San Francisco Supervisor Proposes Fines for Energy Waste in Downtown Skyscrapers
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San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin proposed a law that would force businesses in the city's downtown skyscrapers to turn off unnecessary lights at night. "Anyone who has passed through our Financial District after dark knows that many large financial buildings in the downtown keep their lights on throughout the night even when there is not work or janitorial service going on," Peskin told the San Francisco Chronicle. Peskin's bill would assess fines for each floor of lights left on: $50 for a first offense, $100 for the second and $250 for any that follow. Also included in the proposal is a requirement that businesses undertaking major renovations install lighting occupancy sensors. Officials representing downtown businesses responded coolly to the fine-based bill. "It's a well-meaning idea, but instead of using a carrot, Supervisor Peskin prefers the hammer to conform to his idea on what is proper behavior in the business community," Ken Cleaveland, director of government and public affairs for the Building Owners and Managers Association of San Francisco told the Chronicle.