Let there be light, but just enough: The end of cheap energy gave the lighting industry a corporate headache and the user more lumens per watt

On December 13, 1973, the Federal Energy Office (FEO) — now the Federal Energy Administration (FEA) — issued a fact sheet on national energy conservation that called for the reduction of lighting in all commercial and industrial buildings, including retail establishments, factories, and offices. The nonmandatory guidelines specified lighting levels of 50 footcandles at workstations, 30 footcandles for general work and sales areas, and 10 to 15 footcandles in hallways and corridors.