CI-2009 EAc1.2: Optimize Energy Performance—Lighting Controls

  • CI_EAc1-2_Type1_LightingControls Diagram

  • Three separate points to pursue

    In a marked change from LEED-CI 2.0, which only addressed daylighting, this credit addresses occupancy and daylighting sensorsA lighting feature that takes advantage of sunlight to cut the amount of electric lighting used in a building by varying output of the lighting system in response to variations in available daylight. They are sometimes referred to as "natural lighting control sensors " or "photocells."  . Three points are available, with each of the following strategies earning you one point:

    • Strategy 1: Install daylight controls or sensors within 15 feet of the windows or skylights in all regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where one or more individuals normally spend time (more than one hour per person per day on average) seated or standing as they work, study, or perform other focused activities inside a building.. 
    • Strategy 2: Install daylight responsive controls for 50% of the connected lighting load.
    • Strategy 3: Install occupancy controls for 75% of the connected lighting load

    You can pursue any combination of these three separate points. Most projects have occupancy controls by code, but daylight controls are less common.  

    Daylight dimming controls

    Ideally, implementing daylight-sensitive controls should be part of your overall lighting strategy to maximize natural light, using electric light only as a supplement, dovetailing with IEQc8.1: Daylight and Views—Daylight. The goal is to combine natural and electric lighting seamlessly so that occupants won’t notice the difference. This is possible with automatic daylight sensors that supplement reduced daylighting by turning or stepping up electric lighting.

    Using daylight sensors for all regularly occupied areas works for most projects. But if your space is in a building without good daylight access, having 50% of the lighting load connected to daylight sensors may not be possible. Daylight sensors and controls add to your initial construction budget but can start providing savings from day one of operations, with a typical payback of six months to four years.

    You might imagine that having all fixtures within 15 feet of a window controlled by a daylight sensor would satisfy the credit requirements, but that’s not how it works. Instead, the credit requires that daylight sensors be installed within 15 feet of windows in all regularly occupied spaces. This approach may not work for all applications, especially those with deep daylight penetration (expanded height glazing with high ceilings) as sensor placement may need to be deeper than 15 feet to adequately control the fixtures in the space. 

    Occupancy sensors

    Occupancy sensors can reduce the lighting energy use up to 50% in non-regularly occupied spaces such as corridors and restrooms, often with a payback of less than one year. Many sensors can be adjusted for sensitivity to accommodate different occupancy situations.

    Mandatory requirements from ASHRAE 90.1-2007 that you have to carry out for EAp2 require projects larger than 5,000 ft2 to use occupancy sensors or timed switching when the space is not in use. It is important to recognize that this credit expands that requirement to all area sizes, even those smaller than 5,000 ft2. 

    Offices and retail environments are very different

    In office buildings, there are opportunities to incorporate both types of lighting controls into your overall lighting strategy. Control sensors are generally used for ambient lightingLighting in a space that provides for general wayfinding and visual comfort, in contrast to task lighting, which illuminates a defined area to facilitate specific visual work. rather than task lighting, but task lights and plug loads can be controlled with localized workstation occupancy sensors. 

    Generally, retail spaces utilize occupancy-sensitive controls only in private or “back of the house” spaces like offices and bathrooms. A retail project can incorporate daylighting controls in all public areas receiving ample daylight and may even benefit from increased sales in addition to energy savings.

    FAQs for CI EAc1.2

    Does decorative lighting need to be connected to daylight sensors?

    Decorative lighting does not need to be connected to daylight sensors.

    What is included in the total connected lighting power?

    The total connected lighting power includes all hard-wired lighting within the interior project space. This does not include non-connected plug-in lighting that is not part of the overall lighting design.

Legend

  • Best Practices
  • Gotcha
  • Action Steps
  • Cost Tip

Pre-Design

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  • Consider pursuing any or all of the following three strategies, each of which will earn a point under this credit. 

  • This credit allows three opportunities for energy reduction that can be pursued independently or in combination with each other. 

  • Consider which kinds of controls, sensors, and automation systems are applicable and useful for your project. Refer to the Whole Building Design Guide webpage, which lists different space types with their most applicable controls or sensors. (See Resources.)

  • Strategy 1: Daylight controls for daylit areas

  • Start thinking and talking about how daylight sensors will be used in different spaces. Introducing this topic before the schematic design is complete will help to optimize the design for daylighting and energy savings.

  • It makes sense to pursue this credit in open office applications with few interior partitions and access to exterior glazing that is between 2'6" and 10' in height. 

  • Spaces with glazing above 10 feet in height may have difficulty getting sensors placed within 15 feet of the windows to function properly because of increased glare and direct sunlight tracking on the floor.

  • Look to create a progressive lighting design that controls the fixtures closest to the windows separately from another set of fixtures that are deeper into the space.

  • “Closed loop” daylighting controls only control one set of fixtures. With “open loop” controls, multiple zones can be controlled from one sensor and each zone can be calibrated independently to the daylight available in that zone.

  • It generally makes sense to control the fixtures within 15 feet of the windows, but the credit requires that you place the sensors within 15 feet of the windows. Unfortunately, it can be counterproductive to dictate the location of fixtures in this way without looking at the specific site conditions.

  • Some spaces are more suitable for daylight sensors than others. For example, offices can function with sufficient daylight and daylight sensors, but storage spaces typically need artificial lighting. 

  • Strategy 2: Daylight controls for 50% of lighting load 

  • Review the credit requirements with the lighting designer and think about how you might address lighting controls based on the program. 

