This section describes the required documentation for compliance with the sign lighting energy requirements.
At the time the sign permit application is submitted to the enforcement agency, the applicant also submits the sign lighting energy compliance documentation.
The sign lighting energy compliance documentation is located in Appendix A of this manual (2013 Nonresidential Compliance Manual).
The sign lighting compliance documentation forms are designated as “NRCC-LTS”.
Sign lighting compliance documents for compliance with the 2013 Standards will be as follows:
A. For the period of January 1 through December 31, 2014
Sign lighting compliance documents are similar to the 2008 compliance documents, except they have been updated to reflect changes in the 2013 Standards.
B. Starting on January 1, 2015
The Energy Commission intends to have developed electronic compliance documents to replace existing nonresidential paper documents.
See chapter 2 of this manual for additional information about the data registry.
The electrical building inspection process for sign lighting energy compliance is carried out along with the other building inspections performed by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ = enforcement agency). The inspector relies upon the plans (when required for signs) and upon the NRCC-LTS-01-E Certificate of Compliance form.
There are two compliance forms required for compliance with the sign lighting Standards:
A. Certificate of Compliance
B. Installation Certificate
For convenience of the sign lighting industry, these two documents have been combined into one multi-use form for compliance with the sign lighting Standards. See section 5.1.4 of this 'manual for information about the Certificate of Compliance, and section 5.1.5 for information about the Installation Certificate.
The numbering of compliance documentation has changed with the 2013 update to the Standards. Following is an explanation:
NRCC Nonresidential Certificate of Compliance
LTS Lighting, Signs
01 The sequential number of sets. For signs, there is only one set of documents
E Developed primarily for the Enforcement (E) AHJ
There is another installation certificate required when a lighting control systems or an energy management control systems is installed to comply with the sign lighting control requirements (discussed in chapter 5.1.6 of this 'manual), as follows:
A. Before any lighting control system, or energy management control system will be recognized for compliance with the lighting requirements in Part 6 of Title 24, the person who is eligible under Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code to accept responsibility for the construction or installation of features, materials, components, or manufactured devices shall sign and submit the Installation Certificate (See section 7.2.4 of this chapter).
B. If any of the requirements in the Installation Certificate fail the installation tests, that application shall not be recognized for compliance with Part 6 of Title 24.
For lighting control systems and for energy management control systems, there are Certificates of Installation for nonresidential indoor lighting (LTI), and for nonresidential outdoor lighting (LTO). However there is no similar document for sign lighting (LTS). Therefore, if sign lighting is controlled by a lighting control system, or by an energy management control system, the NRCI-LTI-02-E, or the NRCI-LTO-02-E, shall be used as a Certificate of Installation submitted for signs.
A copy of this four page document must be submitted to the enforcement agency at the time of building permit application. With enforcement agency approval, the applicant may use alternative formats of these documents (rather than the official Energy Commission forms), provided the information is the same and in a similar format.
NRCC-LTS-01-E Page 1 of 4
Project Name is the title of the project, as shown on the plans and known to the enforcement agency.
Date is the date of preparation of the compliance submittal package. It should be on or after the date of the plans, and on or before the date of the building permit application.
Project Address is the address of the project as shown on the plans and as known to the enforcement agency.
Project Address is the address where the sign is installed
Location of Sign – check appropriate box, to identify if this job includes Outdoor Signs, Indoor Signs, or both.
Phase of Sign Construction – check appropriate box to identify if this job includes New Signs, or Sign Alterations, or both.
Type of Lighting Control - check appropriate box to identify if the job includes New Lighting Controls, Replaced Lighting Controls , or Not Installing Lighting Controls (because someone else has accepted responsibility for the lighting controls).
This Certificate of Compliance includes the following components (check all that apply) – check appropriate box to indicate if this job includes installing the Mandatory Measures (Mandatory lighting Controls), uses the Maximum Allowed Lighting Power as the method to achieve compliance with the lighting power requirements in the Standards, and/or uses Specific Lighting Sources to achieve compliance with the lighting power requirements in the Standards.
