A new course for architects, designers and builders at UC Davis illuminates the growing practice of incorporating natural light into building designs to save energy and improve lighting quality.

The "Daylighting Academy" is meant to give working professionals a better understanding of how natural light can be employed in homes and workplaces. The seven-session course, which runs on Wednesday evenings through April 12, is held at the university's California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC).

The course's nine instructors are nationally recognized leaders in daylighting, including local experts such as UC Davis design professor Kosta Papamichael, architect Lisa Heschong of Heschong Mahone Group Inc. in Fair Oaks and architect Jim Barnett of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

"At our annual forum for industry, utilities, academia and regulatory agencies, daylighting was recognized collectively as one of the most promising opportunities for building energy and peak demand savings," Papamichael said. "The message was strong, focusing on the need for daylighting R&D as well as education for professionals. This Daylighting Academy is part of our response to that message, offering more than 200 years of collective experience to the professionals in our community."

Lighting accounts for nearly one-quarter of the nation's electrical energy consumption. The California Lighting Technology Center was established in 2004 to foster the development and use of energy-efficient lighting with comfortable, user-friendly designs.

The center is a collaborative effort between the Public Interest Energy Research program of the California Energy Commission and UC Davis, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.