  • It makes sense to pursue this credit when glazing makes up more than half of the exterior wall area and the visible transmittance (Tvis) of the glazing is greater than 0.5.

  • Consider various strategies for harvesting available daylight—like adding light-shelves, reflective surfaces and light-colored finishes. Keep partitions low, especially those parallel to the windows. Alternatively, provide clear or frosted glazing in higher partitions to provide acoustic benefit while still allowing for daylight penetration. 

  • The credit requirement is to connect 50% of the project lighting load to daylight sensors. This does not mean connecting to 50% of the total number of fixtures, as some fixtures have higher power loads than others. If 30% of fixtures contribute to 60% of your lighting load, then you need fewer sensors to meet the minimum threshold for the credit. Or conversely, by adding more sensors, you can achieve the 75% Exemplary Performance threshold and earn an extra point through IDc1.

  • Strategy 3: Occupancy sensors for 75% of lighting load

  • Review the credit requirements with the lighting designer. Develop an estimated lighting load for the space.

  • Attempt to estimate the number of sensors and controls needed to reach a minimum of 75% of the lighting load. 

  • ASHRAE 90.1-2007 guidelines require occupancy-sensitive controls for buildings of 5,000 ft2 or greater, but this credit requires the use of occupancy-sensitive controls for all buildings, regardless of size.

  • Occupancy sensors (including passive infrared, ultrasonic, microphonic, and dual-technology) serve three basic functions:

    • turn lights on automatically when a room is occupied;
    • keeps the lights on continuously while the space is occupied;
    • and turn the lights off after the space has been vacated within a certain time period.

  • Some new sensors self-adjust and “learn” occupancy patterns in the space. Some systems allow the time-out delay to change depending on the time of day to adapt to changing occupancy patterns. This can save even more energy by providing short time delays at night for cleaning crews, and longer time delays during the day to avoid false “off” occurrences.

  • Spaces with daylight can save more energy in a “manual-on/auto-off mode” by forcing the user to turn on the lights. Many people will prefer to keep the lights off if they have good daylight.

  • ASHRAE-90.1 requires the installation of an automatic shut-off for spaces larger than 5,000 ft2. Both timers and occupancy sensors fulfill this requirement. 

  • According to the New Buildings Institute, occupancy sensors produce 25%-45% energy savings. Adding occupancy sensors is often a low-cost upgrade with payback period of less than one year. 

Schematic Design

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  • Work with your lighting designer, in collaboration with the architect, to determine the applicability of the credit requirements and their potential implementation to your project. 

  • Sketch a lighting layout that incorporates daylight sensors for the fixture types that are the most numerous and look to minimize fixtures that use the most power. 

  • Discuss with your project team the possibility of adding more windows. Windows of different sizes in various locations have different levels of daylight penetration. Skylights offer diffused light, clerestories can provide longer daylight hours, and vision glazing can be more suitable for desk work. Note that not all fenestrations are suitable for all space functions.

  • Select glazing that allows enough daylight on as many days, and during as much of the year, as possible. Typically, the visible light transmittance of daylight glazing should be above 60%.  

  • Stepping is a common approach to controlling lighting systems with daylight sensors. This systems works by turning off a group of fixtures (or ballasts within a group of fixtures) when the daylight in the space reaches a certain level. This system is usually cheaper than dimming, but the sudden switching of lights on and off can be disruptive for occupants.

  • A dimming system reads the amount of daylight in the space and automatically adjusts light levels to meet a certain threshold for light that works for the activities in the space. Getting this type of system to perform properly requires experienced contractors, as well as guidance from the manufacturer on fixture and sensor placement. Daylight dimming response should be slow and imperceptible so it isn’t distracting to occupants. 

  • Daylight and occupancy controls may be standalone or integrated into a central, intelligent lighting control system. It might take additional wiring and commissioning, but this type of integrated system is usually the most efficient.

  • Before the sensor system is designed, identify occupant lighting needs that can be met with daylight. Typical light levels in offices are 30–50 footcandles for most tasks. The Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) prescribes footcandle levels for various project types, occupant types, and tasks. (See Resources.)  

  • Dimming systems often cost more than stepped systems, but also have better performance and are less distracting to occupants when the amount of daylight in the space changes. 

  • Make sure that the owner knows about ongoing maintenance requirements for controls. Daylight sensors should be calibrated every 3–5 years to maintain the performance of the lighting control system. 

  • Although integrated control strategies have additional cost up front, these systems can also tie into mechanical systems to significantly reduce energy use. 

  • Incorporate manual overrides on both occupancy and daylight sensors into your lighting system design only when necessary. Manual overrides must be used with caution, and should only be temporary. Otherwise, the sensors may be overridden and forgotten, negating potential financial and performance benefits. 

  • Strategy 1: Daylight controls for daylit areas

  • Identify regularly occupied spaces in your plans that have windows where daylighting sensors can be installed within 15 feet. These include open and private offices, conference rooms, and cafeterias.

  • Daylight-sensitive controls work only with ambient space lighting—not task lighting, art illumination, or other forms of lighting.

  • Strategy 2: Daylight controls for 50% of lighting load 

  • Develop a list of all lighting fixtures and associated power usage. Sum up the total power to identify a target for daylight sensor control: at minimum, 50% of installed lighting load has to be controlled with light sensors. 

  • Identify the highest power-consuming fixtures selected for your project. Target these to be connected to daylight sensors.

  • You can use the same lighting power calculations you completed for EAp2.

