portion of this publication may be altered in any form without 

prior written consent from the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy 

Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and the authoring national laboratory. 
 

New Lighting Technology 

In 2005, Musco Lighting, a company 

specializing in lighting sports events, 

took a closer look at the lighting of the 

Washington Monument. A new system was designed using mirrors to create a bright, narrow ribbon of light. A 

mirror-like surface inside the fixture 

directs light into a focused beam 500­

feet high and about the same width as 

the Monument. 

Today, using advanced optics, more 

than 80 percent of the light shines 

directly on the surface of the Monument. In addition, fewer light fixtures 

are needed. The 2,000-watt fixtures 

operate at 1,500-watts. In addition, 

there are 66 150-watt fixtures 

mounted in-ground at the base of the 

Monument to illuminate the lower 

level. There are only 12 2,000-watt 

fixtures illuminating the entire Monument—three fixtures on each side (see 

graphic). Because each fixture provides a highly focused beam, they are 

now located much further from the 

Monument. This has led to the elimination of lighting vaults at ground 

level - a significant improvement 

because the old fixtures posed a security threat (they can hide people) and 

attract insects. 

The new system is more than twice as 

bright as the original system. It greatly 

improves overall lighting uniformity, 

creating in a smooth wash of light that 

illuminates even the highest point of 

the Monument. 

Finally, the new lighting system gives 

the Monument a more three-dimensional appearance by varying the illumination on each face. The brightness 

ratio on adjacent sides of the Monument creates a visual contrast that is 

closer to that seen during the daytime. 

This unique approach makes the transition between surfaces much more 

apparent, giving the 

Monument a more 

vibrant and natural feel. 

Conclusions 

The lighting system 

developed for the Washington Monument excels 

in highlighting one of 

our Nation’s most 

famous historic icons. 

Furthermore, this lighting solution for such a 

tall, slender monument 

proves that even unique 

and difficult structures 

can be effectively and 

efficiently lit. 

New lighting design for the 

Washington Monument 

improved the brightness, 

uniformity, and energy efficiency, which was lacking 

in the old lighting (original 

lighting shown in inset). 

Energy Use and Environmental Impacts 

While the lighting improved dramatically, the total power used to light the Washington Monument was reduced. Power 

dropped from 38,200 watts to 27,900 watts, a reduction of 27 percent. The result is an energy reduction of over 50,000 

kWh per year, and a reduction of 36 tons per year in CO2 emissions. 

Old System New System 

Total system wattage 38.2 kW 27.9 kW 

Operating hours 14 hours/day 14 hours/day 

Energy use per year 195,202 kWh 142,569 kWh 

Energy saved per year n/a 52,633 kWh 

CO2 reduced per year n/a 36.1 tons 

2 — FEDERAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 
 

Schematic of the Before and After Washington Monument Lighting System 

Graphic courtesy of the Washington Post. 

NPS Energy Program 

The National Park Service (NPS) operates 391 individual park sites throughout the United States. Most sites have facilities which consume energy and water to operate and serve park visitors. The NPS Green Energy Parks Program supports the efforts of individual parks to improve the energy and water efficiency of our Nation’s National Park system. 

To accomplish this, NPS is working with DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program to provide individual park sites 

with technical and project financing assistance. For more information on NPS, go to www.nps.gov. 

FEDERAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM — 3
 
FEMP Help Desk: (800) 363-3732

International callers please use (703) 287-8391

Web Site: www.eere.energy.gov/femp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer 

This document was sponsored by the United States Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency 

and Renewable Energy, Federal Energy Management Program. Neither the United States Government nor any agency or contractor thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, 

express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents 

that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does 

not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United 

States Government or any agency or contractor thereof. The views and opinions of authors 

expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or 

any agency or contractor thereof. 

A Strong Energy Portfolio 

for a Strong America 

Energy efficiency and clean, renewable 

energy will mean a stronger economy, 

cleaner environment, and greater 

energy independence for America. 

Working with a wide array of state, 

community, industry, and university 

partners, the U.S. Department of 

Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy invests in a diverse 

portfolio of energy technologies. 

For More Information 

EERE Information Center 

1-877-EERE-INF or 

1-877-337-3463 

www.eere.energy.gov/femp 

General Contact 

William Lintner, P.E. 

Federal Energy Management 

Program 

U.S. Department of Energy 

1000 Independence Ave, SW, EE-92 

Washington, D.C. 20585 

Phone: (202) 586-3120 

Fax: (202) 586-3000 

william.lintner@ee.doe.gov 

Terry Brennan 

National Park Service 

Green Energy Parks Program 

Coordinator 

1849 C Street N.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20240 

Phone: (202) 513-7207 

terry_brennan@nps.gov 

Technical Contacts 

Francis Rubinstein 

Lawrence Berkeley National 

Laboratory 

1 Cyclotron Rd. Mail Stop 90R3111 

Berkeley, CA 94720 

Phone: (510) 486-4096 

Fax: (510) 486-4089 

FMRubinstein@LBL.gov 

California Lighting 

 Technology Center 

http://cltc.ucdavis.edu/ 

Produced for the U.S. Department 

of Energy, Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, by the Lawrence 

Berkeley National Laboratory and the 

California Lighting Technology Center. 

July 2008