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LEED v2009
Existing Building Operations
Indoor Environmental Quality
Controllability of Systems—Lighting

LEED CREDIT

EBOM-2009 IEQc2.2: Controllability of systems - lighting 1 point

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David Posada

M. Arch, LEED AP+Homes, CPHC

SERA Architects
Integrated Design & LEED Specialist

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

Requirements

For at least 50% of building occupants, use lighting controls that enable adjustments to suit the task needs and preferences of individuals for at least 50% of individual workstations, and for groups sharing a multioccupant space or working area for at least 50% of multi-occupant space in the building.

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Frequently asked questions

I have a conference room that only has an on-off switch. Is this compliant with the credit requirements? If not, how can I improve lighting controllability in this space and also be compliant with LEED?

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We have a lot of visitors in certain parts of our building, but we don’t necessarily want them to have controllability over lighting whenever they want. What do we do for these spaces? Can we still earn 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.)

See all forum discussions about this credit »

Addenda

11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In alphabetical order, add the following definition for multi-occupant spaces, "Multi-Occupant Spaces are places of egress, congregation, or where occupants pursue overlapping or collaborative tasks. Multi occupant spaces may be regularly or non-regularly occupied spaces."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Revise the definition for individual occupant spaces to be, "In individual occupant spaces, occupants perform distinct tasks from one another. Such spaces may be contained within multi-occupant spaces and should be treated separately where possible. Individual occupant spaces may be regularly or non-regularly occupied spaces."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
9/15/2008
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Our building has stacking glass walls on the south face of all floors. East walls of the first floor retail spaces have the same type of openings. The areas of these openings range from 90 sf to 400 sf when are they completely open. Where installed, these openings make up at least 75% of the entire wall area. We would like an equivalency for counting those areas toward the operable window requirement of IEQc6.1. We propose that the area of a standard window is 6 square feet. We request an allowance to account for 1 window for every 8 square feet of stacking glass. For example, a 90 sf stacking glass wall would equal 11.25 operable windows. Please confirm that this calculation method is acceptable.

Ruling:

The applicant is requesting an equivalency calculation between wall openings and operable windows. It is not clear from the description what types of openings are included in the "stacking glass walls". Typical retail spaces only have doors that may be held open when the climate is conducive to do so. If the only openings in the wall are primarily for entry and exit, the requested equivalency cannot be accepted. An operable window has a primary function to provide a user controllable and adjustable opening to maintain user required conditions in the space. A door does not have that type of primary function and does not qualify for the credit. Applicable Internationally.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
5/7/2007
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

The project team is providing individual floor air valves each with variable duration (open / close) primary air dampers and multi-position diffusers for occupant comfort conditioning as part of an under floor air distribution system. Individual floor air valves will be provided for a minimum of 50% of the building occupants. The variable duration (open/close) primary air dampers in the floor air valves will be controlled using thermostats. Multiple air valves will be connected to one thermostat, such that there will not be one thermostat for 50% of the occupants. However, all of the local floor air valves include multi-position adjustable floor diffusers which are integral to each floor air valve. At a minimum, 50% of the occupants will have control over the primary air flow direction out of the local floor air valve in their space (comfort zone) by adjusting the multi-position local floor diffuser air outlet. Changing the direction of the air flow inherently changes the speed of the airflow in a given direction. LEED NC v.2.2, First Edition, Reference Guide, p361, indicates: Conditions for Thermal Comfort per ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 include the following as primary factors: air temperature, radiant temperature, air speed, and humidity. The Reference guide also states that, "Comfort System control, for the purposes of this credit, is defined as the provision of control over at least one of these primary factors in the occupant\'s local environment" and that "Individual adjustments may involve individual thermostat controls, local diffusers at floor, desk or overhead levels, or control of individual radiant panels, and energy system design." This CIR is to confirm that providing air valves, with multi position diffusers, that allow more than 50% of the occupants to change the direction of airflow out of their floor diffuser (which changes the speed in that direction) will satisfy the LEED credit requirement for thermal comfort.

Ruling:

The applicant is asking whether multi position diffusers that allow changes in direction of airflow satisfy the requirements for individual comfort control for EQc6.2. The applicant is suggesting that changing the direction of airflow inherently changes the speed of the airflow in a given direction, meeting credit compliance by providing control of air speed. Simply changing the direction of airflow in one\'s workspace does not adequately meet the credit intent to provide individual comfort controls. Individual diffusers must have the ability to regulate the speed of the air leaving the diffuser, not simply the direction of airflow. Applicable Internationally.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
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Credit achievement rate

XX%

Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »

LEEDuser expert

David Posada

M. Arch, LEED AP+Homes, CPHC

SERA Architects
Integrated Design & LEED Specialist

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USGBC logo

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

Requirements

For at least 50% of building occupants, use lighting controls that enable adjustments to suit the task needs and preferences of individuals for at least 50% of individual workstations, and for groups sharing a multioccupant space or working area for at least 50% of multi-occupant space in the building.

