THere are no hard and fast rules about this. I couldn't say for certain, but I don't foresee any issues.

I believe you are limited to using credits within the same version of your rating system - i.e. v2 projects can use credits from other v2 rating systems (NCv2.2 can use EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. v2; NCv2009 can use EBOM v2009). My understanding was that it was not possible to use later version (i.e. NCv2.2 using EBOM v2009). I'd recommend contacting GBCI for confirmation before moving too far down down attempting that pathway.

I thought the same, but I asked and was told vety clearly by GBCI pesentors at Greenbuild last Nov that yes you could in fact 'opt' into a later version of a particular credit.

To be sure, use the Feedback tab on LEED Online and ask them yourself. If true, then upload the GBCI respsonse with your credit form and check the the 'Alternative Complaince' path.

Please share your Feedback and any GBCI response here.

We have never followed up with the client about the purchasing after we created the purchasing plan.

I can see the arguement both ways for this. It's a grey area. UV light is still light and can fit the intent of this Credit's scope. But it's also integral to a piece of equipment that serves a function other than lighting. No one is asking for mercury content in other lighting integral to equipment like the light in your refrigerator or microwave.

I'd say use your own opinion and you can find justification either way if challenged.

John-David, have you been through this forum and the NC IDc1 forum? There are several conversations on MRc4, as I recall. It is commonly used, often with success, I believe.

Yes - all hardwired and portable fixtures must be included.

You may include the LED lamps to weigh down the results like you want. But 90% (quantity) of purchased lamps must comply with the 90 pg Hg/(lm*h) limit. There's only so much you can skew the average.

Some LED lamps are garbage. But most will be better than a cheap CFL1. Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) – light source in which the tube is folded or twisted into a spiral to concentrate the light output; CFLs are typically 3 to 4 times as efficient as incandescent light bulbs, and they last 8 to 10 times as long. 2. Small fluorescent lamps used as more efficient alternatives to incandescent lighting. Also called PL, CFL, Twin-Tube, or BIAX lamps. (EPA) 3. A light bulb designed to replace screw-in incandescent light bulbs; they are often found in table lamps, wall sconces, and hall and ceiling fixtures of commercial buildings with residential type lights. They combine the efficiency of fluorescent lighting with the convenience of standard incandescent bulbs. Light is produced the same way as other fluorescent lamps. Compact fluorescent bulbs have either electronic or magnetic ballasts. so you can count them in your calculation. I wouldn't say LED's are always more efficient. It depends. The energy star website has an excel file list of thousands of CFL and LED replacement lamps that carry the Energy Star label. There are some really efficient CFL's (some over 80 lm/W). There are also many more LED lamps that never made it on this list that can be assumed to perform poorly (less than 40 lumens / Watt).

http://downloads.energystar.gov/bi/qplist/Lamps_Qualified_Product_List.x...

Bill, thank you for your superfast reply!

I will include 100 % of all lights. It just seems as the right thing to do since I’m using this credit as an ID credit under CI. Even if my result would be a lot better by excluding 10 %. We have only made a quick calculation to see if the credit is worth pursuing and it looks ok, so we will now go into detail.

I have to ask my lighting guy how many watts the chosen LEDs were, he only mentioned that they were more efficient than CFLs.
My only experiences have been when I tried to buy LED lamps for my home. All lights I checked there were more efficient than CFLs. But I guess it could be different for commercial use.

/Maria

I found the Philips specs sheet which contains mercury picogramA picogram is 1 trillionth of a gram. info for T8s (let me know if you need it), but having trouble finding same from GE. The mercury number they provided made no sense as compared to the number provided by Philips which brings me to your number 2 above, perhaps GE is providng the picogram info not the mg per lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. hour we need. Hmmm. We can we assume GE is unaware of this need. I am going to try to find a contact at GE and will let you know. Please do the same.

I am also having difficulty locating the following MRc4 data for Phillips bulbs: mean lumens; and, three-hour instant start rated life for: pl-t[2] and PLT 32W 835 4P 1CT. The product data sheet for pl-t[2] lists the initial lumens value for the bulb but not the mean lumens value. The product data sheets for pl-t[2] and PLT 32W 835 4P 1CT indicate various rated life values, but not “3-hour instant start rated life value”. I submitted a request to Phillips technical support and am awaiting a reply. Can you offer any guidance?

I documented this as an ID credit for a NCv3 project recently (first time for me to use this EB+OM credit), the GE website now has information specifically for this credit. It made things very, very easy. We did not have HID lamps like the OP did and I can not speak to that experience.

Yes, LEEDuser offers a purchasing template under our MRp1 Documentation Toolkit.

Elizabeth, if the mini-candelabras are zero-mercury lamps, why are you trying to find replacements? Is the focus on finding an option that uses less energy?