  • This credit addresses your project’s entire connected lighting load. It’s not limited either to spaces near windows or to daylit spaces. 

  • Pursue this point if your project space has sufficient available daylight to make a lighting control system that includes daylight sensors worthwhile. Have your lighting designer provide estimated annual energy savings and simple payback calculations and, if warranted, a daylight simulation to examine possible control strategies. 

  • Even if you implemented Strategy 1, daylight sensors within 15 ft of windows, you may be on your way to earning the point for this strategy, but you’re probably not all the way there. You’ll need to put more effort into creating a daylight-responsive space.

  • As each sensor costs $30–$150, develop a lighting layout that strategically combines similar tasks and exposure to daylight to reduce the number of sensors required.

  • Fixtures with integrated daylight sensors carry a small cost premium (5%–10%) and will qualify for the credit.  

  • Strategy 3: Occupancy sensors for 75% of lighting load

  • Picking the right sensors and putting them in the right places is the key to success. For your system to operate properly, each sensor must be able to detect motion at the entrance for non-regularly occupied spaces. Large, open offices usually need multiple sensors to detect movement throughout the space. Consult your lighting system manufacturer for appropriate sensor placement, especially for specialty occupancies. 

  • Occupancy sensors should be installed high on walls or ceilings, depending on the usage of the space and obstacles.

  • For spaces like hotel guest rooms—or even office spaces where the occupants may be stationary for long periods of time—you may find occupancy sensors counterproductive unless they are properly calibrated. 

  • Sensors can reduce the lighting energy use of infrequently used spaces by more than 50%. Places like bathrooms, pantries, and storage areas do not need constant lighting and automatic devices can save a lot of energy. Infrequently used stairways and hallways need only minimum safety-oriented lighting and should have occupancy sensors installed to avoid wasting energy when they are unoccupied. 

Design Development

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  • All Strategies

  • Installing additional sensor controls can make up a big portion of an electrical subcontractor’s fee, so make sure your contractor understands the credit requirements when providing a price quote and especially when installing your controls. 

  • Strategy 2: Daylight controls for 50% of lighting load

  • Make sure that the electrical contractor and controls contractor are working with the manufacturer to design and install daylight sensors and other lighting controls according to manufacturer’s recommendations. 

  • Place daylight-sensing controls within 15 feet of windows or skylights, but be careful not to place sensors within “sight” of direct sun shining on furniture or floors.

  • Have a daylight sensor control only the lights in a contiguous space that has uniform daylighting characteristics and a single solar exposure.  

  • Calculate the connected power load and the power load connected to controls to make sure that daylight sensors are connected to at least 50% of the load.

  • Add daylight sensors to increase the percentage connected to the lighting load to 75% to claim an exemplary performance point.

  • For maximum efficiency, develop a lighting layout that ties a daylight sensor to the fixtures closest to windows and another sensor to those deeper into the space. 

  • Develop your furniture layout and space design with sensors in mind. For example, if a space is divided by half-height partitions that block sunlight for occupants beyond, it makes sense to locate the daylight sensor on the daylit side of the partition. 

  • Strategy 3: Occupancy sensors for 75% of lighting load

  • Calculate the total connected power load and the power load connected to controls to make sure that occupancy sensors are connected to 75% of the load.

  • To earn an Exemplary Performance point via IDc1, add sensors to increase the percentage connected to the lighting load to 95%.

  • Select the best type of sensor for each occupied space. 

    • Infrared sensors are best used in small spaces such as enclosed offices, as they are triggered by a heat-emitting body that crosses the sensor’s line of sight.  
    • Ultrasonic-based occupancy sensors are triggered by a disruption in the inaudible sound pattern they emit. They are best suited for spaces where direct line of sight to the sensor is not always possible—an example would be restrooms. 
    • Microphonic is another technology that is used by some manufacturers in lieu of ultrasonic. These sensors listen to changes in sound and learn the background noises to distinguish building system sounds from sounds related to human occupancy.
    • Dual-technology sensors combine these two technologies and have fewer false readings of occupancy, but they are more expensive.  

Construction Documents

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  • All Strategies

  • Include in your lighting and electrical layout the location of sensors, connected lights, and appropriate wiring. Include a detailed control schedule in your drawings and specifications. 

  • Complete your documentation in LEED Online. This includes filling out a table with all of the lighting zones in the project and their corresponding sensors and lighting loads. Also upload a floor plan indicating lighting control zones showing each control device and the lighting equipment it controls. Remember to indicate which zones are regularly occupied and to include a scale.

  • To show compliance with daylight controls for daylit areas, use a diagram or plan that demonstrates the location of sensors that are within 15 feet of daylight openings and indicates which lights are controlled by each sensor.

  • In the lighting controls specification, clarify who is responsible for sensor calibration, contractor training, owner/facilities training, and commissioning/verification.

  • Arrange a pre-bid or pre-installation training session to be given by the controls manufacturer to the contractor.

Construction

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  • Be sure to include the sensor controls within the scope of building commissioning for EAp1 and EAc2. 

  • Lighting control systems need to be commissioned at start-up.  

  • Strategy 3: Occupancy sensors for 75% of lighting load

  • Optimal sensor settings vary depending on how the space will be used, its size, geometry, and the specific sensor specified. Have the controls designer coordinate closely with the sensor manufacturer to determine the best settings for the sensor type and space.

  • While each space will have its requirements for sensor placement, public hallways and bathrooms are often set to “high sensitivity”—to turn on the lights with the slightest movement—while private office spaces and conference rooms need to be set at moderate sensitivity levels. 

