The lighting of high-rise buildings consumes a significant amount of electricity, making it essential to implement energy-saving measures. In this paper, the lighting of high-rise buildings was briefly analyzed, followed by a description of the proportion, integration, and differentiation (PID) control algorithm. To improve the efficiency of lighting control for energy conservation, the fuzzy PID control algorithm was analyzed. The self-tuning of parameters was achieved by utilizing the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) to develop a WOA-fuzzy PID control algorithm. Finally, experimental analysis was carried out. The simulation findings showed that the WOA-fuzzy PID algorithm had the shortest stabilization time (6.77 s), the smallest maximum overshoot (3.12%), and better anti-interference capability compared to the PID and fuzzy PID algorithms. Finally, it was found from practical application that the use of the WOA-optimized algorithm resulted in a 43.7% reduction in monthly electricity consumption. The findings suggest the effectiveness of the WOA-fuzzy PID algorithm in energy-efficient lighting control and its applicability to real-world high-rise buildings.