Hi Jason,

Yes - the focus would be on less energy,...In the reference guide, it states that no mercury lamps must be as efficient as a mercury containing counterpart....but in our situation, that does not seem possible...

Got it. While I appreciate your intent to find a more efficient alternative for these lamps, this is such a small quantity relative to your total lamp inventory (less than 0.5%) that any adjustment you may make will probably not result in a measureable change in energy consumption.

In the past, I've interpretated this credit language as stating that 90% of the total lamp count must be addressed by the performance plan, regardless of the location of each lamp in the building and associated grounds. I'm willing to bet you could exclude these 26 lamps, state that your plan covers 99.5% of lamps in the building and be done with it.

I'm interested to hear if anyone else has thoughts on this approach.

Have you considered partnering with a big manufacturer like Philips or Sylvania to provide each student living in the dorms with one CFL1. Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) – light source in which the tube is folded or twisted into a spiral to concentrate the light output; CFLs are typically 3 to 4 times as efficient as incandescent light bulbs, and they last 8 to 10 times as long. 2. Small fluorescent lamps used as more efficient alternatives to incandescent lighting. Also called PL, CFL, Twin-Tube, or BIAX lamps. (EPA) 3. A light bulb designed to replace screw-in incandescent light bulbs; they are often found in table lamps, wall sconces, and hall and ceiling fixtures of commercial buildings with residential type lights. They combine the efficiency of fluorescent lighting with the convenience of standard incandescent bulbs. Light is produced the same way as other fluorescent lamps. Compact fluorescent bulbs have either electronic or magnetic ballasts. at the start of each school year?

Hmm, that's a thought. I guess we could ask each person how many fixtures they have so we know the number of portable fixtures and the bulbs in them then. Do you think the review team would go for that?

Emily,
This sounds like a really creative idea, and a great way to engage students…if you have the time within your project scope, you may want to send the question to GBCI - or if you feel the credit is worth it, submit a CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide to know for sure...if they accept the approach, you could include the GBCI response/ ruling in your application, and in theory this would protect against a reviewer's opinion to the contrary....Good luck!

I think you're going to be o.k. There are two requirements for this credit:
1) you must have a purchasing plan that addresses at least 90% of the lamps in the building AND has a weighted average mercury content of 90 pg/lm-hr or lower
2) you must purchase some lamps during your performance period

Technically if you bought one box of T8 lamps during your performance period (or a few pin-based CFLs), this would be enough to meet the purchasing requirement, as long as the lamps you buy are included in your purchasing plan.

So, to be clear, you don't have to buy enough different types of lamps to account for 90% of the lamps in your purchasing plan. You just need to buy any lamps that are included in your purchasing plan. Make sense?

Thanks for the quick response, I might be wrong but here's the way we are looking at this requirement. This is an example:
During this performance period we bought 100 T8 lamps with a total of 29 pg/lm hr. and we bought 20 pin based CFL1. Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) – light source in which the tube is folded or twisted into a spiral to concentrate the light output; CFLs are typically 3 to 4 times as efficient as incandescent light bulbs, and they last 8 to 10 times as long. 2. Small fluorescent lamps used as more efficient alternatives to incandescent lighting. Also called PL, CFL, Twin-Tube, or BIAX lamps. (EPA) 3. A light bulb designed to replace screw-in incandescent light bulbs; they are often found in table lamps, wall sconces, and hall and ceiling fixtures of commercial buildings with residential type lights. They combine the efficiency of fluorescent lighting with the convenience of standard incandescent bulbs. Light is produced the same way as other fluorescent lamps. Compact fluorescent bulbs have either electronic or magnetic ballasts.'s with a total of 100 pg/lm hr.
When we record this in our performance period purchases table, the overall pg/lm hr for our total purchases is below 70 pg/lm hr. but, from the total lights purchased (120) 17% (20 CFL's) were not in compliance with the minimum of 90 pg/lm hr. (90%) for each lamp.
We are assuming this based on the following requirement:
"The plan must require that at least 90% of purchased lamps comply with the target (as measured by the number of lamps).
Please let me know if our assumption is not accurate.

You're mixing up the specifics of the two different requirements.

Yes, it is true that the Purchasing Plan must address at least 90% of the lamps. This is the information that gets entered into Table MRc4-1 in the Credit Form.

However, the list of purchased lamps that gets entered into Table MRc4-2 has a different set of criteria. You need to ensure that:
1) at least 1 lamp is purchased during the performance period,
2) that the weighted average mercury content is less than 90 pg/lm-hr, and
3) that the purchased lamp(s) are listed in the aforementioned Purchasing Plan

That's it. It doesn't matter how many lamps or lamp types are entered into Table MRc4-2, as long as those three criteria are met. Hope this helps.