Operations & Maintenance

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  • Periodically check the calibration of the setpoints on daylight sensors, and adjust for seasonal daylight changes. Make sure that sensors are being used as intended, and not overridden by occupants.

  • Sensor surfaces need periodic cleaning and calibration to ensure proper operation. This is usually done every 3–5 years.

  • Poorly calibrated daylight sensors can result in little or no energy savings—and can also annoy occupants, so it’s worth it to calibrate the sensor settings regularly and confirm that the occupants are satisfied with the performance of the system. 

  • USGBC

    Excerpted from LEED 2009 for Commercial Interiors

    COPYRIGHT © 2009 BY THE U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    EA Credit 1.2: Optimize energy performance - lighting controls

    1-3 Points

    Intent

    To achieve increasing levels of energy conservation beyond the prerequisite standard to reduce environmental and economic impacts associated with excessive energy use.

    Requirements

    Design the project to include 1 or more of the following independent strategies:

    • Daylight controls for daylit areas: (1 point)

      Install daylight responsive controls in all regularly occupied daylit spaces within 15 feet (4.5 meters) of windows and under skylights. Daylight controls must switch or dim electric lights in response to the presence or absence of daylight illumination in the space.1
    • Daylight controls for 50% of the lighting load: (1 point)

      Install daylight responsive controls for 50% or more of the connected lighting load and demonstrate that 50% of the connected lighting load is daylight responsive. Daylight controls must switch or dim electric lights in response to the presence or absence of daylight illumination in the space.2
    • Occupancy sensors: (1 point)

      Install occupancy sensors for 75% of the connected lighting load.

    Potential Technologies & Strategies

    Design the lighting controls to maximize energy performance.

Software Tools

SkyCalc

SkyCalc is an Excel-based program developed by the Heschong Mahone Group that identifies the optimum skylighting design for a building, and compares the net energy cost savings using a variety of electric lighting control strategies. 

Web Tools

Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG)

This website lays out design process for developing an energy efficient building.

Electric Lighting Controls

Strategies and additional links to help on manufacturers' web sites are provided below the table.

Daylighting Dividends

Lighting design and fixture selection guidance.

Daylight Pattern Guide

This is a simple lighting guide for CI projects specifically. It has a wide range of daylight modeling scenarios for different building types and factors and provides a good general overview for the range and effectiveness of various strategies.

Organizations

Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE)

This database shows state-by-state incentives for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other green building measures. Included in this database are incentives on demand control ventilation, ERVs, and HRVs.

Articles

Design Brief – Lighting Controls

Article describes the various uses and pitfalls of key sensors and controls.

Publications

Daylight in Buildings: A Source Book on Daylighting Systems and Components, Chapter 5, Daylight- Responsive Controls

This chapter includes general information on the nature of daylight and electric light and their integration, the application of shading and electric lighting control systems with daylighting systems, and the benefits from controlling daylight and electric light input.

Advanced Lighting Guidelines, Chapter 8, Lighting Controls (New Buildings Institute, Inc., 2001)

Includes instructional graphics and superior lighting design solutions for many typical building or space types, including private offices, open offices, conference rooms, grocery stores, big box retail, specialty/boutique stores, classrooms and gas station canopy lighting.

ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–2007 online

This is the referenced standard for this credit.

Federal government guide on payback of occupancy sensors

DOE research on occupancy sensors, operations, costs and payback.

New Buildings Institute— Advanced Lighting Guidelines: 2003 Edition

This guide includes instructional graphics and superior lighting design solutions for varying types of buildings and spaces, from private offices to big box retail stores.

Lighting Controls Project Example

This project, the Audubon Society Headquarters, achieved this credit with the sensors and controls documented in the sample plan, specs, and narrative shown here.

CI-2009 LEED Online Sample Forms – EA

The following links take you to the public, informational versions of the dynamic LEED Online forms for each CI-2009 EA credit. You'll need to fill out the live versions of these forms on LEED
Online for each credit you hope to earn.

Version 4 forms (newest):

Version 3 forms:

These links are posted by LEEDuser with USGBC's permission. USGBC has certain usage restrictions for these forms; for more information, visit LEED Online and click "Sample Forms Download."

Design Submittal

PencilDocumentation for this credit can be part of a Design Phase submittal.

48 Comments

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Maria Porter Environmental Certification Engineer Skanska Sweden
May 20 2013
LEEDuser Member
867 Thumbs Up

Daylight controls in ALL daylit areas within 15 ft?

Can we exclude conference rooms that have multi-scene controls? We don’t want daylight sensors here; we want to be able to dim for presentations etc. In ASHRAE (9.4.1.2) this space is excluded for other reasons…

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ADRIENN GELESZ LEED AP ABUD Engineering Ltd.
Apr 11 2013
LEEDuser Member
187 Thumbs Up

Daylit area

For Option 1, do you think a space that does not have an external wall, but is within 15feet of the perimeter wall should be included in the credit requirements? We have a 3m corridor attached to the facade that has some windows, and a regularly occupied space on the other side of the corridor also having some glazed surfaces facing the corridor.

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Dane Sanders Principal, Clanton Associates Apr 11 2013 LEEDuser Expert 394 Thumbs Up

If there is enough daylight available for controls to be useful, then this space should have daylighting control. I would guess that a LEED reviewer would consider this to be included in this credit, unless daylight is detrimental to the activities in the space.

