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LEED v4
Existing Buildings
Indoor Environmental Quality

Interior lighting

LEED CREDIT

EBOM-v4 EQc4: Interior lighting 1-2 points

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SPECIAL REPORT

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David Scheer

RA, M.Arch., CFII

RetroEta, Inc
Director

SPECIAL REPORT

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Requirements

Establishment

Option 1. Lighting control (1 point)
For at least 50% of individual occupant spaces, have in place individual lighting controls that enable occupants to adjust the lighting to suit their individual tasks and preferences, with at least three lighting levels or scenes (on, off, midlevel). Midlevel is 30% to 70% of the maximum illumination level (not including daylight contributions). For all shared multi-occupant spaces, meet all of the following requirements.
  • Have in place multizone control systems that enable occupants to adjust the lighting to meet group needs and preferences, with at least three lighting levels or scenes (on, off, midlevel).
  • Lighting for any presentation or projection wall must be separately controlled.
  • Switches or manual controls must be located in the same space as the controlled luminaires. A person operating the controls must have a direct line of sight to the controlled luminaires.

AND/OR

Option 2. Lighting quality (1 point)
Choose four of the following strategies.
  1. For all regularly occupied spaces, have in place light fixtures with a luminance of less than 2,500cd/m2 between 45 and 90 degrees from nadir. Exceptions include wallwash fixtures properly aimed at walls, as specified by manufacturer’s data, indirect uplighting fixtures, provided there is no view down into these uplights from a regularly occupied space above, and any other specific applications (i.e. adjustable fixtures).
  2. For the entire project, have in place light sources with a CRI of 80 or higher. Exceptions include lamps or fixtures specifically designed to provide colored lighting for effect, site lighting, or other special use.
  3. For at least 75% of the total connected lighting load, have in place light sources that have a rated life (or L70 for LED sources) of at least 24,000 hours (at 3-hour per start, if applicable).
  4. Have in place direct-only overhead lighting for 25% or less of the total connected lighting load for all regularly occupied spaces.
  5. For at least 90% of the regularly occupied floor area, meet or exceed the following thresholds for area-weighted average surface reflectance: 85% for ceilings, 60% for walls, and 25% for floors.
  6. Meet or exceed the following thresholds for area-weighted average surface reflectance: 45% for work surfaces and 50% for movable partitions.
  7. For at least 75% of the regularly occupied floor area, meet ratio of average wall surface illuminance (excluding fenestration) to average work surface illuminance that does not exceed 1:10. Must also meet strategy E, strategy F, or demonstrate area-weighted surface reflectance of at least 60% for walls.
  8. For at least 75% of the regularly occupied floor area, meet ratio of average ceiling illuminance (excluding fenestration) to work surface illuminance that does not exceed 1:10. Must also meet strategy E, strategy F, or demonstrate area-weighted surface reflectance of at least 85% for ceilings.
  9. [India ACP: Interior Lighting]

Performance

None.

Alternative Compliance Paths (ACPs)

India ACP: Interior Lighting
I. Projects in India may, in all regularly occupied spaces, meet or exceed the lower illuminance levels listed in the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) code -- IS 3646 (Part 1): 1992, Table 1- Recommended Illumination. See all forum discussions about this credit »

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Cost estimates for this credit

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Frequently asked questions

What happened to the IEQ Space Matrix that was available to version 2009 projects? What should I reference to determine how spaces in my building should be categorized for this credit?

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How do we determine if we meet the mid-level requirement of 30% to 70% of the maximum illumination level?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

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Do we need to collect square footage details for Option 1, like we did for multi-occupant spaces under EBOM 2009?

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A tenant who uses a different lighting vendor from the base building will not participate in the LEED project, so we can’t confirm or document the information needed for various strategies under Option 2. This tenant is less than 10% of the total building floor area. Can we exclude them from this credit?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

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See all forum discussions about this credit »

Addenda

4/1/2015Updated: 3/29/2018
Regional ACP
Description of change:
After strategy H, add the following additional strategy:
"I. Projects in India may, in all regularly occupied spaces, meet or exceed the lower illuminance levels listed in the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) code -- IS 3646 (Part 1): 1992, Table 1- Recommended Illumination."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
4/1/2015Updated: 4/16/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Revised form and Interior Lighting Calculator to include India ACP under Option 2.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Table 1, modify item D so it reads "25% connected lighting load for regularly occupied spaces."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Revised summary for C. Lamp Life from "Connected lighting load with rated life greater than 24,000 hours (or L70 for LED sources)" to "Connected lighting load with rated life of at least 24,000 hours (or L70 for LED sources)"

Revised errors in the ratio calculations for G. Surface Illuminance Ratio: Wall to Work Surface and H. Surface Illuminance Ratio: Ceiling to Work Surface
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
See all forum discussions about this credit »

Documentation toolkit

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LEEDuser expert

David Scheer

RA, M.Arch., CFII

RetroEta, Inc
Director

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© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.