The “documentation author” is the person who prepares a Title 24 Part 6 compliance document that must subsequently be reviewed and signed by a responsible person (see below) in order to certify compliance with Part 6. Subject to the requirements of §10-103(a)1 and §10-103(a)2, the person who prepares the Certificate of Compliance documents (documentation authors) shall sign a declaration statement on the documents they prepare to certify the information provided on the documentation is accurate and complete.
A documentation author may have additional certifications such as an Energy Analyst or a Certified Energy Plans Examiner certification number. Enter number in the EA# or CEPE# box, if applicable.
The person’s telephone number is given to facilitate response to any questions that arise.
Responsible Person’s Declaration Statement
The “responsible person” signing the Certificate of Compliance is required to be eligible under Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code to accept responsibility for the building design, to certify conformance with Part 6. If more than one person has responsibility for the building design, each person (such as an eligible lighting designer) shall sign the Certificate of Compliance document(s) applicable to that portion of the design for which the person is responsible. Alternatively, the person with chief responsibility for the building design shall prepare and sign the Certificate of Compliance document(s) for the entire building design.
NRCC-LTS-01-E Page 2 of 4
Section 3. Mandatory Sign Lighting Controls
NOTES. The following notes are 'listed on the compliance document for information.
1. The same responsible person may install both the sign lighting power and the sign lighting controls, or a different responsible person may install the sign lighting controls than the responsible person installing the sign lighting power.
2. The Mandatory Measures (sign lighting controls) are required for compliance with the sign lighting Standards. If the person responsible for installing the sign lighting power is not also responsible for the sign lighting controls, then the owner of the sign, general contractor, or architect shall be responsible to have the sign lighting controls installed.
3. If more than one person has responsibility for compliance, each responsible person shall prepare and sign a Certificate of Compliance and an Installation Certificate applicable to the portion of construction for which they are responsible; alternatively, the person with chief responsibility for construction shall prepare and sign the Certificate of Compliance Declaration Statement for the entire construction.
Section 3(a). Statements of Responsibility
Someone is required to accept responsibility for the mandatory sign lighting controls. The mandatory lighting controls are as much a part of the sign lighting standards as the lighting power requirements are.
This section serves as a declaration statement, by the person signing this Certificate of Compliance, if they are the person responsible to install the sign lighting controls, or if someone else has accepted that responsibility.
The person signing the Certificate of Compliance Declaration Statement on page 1 shall complete at least Part 3a. Check Yes or No for all of the following statements:
1 I have responsibility for installing the sign lighting controls.
If Yes is checked, then also complete sections 3a and 3b of this document If No is checked, then complete only section 3a of this document
2 There are no existing sign lighting controls and I will be installing compliant sign lighting controls. Check Yes or No
3 There are no existing sign lighting controls and someone else will be responsible to install compliant sign lighting controls. Check Yes or No
4 There are existing sign lighting controls that do not comply with the applicable provision of §110.9 and §130.3 and I will be installing compliant sign lighting controls. Check Yes or No
5 There are existing sign lighting controls that do not comply with the applicable provision of §110.9 and §130.3 and someone else will be responsible to install compliant sign lighting controls. Check Yes or No
Section 3b. Mandatory Sign Lighting Controls
If the person signing the Certificate of Compliance Declaration Statement on page 1 is responsible for complying with the sign lighting control requirements, that person shall answer all of the following questions:
If there are construction documents, indicate where on the building plans the mandatory measures (sign lighting controls) note block can be located:
1 §130.3(a)1 All indoor sign lighting is controlled with an automatic time-switch control or astronomical time-switch control. Check Yes (Y), No (N), or Not Applicable (NA)
2 §130.3(a)2A. All outdoor sign lighting is controlled with a photocontrol 'in 'addition to an automatic time-switch control, or an astronomical time-switch control. Check Yes (Y), No (N), or Not Applicable (NA)
EXCEPTION to Section 130.3(a)2A: Outdoor signs in tunnels, and signs in large permanently covered outdoor areas that are intended to be continuously lit, 24 hours per day and 365 days per year. Check if this exception is applicable to this sign. Check Yes (Y), or Not Applicable (NA)
3 §130.3(a)2B. All outdoor sign lighting that is ON both day and night is controlled with a dimmer that provides the ability to automatically reduce sign lighting power by a minimum of 65 percent during nighttime hours. Signs that are illuminated at night and for more than 1 hour during daylight hours shall be considered ON both day and night. Check Yes (Y), No (N), or Not Applicable (NA).