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ADRIENN GELESZ LEED AP, ABUD Engineering Ltd. Apr 11 2013 LEEDuser Member 187 Thumbs Up

Thanks Dane,
The space is a huge manufacturing area, with only a small glazed ratio on one side. As an engineer I would not consider it useful to have these controlls.
Has anyone received maybe comments regarding this form USGBC?
Thanks.

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Carlton Ross
Feb 28 2013
Guest
4 Thumbs Up

Vehicle Maintenance Facilities - Lighting

For lighting levels which have been established by the American National Standard A11.1-1965, R1970, Practice for Industrial Lighting would this qualify as an exception as listed by ASHRAE 90.1 2007 Exception C "ordinance or regulation"? The lighting is for the maintenance bayA bay is a component of a standard, rectilinear building design. It is the open area defined by a building element such as columns or a window. Typically, there are multiple identical bays in succession. areas in a bus maintenance facility.

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Alex AC
Nov 19 2012
Guest
113 Thumbs Up

ASHRAE Standard 90.1 Table G3.2 and occupancy sensors

Hi everybody,

My team and I are working on a CI project (office floor) where the tenant has installed occupancy sensors for up to 75% of connected lighting load. In that sense, I would appreciate if someone would tell me if that means that we get the 15% reduction in lighting power as shown in Table G3.2. (Yes, the office floor is less than 1500 ft2) If not, how much reduction in lighting power do we get? and how do we perform such calculation?
In other words, what is the correlation among the amount of sensors that are in place and the percentage of reduction in lighting power?

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Michael Smithing Director - Green Building Advisory, Colliers International Nov 20 2012 LEEDuser Member 813 Thumbs Up

Sorry, but you can't get a reduction in lighting power for using the occupancy sensors. There's a separate point for that (EAc1.2) so applying the lighting power reduction would be double counting.

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Carolina Vergnano LEED AP Concremat
Oct 25 2012
LEEDuser Member
1099 Thumbs Up

Daylit sensors for windows and glass roof

For compliance with the "Daylit Controls" we are placing sensors in all perimeter of the offices within 4,5m of the windows, at the high of the ceiling. There's also this terrace where we have a glass roof at 4,5m high. So where should I place the light sensors at the terrace? At the lights high, within 4,5m of the windows?

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Noriko Yasuhara CSR Design & Landscape Co., Ltd.
Sep 23 2012
LEEDuser Member
348 Thumbs Up

Occupancy sensor in retail shop area

In retail project, it's difficult to incoperate occupancy sensor in retail shop area. Most of floor area in our project is retail shop area, and less than 5% of floor area is back office. Is it impossible for our project to earn 1 point under this credit option 3?

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Scott Adams Architectural Standards Specialist, Starbucks Coffee Company Sep 24 2012 Guest 83 Thumbs Up

Unfortutnately yes. I find it very odd that this requirement is the same in the Retail module as it would be nearly impossible to achieve in any retail environment but it is what it is at this point.

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Grace Ming ESD Consultant
Sep 05 2012
LEEDuser Member
594 Thumbs Up

Gym with Daylight Provision

We have a LEED-CI project with a small Gym.
The gym has the daylight provision with full height window. Do we need to provide the photo cell sensors at the gym as well? Thanks.

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Tristan Roberts LEED AP BD+C, Editorial Director – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, Inc. Sep 05 2012 LEEDuser Moderator

Grace, according to USGBC's space type classification doc, a gym in a school would not be considered regularly occupied for the purposes of IEQc8. That's the closest guidance I can think of that applies here, indicating that the sensors are not required under Strategy #1.

However, I don't see this as a black and white, and there may be other interpretations. Photo sensors may be a good idea from a design and energy point of view.

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Susan M Kaplan Director of Specifications and Sustainability HLW
Aug 14 2012
LEEDuser Member
565 Thumbs Up

Decorative Fixtures

I know the 'Birds Eye' says that decorative fixtures are not required to be connected to the daylight controls, but I recently received a review comment stating that they must to meet this credit requirement.

Has anyone else run into this? Can anyone point me to reference language for this topic?

Thanks!

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Yury Lui Aug 23 2012 LEEDuser Member 59 Thumbs Up

I am receiving similar comment saying I need to exclude emergency lightingEmergency lighting as defined by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America is lighting designed to supply illumination essential to the safety of life and property in the event of failure of the normal supply. fixtures in the calculation!

I think any lighting fixture for safety should be excluded. This is clearly listed on 90.1, section 9.1.1, "Exceptions: lighting that is specifically designated as required by a health or life safety statute, ordinance, or regulation. and 90.1, section 9.4.1.1 "Exceptions: Lighting in spaces where an automatic shutoff would endanger the safety or security of the room or building occupant." This is not explicit indicated on EAc1.2. But it does reference to EAc1.1, And EAc1.1 do reference back to 90.1 .

For your case, exception under 90.1 section 9.2.2.3 and 9.4.5 should apply under the same fashion. Good Luck!

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Scott Adams Architectural Standards Specialist, Starbucks Coffee Company Sep 24 2012 Guest 83 Thumbs Up

I have run into this a few times and have recieved rulings both ways. What I have found is that in general, if a fixture is decorative, a display feature in and of itself, then it will need to be put on the daylight sensor. Where I have been able to to exclude fixtures is when they are 'display' fixtures. The fixtures themselves are not decorative rather they are used to highlight artwork or displays. Unfortunatly there is nothing concrete in the reference guide nor are there any credit interpretations that address this issue so you are really at the whim of the individual reviewer.

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Marco Abdallah
Mar 13 2012
LEEDuser Member
298 Thumbs Up

Central daylight control applicable?