XX%

Upgrade to LEEDuser Premium to see how many projects achieved this credit. Try it free »

Got the gist of IEQc2.2 but not sure how to actually achieve it? LEEDuser gives step-by-step help. Premium members get:

  • Checklists covering all the key action steps you'll need to earn the credit.
  • Hot tips to give you shortcuts and avoid pitfalls.
  • Cost tips to assess what a credit will actually cost, and how to make it affordable.
  • Ideas for going beyond LEED with best practices.
  • All checklists organized by project phase.
  • On-the-fly suggestions of useful items from the Documentation Toolkit and Credit Language.

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.

I have a conference room that only has an on-off switch. Is this compliant with the credit requirements? If not, how can I improve lighting controllability in this space and also be compliant with LEED?

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.)

We have a lot of visitors in certain parts of our building, but we don’t necessarily want them to have controllability over lighting whenever they want. What do we do for these spaces? Can we still earn 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.)

11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
In alphabetical order, add the following definition for multi-occupant spaces, "Multi-Occupant Spaces are places of egress, congregation, or where occupants pursue overlapping or collaborative tasks. Multi occupant spaces may be regularly or non-regularly occupied spaces."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
11/1/2011Updated: 2/14/2015
Reference Guide Correction
Description of change:
Revise the definition for individual occupant spaces to be, "In individual occupant spaces, occupants perform distinct tasks from one another. Such spaces may be contained within multi-occupant spaces and should be treated separately where possible. Individual occupant spaces may be regularly or non-regularly occupied spaces."
Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
No
9/15/2008
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

Our building has stacking glass walls on the south face of all floors. East walls of the first floor retail spaces have the same type of openings. The areas of these openings range from 90 sf to 400 sf when are they completely open. Where installed, these openings make up at least 75% of the entire wall area. We would like an equivalency for counting those areas toward the operable window requirement of IEQc6.1. We propose that the area of a standard window is 6 square feet. We request an allowance to account for 1 window for every 8 square feet of stacking glass. For example, a 90 sf stacking glass wall would equal 11.25 operable windows. Please confirm that this calculation method is acceptable.

Ruling:

The applicant is requesting an equivalency calculation between wall openings and operable windows. It is not clear from the description what types of openings are included in the "stacking glass walls". Typical retail spaces only have doors that may be held open when the climate is conducive to do so. If the only openings in the wall are primarily for entry and exit, the requested equivalency cannot be accepted. An operable window has a primary function to provide a user controllable and adjustable opening to maintain user required conditions in the space. A door does not have that type of primary function and does not qualify for the credit. Applicable Internationally.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes
5/7/2007
LEED Interpretation
Inquiry:

The project team is providing individual floor air valves each with variable duration (open / close) primary air dampers and multi-position diffusers for occupant comfort conditioning as part of an under floor air distribution system. Individual floor air valves will be provided for a minimum of 50% of the building occupants. The variable duration (open/close) primary air dampers in the floor air valves will be controlled using thermostats. Multiple air valves will be connected to one thermostat, such that there will not be one thermostat for 50% of the occupants. However, all of the local floor air valves include multi-position adjustable floor diffusers which are integral to each floor air valve. At a minimum, 50% of the occupants will have control over the primary air flow direction out of the local floor air valve in their space (comfort zone) by adjusting the multi-position local floor diffuser air outlet. Changing the direction of the air flow inherently changes the speed of the airflow in a given direction. LEED NC v.2.2, First Edition, Reference Guide, p361, indicates: Conditions for Thermal Comfort per ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 include the following as primary factors: air temperature, radiant temperature, air speed, and humidity. The Reference guide also states that, "Comfort System control, for the purposes of this credit, is defined as the provision of control over at least one of these primary factors in the occupant\'s local environment" and that "Individual adjustments may involve individual thermostat controls, local diffusers at floor, desk or overhead levels, or control of individual radiant panels, and energy system design." This CIR is to confirm that providing air valves, with multi position diffusers, that allow more than 50% of the occupants to change the direction of airflow out of their floor diffuser (which changes the speed in that direction) will satisfy the LEED credit requirement for thermal comfort.

Ruling:

The applicant is asking whether multi position diffusers that allow changes in direction of airflow satisfy the requirements for individual comfort control for EQc6.2. The applicant is suggesting that changing the direction of airflow inherently changes the speed of the airflow in a given direction, meeting credit compliance by providing control of air speed. Simply changing the direction of airflow in one\'s workspace does not adequately meet the credit intent to provide individual comfort controls. Individual diffusers must have the ability to regulate the speed of the air leaving the diffuser, not simply the direction of airflow. Applicable Internationally.

Campus Applicable
No
Internationally Applicable:
Yes

LEEDuser expert

David Posada

M. Arch, LEED AP+Homes, CPHC

SERA Architects
Integrated Design & LEED Specialist

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