Lights Out Boston program to save migrating birds, energy

On September 3, 2008 Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced the beginning of the Lights Out Boston program, aimed to help the city conserve energy, cut greenhouse emissions, and protect fall migratory birds.

From the top of the John Hancock Tower in Boston's Back Bay, Mayor Menino, several top property owners, and members of the Massachusetts Audubon Society pledged to dim or turn off internal and architectural lighting between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the fall migratory bird season, ending October 31. This voluntary program has gained the participation of thirteen of Boston's top property owners and managers including Boston Properties, Tishman Speyer, Brookfield Properties, and Chifaro Associates.

Rob Brierly, the Boston region’s Vice President of Operations at Brookfield Properties said that the property firm decided to join the program because, “As a major owner of land in the Boston market, we thought it was important to support the Mayor’s initiative.” Brierly also cited energy conservation and concern for migrating birds as important reasons to participate. “This certainly doesn’t take a lot of effort on our part and it’s a no-brainer for the environment,” said Brierly.

According to the city of Boston website, The Lights Out Boston program hopes to cut building electricity costs by 25%, though each property will experience different results. By dimming or shutting of architectural and interior lighting at night, buildings can reduce the emission of green house gasses, especially carbon monoxide. Many buildings, especially skyscrapers in an exclusively urban setting such as Back Bay, use architectural lighting to gain distinction in a city sky line. Interior lighting is often lit by entire floor by janitorial staff at night. Under the Lights Out Boston program, cleaning staff are asked to clean by room, leaving as many lights off as possible.

The Lights Out Boston program also aims to reduce the death and injury rate of migrating birds. According to the Mass Audubon Society’s website, migratory birds often become confused by bright city lighting at night, becoming ‘trapped’ among the lights and skyscrapers. These birds circle until they drop from exhaustion or collide with buildings. Scientists are unsure of the exact reason for this problem. Buildings of thirty stories or more are at a higher risk for collision with birds due to the altitude at which many migrating birds travel.

Similar projects have been implemented in other U.S. cities including Chicago, Toronto, New York, Detroit, and Minneapolis. Chicago was the first city to begin the Lights Out program. The website for the Audubon Society in the Chicago region states that through this program they save up to ten thousand birds a year. According to Jan Kruse, a spokesperson for the Mass Audubon Society, there are already more buildings signed up for the Boston program than are currently enrolled in Chicago. Krause also said the Audubon Society hopes to see this program started in other New England cities.

The Lights Out Boston campaign is a part of Menino’s Climate Agenda begun in April 2007. The executive order set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 7% below the 1990 level by 2012 and then to 80% by 2050. The city plans to improve the efficiency of buildings, invest in renewable energy, eco-friendly transportation such as low-emission cabs and school buses, and plant trees.

Applications for the Lights Out Boston program are available on the Mass Audubon website.