Hello,
there are also systems on the market which measure the daylight amount at a central weather station on the roof of the building and then calculate the shadow and control each lamp with a software for each of the rooms of the building.
The credit says to install "controls in all regularly occupied daylit spaces within 15 feet of windows and under skylights." As the sensor of this central solution is naturally not within 15 feet of windows I am not sure if this technology can be used for LEED certification.
Has anyone respective experiences?
Thanks in advance!

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Emily Catacchio Sustainability Specialist, Wight and Company Apr 05 2012 LEEDuser Moderator

The intent of this credit is to allow occupants control over their lighting. Since the sensors on the roof are not occupant controlled they would not comply with this credit. A light switch, a dimmer, a dual switch, etc. all comply.

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Dane Sanders Principal, Clanton Associates Apr 05 2012 LEEDuser Expert 394 Thumbs Up

Hi Marco,
While I believe the intent of the first point of this credit is to provide daylight control for the luminaries within 15' of the windows using any properly commissioned control system, my experience with this credit's interpretation by GBCI has been that the sensor must be located within 15' of the windows. There are many cases that you may actually need to locate a sensor further from the windows for proper operation and commissioning of the control system, but I was not successful in making this argument to GBCI.

LEED aside, the issue with global roof mounted sensors that rely on algorithms for dimming is that they cannot account for manual window shades being lowered or other changes in the space.

Thanks for your question.

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Blair Seibert Principal, Architect Verde Concepts, Inc.
Feb 29 2012
Guest
333 Thumbs Up

Tenant space with some old, some new HVAC and lighting

I've been reviewing all the CI energy related credits hoping to get a clear answer. As I understand it, the CI energy prerequisite can only apply to the new HVAC systems within the project scope. We are working on a suite of offices and conference rooms in a building owned by a college. The college owns and manages the entire building. There will be new HVAC and lighting in over 50% of the suite but not the entire suite. Is the requirement for all the EA credits that the entire project area's systems meet the credits? As an example; for Lighting Control, Daylight Controls wouldn't all the offices with windows and lights within 15' of them need to have daylight sensors and controls. Or is it just the rooms with new lighting? Some LEED team members do not concur and I want to make sure we haven't missed something as we count up our energy related credits. Thanks.

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Blair Seibert Principal, Architect, Verde Concepts, Inc. Feb 29 2012 Guest 333 Thumbs Up

I should have noted that I've seen ID#10135 and believe it answers my questions about this particular credit but what about EAc1.2, EQc1, EQc2, EQc6.1, EQc6.2 & EQc7.1?

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Tristan Roberts LEED AP BD+C, Editorial Director – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, Inc. Jul 08 2012 LEEDuser Moderator

Blair, I think the answer to your question rests on setting your LEED project boundary. All the spaces in the boundary must comply with the credit requirements.

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Victoria Robertson
Feb 07 2012
LEEDuser Member
14 Thumbs Up

Occupancy Sensors in Mechanical Rooms

I am working on a LEED-CI project that has a large room used for mechanical equipment and general storage. For the purposes of pursuing credit EAc1.2, Occupancy Sensors, are there any exceptions regarding mechanical rooms? We usually do not install occupancy sensors in a mechanical room because a technician could be working on equipment and suddenly encounter a lighting "false-off". If the lighting in this room contributes to the project's total connected lighting load used for this credit, projects may be inclined to add an occupancy sensor when it would not normally be used due to potential hazards.

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Daniel LeBlanc Senior Sustainability Manager, YR&G Feb 11 2012 LEEDuser Expert 579 Thumbs Up

Victoria,

I have heard this concern on a few of my projects, but haven't found an exemption. One suggestion would be to minimize the lighting power in those spaces to reduce the impact this has on the overall total connected lighting load.

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Yury Lui Aug 23 2012 LEEDuser Member 59 Thumbs Up

Please refer to my response posted on Aug 23, 2012.

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Keith Higgins Sustainable Design Expert Team Leader CRB
Jan 18 2012
LEEDuser Member
119 Thumbs Up

Occupancy Sensor definition

I am not seeing a definition for an occupancy sensor in the 2009 CI reference guide. Would lights that are placed on a timer that automatically shuts off after a period of time (15 min, 1hr etc.) be considered a form of occupancy sensor?

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Daniel LeBlanc Senior Sustainability Manager, YR&G Feb 11 2012 LEEDuser Expert 579 Thumbs Up

Keith,

Good question. I would say the timer you mention would not be considered equivalent to an occupancy sensor. Lights on a timer are like occupancy sensors in that they are tied to the people entering the space needing to turn on the lights to initiate the timer. However, the timed control does not offer the same utility or energy savings in that it could turn off and then need to be turned on again, reinitiating a new timed cycle when the room is potentially not occupied, where as the occupancy sensor is nearly invisible to the occupant and (depending on the setting) turns lights off after only a few minutes of inactivity.

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Keith Higgins Sustainable Design Expert Team Leader CRB
Jan 18 2012
LEEDuser Member
119 Thumbs Up

Connected lighting load include exterior lighting?

I would assume that the connected lighting load calculation for Option 2 or 3 would not include the exterior lighting since the exterior areas would not (normally) be on an occupancy sensor (photovoltaic sensor or timed instead). Can anyone confirm?

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Daniel LeBlanc Senior Sustainability Manager, YR&G Feb 11 2012 LEEDuser Expert 579 Thumbs Up

Correct, no exterior lighting is included.

