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The Jefferson Memorial 

New lighting design improves look while reducing energy and maintenance costs. 

In 1943, the Jefferson Memorial 

opened to the public on the National 

Mall in Washington, D.C. In the 

early 1970s, the initial incandescent 

lighting design was refreshed by 

incorporating incandescent and halogen technologies. At that time, these 

were the most advanced and appropriate technologies for this type of 

application. However, since the 

1990s, significant advances in lighting technology and design have 

achieved impressive energy and cost 

savings for all types of lighting 

requirements, including historic sites 

such as the Jefferson Memorial. An evening view of the Jefferson Memorial. 

In 2001, the Mintz Lighting Group implemented a complete redesign of the Jefferson Memorial 

lighting system by installing metal halide lamps, induction lamps, and light-emitting diodes (LED). 

The improvements reduced the lighting load by 78 percent (about 98 kW) while reducing luminaires 

and increasing the lighting area by 30 percent.1 

Photo courtesy of Destination DC 

Introduction 

Monuments, memorials, and other prominent historic sites often fall under multiple local jurisdictions and government agencies with varying interests in design, lighting, and presentation. Balancing 

each organization’s desires can be difficult. Monument and memorial design, including lighting 

needs, often require the approval and/or oversight by one or more responsible agencies. In the case of 

the Jefferson Memorial, both the National Park Service and the District of Columbia’s Commission 

of Fine Arts expressed their preferences regarding the lighting redesign project. For example, the 

commission wanted to maintain the integrity of the original design and ensure that the new elements 

were visually consistent with the other memorials located in Washington, D.C. 

1	 Lighting of Thomas Jefferson Memorial Case Study. National Park Service. 

http://www.nps.gov/partnerships/lighting_jefferson_memorial.htm - Accessed March 11, 2008 

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. 
The Jefferson Memorial 

Lighting Design 

Metal halide, induction, and LEDs 

were used to light the exterior of the 

Jefferson Memorial. Metal halide 

lamps, as a point light source, work 

well with reflectors to allow a variety 

of beam options when floodlighting. 

A 4,000 K color-corrected temperature 

(CCT) metal halide lamp was chosen 

because of its long life and because the 

color spectrum is well suited for white 

granite. The 400-watt metal halide 

floodlights, mounted on 45-foot poles, 

surround the Memorial and light both 

the façade and the dome. Over the 

years, trees have grown in front of the 

original floodlights that lit the exterior 

of the dome. The poles were moved 

in front of the trees so now the trees 

do not block the light; the columns act 

as towers preventing the visitors from 

experiencing the glare. The columns 

also block the light from entering the 

interior chamber.2 

color spectrum is well suited for white 

Variation in the brightness of the different elements is an important part of 

the Memorial’s lighting design. In 

2001, dimming metal halide lamps 

was not an option, so neutral density 

filters, which are theatrical filters that 

reduce the amount of light without 

changing the spectrum of the light 

source, were used to balance brightness. 

Induction lamp technology is similar 

to fluorescent; however, this technology significantly extends lamp life 

because it does not require electrodes. 

Induction lamps are installed in 

recessed downlights around the portico and columns, where the luminaire 

mounting height and location make 

the long life of this technology a distinct advantage for maintenance. 

A 4,000 K color-corrected temperature 

because of its long life and because the 

fl oodlights, mounted on 45-foot poles, 

surround the Memorial and light both 

years, trees have grown in front of the 

original fl oodlights that lit the exterior 

do not block the light; the columns act New lighting design for the Jefferson 

Memorial improved the visual 

performance while reducing energy 

and maintenance costs (original lighting 

shown in inset). (photos courtesy 

of Osram Sylvania) 

Before After 

Total system power 125.8 kW 27.9 kW 

Operating hours 14 hours/day 14 hours/day 

Energy consumed per year 643,042 kWh 142,533 kWh 

Energy saved per year 500,509 kWh 

CO2 reduced per year 343.2 tons 

The top portion of the dome (reached 

129 feet high) is still slightly dark and, 

over the years, past designs have tried 

to address this issue (this has been a 

concern even among some former 

presidents).3 However, the only way 

to light the dome entirely is to have a 

luminaire either even with or higher 

than the dome, which would visually 

alter and degrade the presentation of 

the Memorial. 