EXCEPTION to Section 130.3(a)2B: Outdoor signs in tunnels and large covered areas that are intended to be illuminated both day and night. Check if this exception is applicable to this sign. Check Yes (Y), or Not Applicable (NA).
4 §130.3(a)3. Demand Responsive Electronic Message Center Control. An Electronic Message Center (EMC) having a new connected lighting power load greater than 15 kW has a control installed that is capable of reducing the lighting power by a minimum of 30 percent when receiving a demand response signal. Check Yes (Y), or Not Applicable (NA)
EXCEPTION to Section 130.3(a)3: Lighting for EMCs that is not permitted by a health or life safety statute, ordinance, or regulation to be reduced by 30 percent. Check if this exception is applicable to this sign. Check Yes (Y), or Not Applicable (NA).
Field Inspector Notes: This section provides a space on the document for the field inspector to make notes.
NRCC-LTS-01-E Page 3 of 4
'In addition to the mandatory sign lighting control requirements, there are two options for complying with the sign lighting power requirements, as follows:
1. Maximum Allowed Lighting Power, which is documented on this page of the compliance document, and
2. Specific Lighting Source, which is documents on page 4 of 4.
Section 4. Maximum Allowed Lighting Power Method of Compliance
Certificate of Compliance and Field Inspection Energy Checklist
This page is for documenting compliance when using the maximum allowed lighting power method. A sign which complies with the specific lighting source method is not required to comply with the maximum allowed lighting power method.
Fill out a separate row for each sign as follows:
Column A. List the symbol or code used to identify the sign on the plans (when plans are required) and other documents.
Column B A description of the sign, or location of sign on the building; and the location of the sign on construction documents.
Column C OPTIONAL – this is an optional, voluntary method for documenting that a sign complies with the lighting power requirments.
Check this box only if this sign has a permanent, pre-printed, factory-installed, ENERGY VERIFIED label, confirming that the sign complies with the Section 140.8 of the California 2013 Title 24, Part 6 Standards, using the Maximum Allowed Lighting Power method of compliance.
The only labels that will be recognized for this purpose are ENERGY VERIFIED Certification Marks authorized by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or other Product Certification Body accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65 by the American National Standards Institute in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011. Surveillance by the Accredited Certification Body shall be an ongoing annual inspection program carried out by a Type A Inspection body in accordance with ISO/IEC 17020. For signs with such an ENERGY VERIFIED label, columns ‘D’ through ‘I’ are not required to be filled out. Note: Using an ENERGY VERIFIED label is an optional method to validate compliance. An ENERGY VERIFIED label is not needed for compliance.
Column D The sign area in square feet.
Column E List “I” if the sign is an internally illuminated sign. List “E” if the sign is an externally illuminated sign.
Column F Allowed watts per square foot. Enter 12 if the sign is 'listed as “I” in column E. Enter 2.3 if sign is 'listed as “E” in column E. These two numbers are the only numbers which can be used when using the maximum lighting power method of compliance.
Column G Multiply the square footage in column D times the allowed Lighting Power Density (LPD = watts) in column F.
Column H Show the total installed watts in the sign, as determined according to the applicable provisions of §130.0(c).