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Simon Ng
Jan 17 2012
Guest
61 Thumbs Up

Daylight Controls for 50% of Lighting Load?

Dear all, I am working on a CI Library renovation and we have an existing cellar where the majority of the services exist (IE. Boilers, IT Servers). The cellar, which counts for 1/3 of our LEED Boundary, will generally be an area of storage (non regularly occupied space) where there is hardly any daylight. Do we have to count the cellar to pursue Point 2 - Daylight Controls for 50% Lighting Load even though there is no daylight or can we exclude this area? If we include the cellar we cannot achieve the 50% mark as there is no daylight within the existing area. However, it does not indicate whether Point 2 applies to areas that are day lit?

I would appreciate any guidance on this matter! Thanks!

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Daniel LeBlanc Senior Sustainability Manager, YR&G Feb 11 2012 LEEDuser Expert 579 Thumbs Up

Simon,

Yes, you would need to include the cellar to pursue the point for daylighting controls for 50% of connected lighting load. I'm not aware of any exemptions to that requirement. So all spaces would need to be included. In this case, it seems the only daylighting point that might might apply to your project is for controls within 15 ft of the windows in regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where one or more individuals normally spend time (more than one hour per person per day on average) seated or standing as they work, study, or perform other focused activities inside a building..

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Augusto Velazquez aceava
Oct 05 2011
LEEDuser Member
221 Thumbs Up

Would a Warehouse need to have Occupancy Sensors?

Our project includes an office area and a warehouse area. The office area will have occupancy sensors for each office, bathroom, corridors, etc. The warehouse will not have sensors. Do we have to include the warehouse area in the calculations of the total lighting load?

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Emily Catacchio Sustainability Specialist, Wight and Company Oct 13 2011 LEEDuser Moderator

Hi Augusto,

If the warehouse is included in the LEED project boundary then yes it would be included. It seems like good practice especially in a warehouse, to install occupancy sensors since much of the space is not regularly occupied. 

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Robin Bass
Aug 23 2011
LEEDuser Member
131 Thumbs Up

Daylight Controls required for task lighting?

It seems innappropriate to include task lights that are plug powered in the "connected lighting load" for daylighting controls. Does anyone have a precedent for how GBCI views task lights with regard to daylight controls?

Thanks!

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Jun Hashimoto RLA, LEED-AP Aug 28 2011 Guest 55 Thumbs Up

I would like to know the answer to that as well. We actually pursue the daylight control for 50% without including task lights and got comments from GBCI to include them. I heard that other projects didn't include or the reference guide doesn't specifically mentioned to include task lights, just 'connected lighting loads'. What is the definition of 'connected lighting loads'?

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Michael Smithing Director - Green Building Advisory, Colliers International Jul 31 2012 LEEDuser Member 813 Thumbs Up

Based on the current LEED On-Line form, Option B and Option C appear to have different connected lighting loads. Option B allows the exclusion of supplemental task lighting if it is not equipped with daylight responsive controls. Option C requires the inclusion of task lighting, unless it is exempt under ASHRAE - but the exemption is for fixtures which have an automatic shut-off (which would likely be occupancy linked) so in most cases it is likely best to include the task lighting even if it can be excluded.

I've been trying to determine if I need daylight controls on the task lighting within 15 feet of the windows, but my (narrow) reading of the credit and form lead me to believe that if we have the controls installed on the ambient lightingLighting in a space that provides for general wayfinding and visual comfort, in contrast to task lighting, which illuminates a defined area to facilitate specific visual work. it is not necessary to have them on the task lighting as well. If anyone can confirm this it would be appreciated.

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Raymond Loo Senior Manager, Corporate Services MEA & Associates Limited (Hong Kong)
Jul 28 2011
Guest
495 Thumbs Up

Information: Regional Priority Credit on International Projects?

My understanding is that an extra Regional Priority Credit can be earned on international projects here. Does anyone have any details to the actions required to get this RPC point?

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Steve Khouw Principal, DNA GreenDesign Jul 29 2011 LEEDuser Member 1289 Thumbs Up

John, to secure RPCs you just need to pursue and earn those credits that have been associated for the country or sub-region designated for the RPC bonus. For instance, in HK if you go for WEc1, EAc1.1, EAc1.2, EAc1.3, EAc2 or EAc3 you will also automatically earned an RPC bonus each up to the max 4.

You can get a list of the relevant RP credits for which country or sub-region at www.usgbc.org/RPC/RegionalPriorityCredits.aspx?CMSPageID=2435

Trust this explains it all...

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Raymond Loo Senior Manager, Corporate Services, MEA & Associates Limited (Hong Kong) Jul 29 2011 Guest 495 Thumbs Up

Steve, thanks for your prompt response to my query.

I tried the link that you provided but I was not able to get to the appropriate page for Hong Kong. I checked off "LEED 2009 for Commercial Interiors" and then I selected Hong Kong in the first drop box. HK does not have postal codes so I tried leaving it blank and also with a district, i.e. Central. I also tried "Neighbourhood Development" but still no luck.

I found this other link provided by Tristan in here: http://www.leeduser.com/topic/non-us-regional-priority-credits-added-leed.

To be sure that I understand you correctly, we just need to attain a credit point in any of the credits you mentioned above, i.e. EAc1.2 and then we would automatically get another credit point under RPC.

Since EAc1.2 has a "and/or" potential of up to 3 points, would we need to get all three to be qualify for the RPC point here or would any 1,2 or 3 suffice and then we get the 1 extra for RPC?

