The invention discloses an energy saving illumination control method and system. The energy saving illumination control method and system divide the indoor area according to the indoor environment configuration and the prior information, thus reducing the control area and being able to realize energy saving effect, and can divide all the lights indoors into groups, aiming at one area in a room; therefore, compared with simultaneous control of all the lights indoors, group control of the lights can be more flexible; and compared with that independent control of all the lights indoors respectively, group control of the lights can reduce the complexity of the system and the lights can be controlled more easily. Finally, according to the illumination requirement of the required area, the energy saving illumination control method and system can satisfy the illumination requirement of the area by adjusting the brightness of the light group corresponding to the required area, and can find a light group brightness combination with relatively lowest total energy consumption from the plurality of light group brightness combinations which satisfy the illumination requirement required by the required area and output the light group brightness combination, so the energy is further saved. The energy saving illumination control method and system integrate area division, light grouping and energy consumption optimization control, and can satisfy the illumination requirement of one required area by means of relatively lowest total energy consumption, so as to realize secondary energy saving.