Madison may require rental properties to use efficient light bulbs in common areas and light fixtures, according to a proposal announced by City Council President Austin King, District 8, and the Sierra Club.

The proposal is referred to as the Energy Efficiency and Safety Ordinance, and was introduced by King at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

"We're talking about moving from 19th-century technology to 21st-century technology," King said. "It will cost landlords a little bit of extra money up front, but they'll actually recoup that money in a matter of months."

Eleven other alders asked to co-sponsor King's proposal at the meeting.

"I was concerned this ordinance would be a little more controversial, and it got strong bipartisan support tonight," King said. "It bodes very well for the potential passage of this ordinance."

In a press release issued Tuesday, King and Sierra Club representative Jennifer Feyerherm said using efficient light bulbs could save Madison landlords up to $2 million a year, and also reduce the amount of global warming pollutants the city emits by 35,000 pounds.

The proposal also calls for light bulbs in exit signs to be fitted with efficient bulbs or LED fixtures.

"Modern efficient light bulbs and exit signs last longer and use a small fraction of the electricity that old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs use," Feyerherm said in the release. "Changing a single common-area light bulb that is on 12 hours a day can save $20 per year, and can mean the difference between a dark, treacherous stairwell and a well-lit, safe stairwell."

King agreed with Feyerherm's sentiment, saying if the ordinance passed, it would make Madison more environmentally friendly and increase safety.

"Having a burned-out exit sign that people can't find in the dark or through smoke is dangerous," King said.

Of the different types of energy-efficient bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs are the most commonly used in homes. King said the price per bulb ranges from $1 to $2, depending on the season, but can last for years; incandescent bulbs — which are also currently used — only last for a matter of months.

According to the release, LED exit signs can last for 25 years or longer.

The initiative is the second King has proposed within the last month. In February, he made a proposal that would make all mayoral, aldermanic and judgeship elections funded entirely by the city.