As another example, say EAc1.1 which is eligible for 5 credit points if 35% reduction is achieved and there is an exra EP +1 credit point if 40% reduction is achieved. Therefore, we just need to meet a reduction of at least 15% (for 1 point) to get the 1 point under RPC?

Sorry for the long come back. Thanks.

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Steve Khouw Principal, DNA GreenDesign Jul 29 2011 LEEDuser Member 1289 Thumbs Up

Raymond, just like in LOv3 data entry, every time you have a null entry, you must still enter a character. Try inserting zero "0" in the Zip/Postal Code field then the rest of your query will be explained, such as what is the minimum threshold RPC requirement for that credit.

Note earning RPC has no relationship with earning EP, these are 2 different sub-systems of earning bonus credits.

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Raymond Loo Senior Manager, Corporate Services, MEA & Associates Limited (Hong Kong) Jul 29 2011 Guest 495 Thumbs Up

Steve, thank you very much. Your tip works like a charm (I should have known this since I had to do this same thing in another online system before).

The information in that link is just what I am looking for and thanks for your note. It emphsizes / clarifies the separation in the point system.

Thanks!

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Steve Khouw Principal DNA GreenDesign
Jun 14 2011
LEEDuser Member
1289 Thumbs Up

Does it matter where to install occupancy sensors

To earn this credit for Strategy 3, does it matter where we locate the sensors so long as we meet the minimum 75% connected light loads, right? The obvious choices would be in non-regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where one or more individuals normally spend time (more than one hour per person per day on average) seated or standing as they work, study, or perform other focused activities inside a building. such as corridors, restrooms, stairwells etc rather than the space being occupied per se.

How about in meeting rooms (multi-occupancy rooms), does that count too and double up to also secure the IEQc6.1?

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Tristan Roberts LEED AP BD+C, Editorial Director – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, Inc. Dec 17 2011 LEEDuser Moderator

Steve, it is up to you to choose the best spaces to put the occupancy sensors. It's true that some spaces are better suited for them, and some are less appropriate.

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Paola Figueiredo, Newton Figueiredo SustentaX
Mar 28 2011
Guest
534 Thumbs Up

Regularly Occupied Spaces

Hello. I have a typical room in this CI project, that is used in a sporadic period during the day. In this room we have five workstation, but as i said, used about 1 hour per day. So can I consider this a non regularly space? Like as defined on Schools Rating System for example "...that are not regulary used for at least 1 hour per day." So I´m asking about this because the project team is specifying only occupancy sensor for this room that have a window in there. how can I must proceed in this case.

Thanks.

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Tristan Roberts LEED AP BD+C, Editorial Director – LEEDuser, BuildingGreen, Inc. Apr 22 2011 LEEDuser Moderator

I would recommend treating this as regularly occupied space. It looks like a regular work station and in the future could easily be occupied more than one hour per day.

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Max Calabro
Jan 24 2011
Guest
216 Thumbs Up

Restaurant Occupancy

I'm working on a CI 2009 platinum-seeking restaurant, shooting for all three points in this credit. Here's the catch: it doesn't make sense for us to put occupancy sensors in the dining room, bar, and kitchen, as these areas will be occupied during all business hours, and even if a space cleared out we would not want the lights to turn off for business purposes. Can we interpret the 75% requirement to apply only to non regularly occupied spacesRegularly occupied spaces are areas where one or more individuals normally spend time (more than one hour per person per day on average) seated or standing as they work, study, or perform other focused activities inside a building., or is this point only attainable if we add unusable sensors? Thanks very much!

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Jim Weiner, AIA principal, collaborative project consulting Feb 01 2011 LEEDuser Member 388 Thumbs Up

Hi Max,

I've designed plenty of restaurants where there would have been purpose to occupancy sensors in both the front and back of the house. There are times when it would be an energy efficiency measure to have an occupancy triggered control to turn off some lighting. Restaurant spaces are occupied by light staff during plenty of hours when the restaurant isn't open to the public. It would be useful to assure that lighting is controlled to a service scene that might use less power than the full show for the public.

Occupancy sensors are inexpensive and have a pretty quick payback even in spaces that see little use. If your project is in certain jurisdictions, incentives and tax deductions cut the cost for occupancy sensors to something pretty nominal. I believe you're in the Pacific Northwest - you might check out Seattle City Light's program - http://www.seattle.gov/light/conserve/business/cv5_fi.htm.

Remind your client that the most expensive thing in a restaurant isn't an energy efficiency measure - it's an empty seat. So put in a few basic controls and focus on the food!

Good luck!

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Amy Rider Sustainability Manager KEMA Services
Jul 26 2010
LEEDuser Expert
1358 Thumbs Up

Discrepancy between Reference Manual and Template

I am seeing a discrepancy between the LEED template and the IDC reference manual for EAc1.2.
The reference manual for second point (B) states the daylighting must be for 50% of the lighting load. The template states 50% of the connected lighting load in daylit areas. Which is it - total lighting load or lighting load in daylit areas. Second, if it is the later, what is the definition of a daylit area (15 feet from window or skylight)?
Thanks

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Amy Rider Sustainability Manager, KEMA Services Jul 28 2010 LEEDuser Expert 1358 Thumbs Up

We got clarification on this question from GBCI directly:

"The current template is a BETA version and I can see the discrepancy. The issue is fixed for the post-BETA form which will be available shortly. The appropriate calculation for OPTION B is using the total lighting load in all areas.
Daylit space for this credit is 15’ from window or skylight."

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