The Energy Code requires that total lighting power is within a specified budget, and that lighting controls are installed for efficient operation of installed lighting.
Significant changes for indoor lighting systems in the 2022 update to the Energy Code include:
•Mandatory occupant sensing controls for office spaces greater than 250 square feet.
•Requirements for high-rise residential buildings that are moved to new multifamily chapters in the Energy Code.
•Automatic daylighting controls that must reduce controlled lighting power to 10 percent or less when adequate daylighting is available in a space.
•Automatic daylighting controls for secondary sidelit daylit zones becoming a mandatory requirement (previously prescriptive).
•Updates to the power adjustment factors in Table 140.6-A for daylight continuous dimming plus OFF controls, occupant sensing controls in offices larger than 250 sq. ft., and demand-responsive lighting controls.
•Lighting power allowances in the Area Category Method that have been combined for greater flexibility.
•Updates to lighting power density allowances in Table 140.6-B for the Complete Building Method.
•Updates to lighting power density allowances in Table 140.6-C|tag=TABLE_140_6_C for the Area Category Method.
•Updates to lighting power density allowances in Table 140.6-D and Table 140.6-G for the Tailored Method.
•Additional testing method for partial daylighting acceptance testing.
The nonresidential indoor lighting requirements are contained in §100.0, §110.9, §110.12, §120.8, §130.0, §130.1, §130.4, §140.0, §140.1, §140.3, §140.6, and §141 of the Energy Code. Supporting definitions are in §100.1.
•The nonresidential indoor lighting requirements apply to nonresidential buildings and hotel/motel occupancies (including guest rooms). Hotel/motel guest rooms are covered by portions of both the nonresidential indoor lighting requirements and the residential indoor lighting requirements. (See Chapter 6 of the 2022 Residential Compliance Manual.)
•Lighting requirements for multifamily buildings are covered in Chapter 11. Chapter 11 also covers multifamily buildings and residential spaces in mixed-use buildings.
•The nonresidential indoor lighting requirements are the same for conditioned and unconditioned spaces. Lighting power trade-offs are not allowed between conditioned and unconditioned spaces.
•Qualified historical buildings are regulated by the California Historical Building Code, not the Energy Code. However, nonhistorical components of such buildings may need to comply with the Energy Code. For more information, see Section 1.7.2.
All section and table references in this chapter refer to sections and tables contained in the Energy Code.
Refer to Chapter 6 of the Residential Compliance Manual Chapter 6 for information on lighting requirements for single-family residential buildings.
The following functional areas in nonresidential and hotel/motel occupancies are required to comply with the applicable residential lighting requirements in §150.0(k):
•Fire station dwelling accommodations
•Hotel and motel guest rooms
Note that hotel and motel guest rooms are required to comply with §130.1(c)8, which requires captive card key controls, occupant sensing controls, or automatic controls. In addition, hotel and motel guest rooms are required to meet the controlled receptacle requirements of §130.5(d)4.
EXCEPTION: One luminaire in a hotel or motel guest room that meets the following criteria is exempt from the control requirement:
o The luminaire is classified as high efficacy (as defined in §150.0[k] and Table 150.0-A).
o The luminaire is switched separately from the other lighting in the room.
o The switch for the luminaire is located within 6 feet of the entry door.
•Outdoor lighting attached to a hotel/motel building and separately controlled from inside a guest room.
Note that the above requirements also apply to additions and alterations to functional areas of existing buildings specified above.
Lighting power allotments are the established maximum lighting power that can be installed based on the compliance approach used, the building type, and building area. Lighting power allotments for an application are determined by one of the following four compliance approaches:
A. Prescriptive Approach – Complete Building Method
Applicable when the lighting system of an entire building is designed and permitted at one time and when at least 90 percent of the building is one nonresidential building occupancy type (as defined in §100.1). This method may also be used for a tenant space in a multitenant building if at least 90 percent of the tenant space is one building occupancy type. A single lighting power density value governs the entire building or tenant space.
B. Prescriptive Approach – Area Category Method
Applicable for any permit situation including tenant improvements. Lighting power density values are assigned to each of the primary function areas of a building (offices, lobbies, corridors, etc.) as defined in §100.1. This approach allows some flexibility to accommodate special task lighting needs by providing an additional power allowance under some circumstances.
C. Prescriptive approach – Tailored Method
Applicable for a limited number of defined primary function areas when additional flexibility is needed to accommodate special task lighting needs. Several layers of lighting power allotments may be allowed depending on the space and tasks. Lighting power allotments are determined room-by-room and task-by-task. Some areas in a building may use the Tailored Method while others use the Area Category Method.
D. Performance Approach
Applicable when the designer uses an California Energy Commission-certified compliance software program to demonstrate that the energy consumption of the proposed building (including indoor lighting power) meets the energy budget. The performance approach incorporates one or more of the three previous methods, which establishes the custom energy budget of the building.
The performance approach allows energy allotments to be traded among space conditioning, mechanical ventilation, indoor lighting, service water heating, envelope, and covered process loads. Such trade-offs can be made only when permit applications are sought for those systems involved. For example, under the performance approach, a building with an envelope or mechanical ventilation system that is more efficient than the prescriptive efficiency requirements, may be able to meet the energy budget with more lighting power than allowed under the three prescriptive lighting approaches.
No additional lighting power allotment is gained by using the performance method unless it is traded from the space conditioning, mechanical ventilation, service water heating, envelope, or covered process systems. Therefore, the performance approach is not applicable to lighting compliance alone. The performance approach may be used only to model the performance of indoor lighting systems that are covered under the building permit application.
Figure 5-1 shows the process for complying with the nonresidential indoor lighting requirements.
Table 5-1: Indoor Lighting Power Compliance Overview Flowchart
Source: California Energy Commission
First, select either the prescriptive or performance approach for complying with the nonresidential indoor lighting power requirements of the Energy Code.
For the performance approach, lighting power calculations can be performed using an approved software program. Refer to the compliance software documentation for details.
For the prescriptive approach, choose from among the Complete Building Method, the Area Category Method, or the Tailored Method.
Calculate the “allowed” lighting power using the chosen method. Allowed lighting power is the maximum lighting wattage that may be installed for the project (using lighting power values from Table 140.6-B, C, and D).
Next, calculate the “adjusted” lighting power. Adjusted lighting power is designed lighting power minus lighting control credits minus lighting power reduction.
If the adjusted lighting power is less than or equal to the allowed lighting power, the proposed lighting complies with the Energy Code.
If the adjusted lighting power is greater than the allowed lighting power, the proposed lighting does not comply with the Energy Code. To comply, the proposed lighting power must be reduced by redesigning the lighting system, or, if using the performance approach, additional lighting credits may be acquired through improved efficiency in other systems.
The compliance process begins with the builder submitting certificates of compliance to the responsible code enforcement agency. The certificates provide all design information necessary to show that the proposed project will comply with the Energy Code. Construction may not begin until all certificates of compliance are reviewed and approved by the enforcement agency.
As construction proceeds, builders must submit certificates of installation certifying that installed equipment and systems meet or exceed the design criteria specified in the approved certificates of compliance. Code enforcement officials may conduct field inspections to verify information submitted by builders. At the end of construction, acceptance tests must be performed by qualified contractors on all specified systems to ensure they are installed correctly and function per code requirements.
If inspections or acceptance tests identify noncompliant or nonfunctional systems, these defects must be fixed. Once the enforcement agency determines the project complies with all building code requirements, including the Energy Code, the building will receive a certificate of occupancy that certifies that the building complies with the building code.