Right on the spot, thanks for the clarification, that just saved us a lot of work.

Shevaun, LEED does not have a ruling on this one way or the other. You could potentially make a case for it in your narrative, or through a CIRCredit Interpretation Ruling. Used by design team members experiencing difficulties in the application of a LEED prerequisite or credit to a project. Typically, difficulties arise when specific issues are not directly addressed by LEED information/guide or LEED InterpretationLEED Interpretations are official answers to technical inquiries about implementing LEED on a project. They help people understand how their projects can meet LEED requirements and provide clarity on existing options. LEED Interpretations are to be used by any project certifying under an applicable rating system. All project teams are required to adhere to all LEED Interpretations posted before their registration date. This also applies to other addenda. Adherence to rulings posted after a project registers is optional, but strongly encouraged. LEED Interpretations are published in a searchable database at usgbc.org..

Luis, I don't see how you could exclude CCFLs. Among mercury-containing lamps, only screw-base CFLs are allowed to be ignored.

Is your project registered under v2008 or v2009? The EP threshold was 50 pg/lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output.-hour in the v2008 rating system, but that was also when there were 2 points available under MRc4. When they revised the credit in the v2009 rating system, they made the credit worth one point (with the minimum threshold at 90 pg/lumen-hour) and set the EP threshold at 70 pg/lumen-hour. If you're working on a v2009 project and the reviewer is trying to claim that the EP threshold is 50, it's definitely within your purview to point out that they are not observing the current credit language (politely, of course).

The project is registered under the 2009 rating system and we were under the 50 threshold anyway. I just wanted to make sure that for future 2009 projects I am communicating the correct thresholds to clients. Thanks!

A Little Confused...
EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. v2009 The reference guide states: 'one point is awarded to projects for which at least 90% of all mercury-containing lamps comply with plan and target of 90 picograms per lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. hour.' p283. Then on p288, it states: ' Project teams can earn an additional point if 90% of lamps purchased over the performance period have an average mercury content of 70 picograms per lumen hour or less.'
Please clarify if there is a typo or if I am confused.
Thanks!

The extra exceptional performance point is for purchasing lamps which exceed the credit requirement of 90 picogramA picogram is 1 trillionth of a gram./lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. hour and average of 70 picogram/lumen hour or less.

You'll need the actualy mg of mercury per lamp.

Sylvania doesn't publish this information as easily as some other companies. I found on their website a LEED-EB calculator. It's an excel file that you download from their Tools & Resources section. It will give you the mercury content of each lamp.
http://www.sylvania.com/en-us/tools-and-resources/Pages/default.aspx#

Patrick, one thing to keep in mind is that there isn't a distinction between "accepted" or "non-accepted" lamps for EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. MRc4. The final documentation will be a purchasing plan that shows a total weighted average mercury content less than 90 picograms/lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output.-hour and a list that documents the total weighted average mercury content of lamps purchased during the performance period.

So, your purchasing plan can be a combination of different types of lamps, with both high and low mercury levels, that would be installed in a perfect world in your project building. The LEED credit form uses all the technical lamp data (mg of mercury, rated lamp life and mean lumens) to calculate the weighed average mercury content of this collection of lamps. Using manufacturer data, including the Sylvania tool that Bill mentions above, you can gather all this technical data and come up with a purchasing plan that will meet the LEED requirements.

Then, you just need to purchase some lamps during the performance period. Ideally, you would be purchasing one of the lamp types listed in your purchasing plan to replace one or more burned out lamps at the end of their useful life. Remember that all of your purchased lamps must also have a total weighted average mercury content of 90 picograms/lumen-hour or less in order to earn this credit.

Michael,

Good question...I don't think the manufacturer's have necessarily optimized their calculators to show alternative, lower mercury options for the lamps you currently have. We usually figure out which of the current lamps are raising the overall picogramA picogram is 1 trillionth of a gram. per lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. hour amount, and then contact the manufacturer or vendor and ask them to suggest alternatives for piloting. You can also zero in on the low-mercury line offered by a given manufacturer (e.g., the Philips Alto line). And, of course, if you have any T-12s, switching those to T-8s or T-5s will help with energy efficiency and dramatically lower the picogram per lumen hour value.

I think you've got it - there's not a NEMA label or certification or anything that lamps must have, just that they fall under the mercury thresholds established by NEMA.