Because of previous limitations in 

luminaire technology, a band of text 

around the interior of the dome was 

never lighted. Now, with the small 

size and low profile of LED’s, this text 

is lighted for the first time since the 

Memorial’s opening. 

2 A. L. Slingerland. “A Capital Idea: The Jefferson Memorial Gets a Glamorous Yet Energy-Efficient Facelift.” Live Design. May 2, 2002. 

3 P. Kennicott. “Bathed in the Right Light.” Washington Post. August 26, 2007. 

2 — FEDERAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 
Lighting Operation 

and Maintenance 

The Memorial’s new lighting design 

implemented a unique strategy to 

monitor lamp failure and help automate the process of maintaining its 

lighted appearance — a control system 

was installed with a variety of capabilities, including monitoring power levels. When consumption on a given 

circuit drops below 20 percent of the 

predefined limit, an electronic message 

is automatically sent to maintenance 

personnel identifying the circuit, 

which powers up to five luminaires. 

While the system had a high initial 

investment, it reduced annual costs 

associated with nighttime manual 

monitoring of the Memorial, ensuring 

an effective presentation while providing a welcome return on investment. 

When lamps are being replaced, it is 

not uncommon for the focus of the 

luminaire to be moved or changed. 

Since it is critical that the Memorial’s 

focus and aiming of luminaires is 

maintained at all times as designed, 

the new system includes bolts inserted 

through the luminaires to fix the focus 

of each fixture to ensure that they cannot be moved. 

NPS Energy Program 

Additional Items 

to Consider 

Several additional items should be 

considered in any outdoor lighting 

project: 

•	 Minimize Skyglow. Skyglow is the 

glowing effect of the night sky 

caused by reflected and refracted 

light. The Jefferson Memorial is 

located within the flight line of Reagan National Airport. Skyglow 

could cause problems for pilots; 

however, the Jefferson Memorial’s 

new lighting design has received no 

complaints.4 

•	 Minimize Light Trespass. Light trespass occurs when light extends 

beyond the immediate grounds and 

enters neighboring sites. The Jefferson Memorial is surrounded by 

the Potomac Park, which minimizes 

the opportunity for light trespass. 

However, with proper luminaire 

selection, light trespass is minimized 

by focusing the lighting on the 

Memorial. 

•	 Minimize Glare. Glare is created 

when the ratio of foreground to 

background brightness is large. The 

Jefferson Memorial is lit using 

luminaires installed away from the 

structure aimed back toward the 

Memorial, which could have been a 

glare issue for visitors. Proper 

shielding, luminaire selection, and 

location minimize glare. 

Conclusions 

The current Jefferson Memorial lighting design has significantly improved 

the presentation of this historic structure. Areas that were previously not 

lighted because of technological limitations are now presented with the 

honor originally intended. With its 

new lighting design, the Memorial is 

now the showcase it was meant to be, 

standing in tribute to our founding 

fathers. In addition, the project 

achieved significant reductions in 

energy, operation, and maintenance 

costs. This facility is an example to 

others who strive to showcase national 

treasures. In addition, the new lighting system showcases the Federal Government’s ability to be good stewards 

of our Nation’s historic resources. 

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. 

4 Phone call with David Mintz, Mintz Lighting Group, March 13, 2008. 

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 

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Energy efficiency and clean, renewable 

energy will mean a stronger economy, 

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energy independence for America. 

Working with a wide array of state, 

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partners, the U.S. Department of 

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Renewable Energy invests in a diverse 

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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 Contact 

Michael A. Myer, L.C. 

Pacific Northwest National 

Laboratory 

One Cranberry Hill, 750 Marrett Rd. 

Lexington, MA 02421 

Phone: (781) 869-1418 

michael.myer@pnl.gov 

Produced for the U.S. Department 

of Energy, Energy Efficiency and 

Renewable Energy, by the Pacific 

Northwest National Laboratory 

PNNL-SA-60013 

July 2008