Requirements

Establishment

Option 1. Lighting control (1 point)
For at least 50% of individual occupant spaces, have in place individual lighting controls that enable occupants to adjust the lighting to suit their individual tasks and preferences, with at least three lighting levels or scenes (on, off, midlevel). Midlevel is 30% to 70% of the maximum illumination level (not including daylight contributions). For all shared multi-occupant spaces, meet all of the following requirements.
  • Have in place multizone control systems that enable occupants to adjust the lighting to meet group needs and preferences, with at least three lighting levels or scenes (on, off, midlevel).
  • Lighting for any presentation or projection wall must be separately controlled.
  • Switches or manual controls must be located in the same space as the controlled luminaires. A person operating the controls must have a direct line of sight to the controlled luminaires.

AND/OR

Option 2. Lighting quality (1 point)
Choose four of the following strategies.
  1. For all regularly occupied spaces, have in place light fixtures with a luminance of less than 2,500cd/m2 between 45 and 90 degrees from nadir. Exceptions include wallwash fixtures properly aimed at walls, as specified by manufacturer’s data, indirect uplighting fixtures, provided there is no view down into these uplights from a regularly occupied space above, and any other specific applications (i.e. adjustable fixtures).
  2. For the entire project, have in place light sources with a CRI of 80 or higher. Exceptions include lamps or fixtures specifically designed to provide colored lighting for effect, site lighting, or other special use.
  3. For at least 75% of the total connected lighting load, have in place light sources that have a rated life (or L70 for LED sources) of at least 24,000 hours (at 3-hour per start, if applicable).
  4. Have in place direct-only overhead lighting for 25% or less of the total connected lighting load for all regularly occupied spaces.
  5. For at least 90% of the regularly occupied floor area, meet or exceed the following thresholds for area-weighted average surface reflectance: 85% for ceilings, 60% for walls, and 25% for floors.
  6. Meet or exceed the following thresholds for area-weighted average surface reflectance: 45% for work surfaces and 50% for movable partitions.
  7. For at least 75% of the regularly occupied floor area, meet ratio of average wall surface illuminance (excluding fenestration) to average work surface illuminance that does not exceed 1:10. Must also meet strategy E, strategy F, or demonstrate area-weighted surface reflectance of at least 60% for walls.
  8. For at least 75% of the regularly occupied floor area, meet ratio of average ceiling illuminance (excluding fenestration) to work surface illuminance that does not exceed 1:10. Must also meet strategy E, strategy F, or demonstrate area-weighted surface reflectance of at least 85% for ceilings.
  9. [India ACP: Interior Lighting]

Performance

None.

Alternative Compliance Paths (ACPs)

India ACP: Interior Lighting
I. Projects in India may, in all regularly occupied spaces, meet or exceed the lower illuminance levels listed in the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) code -- IS 3646 (Part 1): 1992, Table 1- Recommended Illumination.

In the end, LEED is all about documentation. LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit, for premium members only, saves you time and helps you avoid mistakes with:

  • Calculators to help assess credit compliance.
  • Tracking spreadsheets for materials purchases.
  • Spreadsheets and forms to give to subs and other team members.
  • Guidance documents on arcane LEED issues.
  • Sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions.
  • Examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects.

What happened to the IEQ Space Matrix that was available to version 2009 projects? What should I reference to determine how spaces in my building should be categorized for this credit?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

How do we determine if we meet the mid-level requirement of 30% to 70% of the maximum illumination level?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

Do we need to collect square footage details for Option 1, like we did for multi-occupant spaces under EBOM 2009?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

A tenant who uses a different lighting vendor from the base building will not participate in the LEED project, so we can’t confirm or document the information needed for various strategies under Option 2. This tenant is less than 10% of the total building floor area. Can we exclude them from this credit?

The answer to this question is available to LEEDuser premium members. Start a free trial »

(If you're already a premium member, log in here.)

4/1/2015Updated: 3/29/2018
Regional ACP
Description of change:
After strategy H, add the following additional strategy:
"I. Projects in India may, in all regularly occupied spaces, meet or exceed the lower illuminance levels listed in the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) code -- IS 3646 (Part 1): 1992, Table 1- Recommended Illumination."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
4/1/2015Updated: 4/16/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Revised form and Interior Lighting Calculator to include India ACP under Option 2.
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
7/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Table 1, modify item D so it reads "25% connected lighting load for regularly occupied spaces."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
10/1/2014Updated: 2/14/2015
Form Update
Description of change:
Revised summary for C. Lamp Life from "Connected lighting load with rated life greater than 24,000 hours (or L70 for LED sources)" to "Connected lighting load with rated life of at least 24,000 hours (or L70 for LED sources)"

Revised errors in the ratio calculations for G. Surface Illuminance Ratio: Wall to Work Surface and H. Surface Illuminance Ratio: Ceiling to Work Surface
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No

LEEDuser expert

David Scheer

RA, M.Arch., CFII

RetroEta, Inc
Director

See all LEEDuser forum discussions about this credit » Subscribe to new discussions about EBOM-v4 EQc4