Column I Enter ‘Y’ if the number in column ‘H’ is less than or equal to the number in column ‘G’. This entry is a declaration that the sign complies with the sign lighting power requirements by using the maximum lighting power method of compliance. Otherwise, the sign does not comply.
Column J This page doubles as a field inspection checklist.
Field Inspector Notes: This section provides a space on the document for the field inspector to make notes.
NRCC-LTS-01-E Page 4 of 4
Specific Lighting Source Method of Compliance
Certificate of Compliance and Field Inspection Energy Checklist
This page is for documenting compliance when using the specific lighting source compliance method. Watts per square foot are not required to be calculated when signs consist solely of one or more of the specified lighting technologies 'listed on this page.
Fill out a separate row for each sign as follows:
Column A. List the symbol or code used to identify the sign on the plans (when plans are required) and other documents.
Column B A description of the sign, or location of sign on the building; and the location of the sign on construction documents.
Column C OPTIONAL – this is an optional, voluntary method for documenting that a sign complies with the lighting power requirements.
Check this box only if this sign has a permanent, pre-printed, factory-installed, ENERGY VERIFIED label, confirming that the sign complies with the Section 140.8 of the California 2013 Title 24, Part 6 Standards, using the Maximum Allowed Lighting Power method of compliance.
The only labels that will be recognized for this purpose are ENERGY VERIFIED Certification Marks authorized by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or other Product Certification Body accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65 by the American National Standards Institute in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011. Surveillance by the Accredited Certification Body shall be an ongoing annual inspection program carried out by a Type A Inspection body in accordance with ISO/IEC 17020. For signs with such an ENERGY VERIFIED label, columns ‘D’ through ‘I’ are not required to be filled out. Note: Using an ENERGY VERIFIED label is an optional method to validate compliance. An ENERGY VERIFIED label is not needed for compliance.
Column D Specific Light Source Compliance Method.
In this cell, list one or more of the following numbers (1 through 9) to identify which of the specified lighting technologies are used to comply with the sign lighting power requirements:
1 High pressure sodium lamps
2 Metal halide lamps that are pulse start or ceramic served by a ballast that has a minimum efficiency of 88 percent or greater. Ballast efficiency is the measured output wattage to the lamp divided by the measured operating input wattage when tested according to ANSI C82.6-2005.
3 Metal halide lamps that are pulse start that are 320 watts or smaller, are not 250 watt or 175 watt lamps, and are served by a ballast that has a minimum efficiency of 80 percent.
Ballast efficiency is the measured output wattage to the lamp divided by the measured operating input wattage when tested according to ANSI C82.6-2005.
4 Neon or cold cathode lamps with transformer or power supply efficiency greater than or equal to a minimum efficiency of 75 percent when the transformer or power supply rated output current is less than 50 mA. The ratio of the output wattage to the input wattage is at 100 percent tubing load.
5 Neon or cold cathode lamps with transformer or power supply efficiency greater than or equal to a minimum efficiency of 68 percent when the transformer or power supply rated output current is 50 mA or greater. The ratio of the output wattage to the input wattage is at 100 percent tubing load.
6 Fluorescent lighting systems meeting one of the following requirements: A. Use only lamps with a minimum color rendering index (CRI) of 80; or B. Use only electronic ballasts with a fundamental output frequency not less than 20 kHz.
7 Light emitting diodes (LEDs) with a power supply having an efficiency of 80 percent or greater;
8 Single voltage external power supplies that are designed to convert 120 volt AC input into lower voltage DC or AC output, and have a nameplate output power less than or equal to 250 watts, shall comply with the applicable requirements of the Appliance Efficiency Regulations (Title 20).
9 Compact fluorescent lamps that do not contain a medium screw base sockets (E24/E26).
Column E This page doubles as a field inspection checklist.
Field Inspector Notes: This section provides a space on the document for the field inspector to make notes.