Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has been involved with conducting a series of field studies and laboratory technology efforts over the last few years in the hospitality arena. In 1998, LBNL completed the first monitoring study of bathroom lighting in which the new idea of integrated nightlight controls for bathrooms with extended set times for product transparency was developed. This idea was further developed through a cooperative effort between LBNL and The Watt Stopper that explored a lighting system with dual level ballast.

LBNL and The Watt Stopper further refined this idea in the fall of 2001 to include a nightlight with the extended set point on the control system for the main bathroom fixture. The Hotel Bathroom Lighting project builds on past research discoveries, including lighting use patterns and hotel lighting preferences, gleaned from working with numerous hotel managers and facilities people.