Blas, Only CFL1. Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) – light source in which the tube is folded or twisted into a spiral to concentrate the light output; CFLs are typically 3 to 4 times as efficient as incandescent light bulbs, and they last 8 to 10 times as long. 2. Small fluorescent lamps used as more efficient alternatives to incandescent lighting. Also called PL, CFL, Twin-Tube, or BIAX lamps. (EPA) 3. A light bulb designed to replace screw-in incandescent light bulbs; they are often found in table lamps, wall sconces, and hall and ceiling fixtures of commercial buildings with residential type lights. They combine the efficiency of fluorescent lighting with the convenience of standard incandescent bulbs. Light is produced the same way as other fluorescent lamps. Compact fluorescent bulbs have either electronic or magnetic ballasts.'s with screw bases and integral ballasts that meet NEMA standards are exempt. These are the kind that replace traditional incandescent lamps in the old fixtures.

A newer CFL fixture where the ballast is separate from the lamp and the lamp has pins will require you to meet the listed 90 picogramA picogram is 1 trillionth of a gram. level average.

Expect the mg limits in LEED 2012 to be lowered to the NEMA 2010 level of 4mg and 5mg.
http://www.nema.org/gov/env_conscious_design/lamps/cfl-mercury.cfm

Hi Molly, of course you can! That's one of the non-direct intents of the credit. Take a look at page 285 in the reference guide.

I am not sure as to why this is relevant. You don't have to include LEDs in the inventory and LEDs don't contain mercury, so the calculation of picogramA picogram is 1 trillionth of a gram. per lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output. hour per bulb wouldn't apply. Instead you would count them as zero picograms if you are purchasing during the performance period. Does anybody else see this differently?

The building is actually a major renovation project going for Low Mercury Lighting as an ID credit for a LEED NC certification. So there is no performance period. We are documenting all the new lights purchased, which includes the LED fixtures and the existing fixtures (that are mostly exterior pole lamps). We actually just got a response to an inquiry from GBCI stating the each LED "strip" would be considered one bulb.

"The plan must require that at least 90% of purchased lamps comply with the target (as measured by the number of lamps)."

Is it true that The only lamps this credit is applicable are the fluorescent lamps ? The project that i am working on is LEED CI. We are trying to get an ID credit for Low Mercury lamps. As of now we only have two types of lamps that are Low mercury and they are fluorescent lamps. Does low mercury apply to other lamps as well?

Hi Sheela - Just a quick note on your original question. Bill's response is accurate but I'm not sure it leads to the right conclusion. The 'target' under discussion is the overall picogramA picogram is 1 trillionth of a gram./lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output.-hour average for all the bulbs - it is not a per-bulb limit on mercury content. You must indeed include 90% of your bulbs in this calculation, but in many instances a large number of bulbs which are conventional mercury content are offset by a similar number of bulbs which are low-mercury. For example, a building with only 2 bulbs can be compliant by having both bulbs under 90 pg/l-h or by having one bulb at 100 pg/l-h and the other bulb at 79 pg/l-h (which averages to less than 90). In the latter example, you are analyzing 100% of your bulbs, but obviously half your bulbs are not low-mercury. Hope that helps a bit.

Dan

Sheela, to answer your second question: no, this credit does not only apply to fluorescent lamps. While it is true that LED and incandescent lamps have no mercury, most HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps contain a high level of mercury. In my experience, most HIDs in use do not have less than 90 pg Hg/lumen1. A lumen is a unit of luminous flux equal to the light emitted in a unit solid angle by a uniform point source of 1 candle intensity. 2. A measurement of light output.-hr.

Great question. As you are conducting a LEED NC in the one single building in theory you should only need to cover the EB portion with compliant purchasing of all the light bulbs in that one single building. (I'm leaving aside the fact that the reviewers may or may not pass this as an ID credit). However in practice this may not feasible as you will have compliant and non compliant light bulbs in operations storage and making certain that ONLY compliant bulbs are used in your building may be un-enforceable. Better to encourage a full campus wide MR credit compliance to overcome this possibility, even though it will be a tremendous task.

Emily I would include any fixtures within the LEED Project Boundary, including exterior lights. We've earned this as an Innovation credit many times, including on campuses and military bases that have existing purchasing contracts that limit the selection of replacement bulbs. You can develop a suggested purchasing plan for replacement lamps for all of the lighting fixtures, and have the campus facilities department review/approve the plan. Obviously, you might want to check with them first to see what typical manufacturer(s) they use currently.

Unless I'm missing something here the point of this credit is what you PURCHASE not what you REPLACE. There is absolutely no way the USGBC wants you to remove any bulbs or fittings (ie, unlike other credits they really don't want you spending any money here!) just commit to purchasing compliant bulbs

I would recommend looking at the documentation required for EBOMEBOM is an acronym for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, one of the LEED 2009 rating sytems. MRp1 and MRc4 including the sample credit forms and any required uploads in LEED Online version 3. The way we pursue the Green Housekeeping credit for LEED NC 2009 projects is by documenting that the project is complying with the EBOM IEQp3 requirements, so I think following that same path for reduced mercury would be acceptable.