§141.0(b)2L

Example 6-40: Requirements for Replacing Ballasts

Question

I am going to change the ballasts in my façade lighting system. Will I be required to meet the outdoor lighting alteration requirements?

Answer

No, the replacement of only lamps or ballasts in outdoor lighting systems is not considered an alteration and does not trigger compliance with outdoor lighting requirements. Replacing entire luminaires will trigger mandatory lighting control requirements for the altered (replaced) luminaires only. Replacing 50 percent or more of the existing luminaires or increasing the connected lighting load for any outdoor lighting application will trigger the prescriptive lighting power allowance requirements of the Energy Code.

Example 6-41: Requirements for Adding New Luminaires in a Parking Lot

Question

We are adding new luminaires to the existing lighting systems in a parking lot. Which code requirements are triggered by this alteration?

Answer

Because additional load is being added to the parking lot general hardscape lighting, the entire general hardscape area must comply with the lighting power allowance requirements. However, only the newly installed lighting system must comply with the applicable mandatory requirements, including control requirements and luminaire shielding requirements.

Example 6-42: BUG Requirements for Lighting Alterations

Question

We are replacing 20 percent of the existing HID luminaires in a parking lot. Does the luminaire shielding requirement apply to the new and existing luminaires?

Answer

Replacement luminaires must meet the luminaire shielding (BUG) requirements if the luminaire initial lumen output is 6,200 lumens or greater; however, existing luminaires that are not replaced are not required to be upgraded to meet the luminaire BUG requirement.

Section 141.0(b)2L specifies that all altered luminaires must meet applicable mandatory requirements, including the BUG requirements for replacements luminaires. Therefore, replacement luminaires that are greater than 6,200 initial luminaire lumens must meet the luminaire BUG requirements, even if fewer than five luminaires or 10 percent of the luminaires on site are replaced.

 

Example 6-43: Requirements for Replacing More Than 50 Percent of Luminaires

Question

In a service station, we are replacing five under-canopy luminaires, which is more than 50 percent of the existing under canopy luminaires. Does this trigger the alteration requirements for outdoor lighting? Do we need to bring non-canopy lighting such as hardscape lighting up to code as well?

Answer

Yes, §141.0(b)2Liii specifies that when five or more luminaires are replaced, or 50 percent or more of luminaires are replaced in a given lighting application included in Energy Code Tables 140.7-A and 140.7-B, the alteration requirements apply. So, in this example, all under-canopy luminaires must meet the lighting power allowance requirements of §140.7 and the applicable control requirements of §130.2|topic=SECTION 130.2 – OUTDOOR LIGHTING CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT. Existing outdoor lighting systems for hardscape and other outdoor lighting applications do not need to meet alteration requirements even if they are included in the permit along with the canopy lighting.

Example 6-44: Exemption From Lighting Power Allowance Requirements

Question

Fifty HID exterior pole luminaires in a parking lot are being replaced with 50 new LED luminaires. However, to improve poor coverage in one end of the lot, an additional three pole luminaires are added, bringing the total new luminaire count to 53. Despite the addition of 3 luminaires, the total connected load for the 53 luminaires were reduced by 42 percent compared to the original 50 luminaires. Does this project have to meet the outdoor lighting power allowance requirements in §140.7?

Answer

No, the project does not have to meet the lighting power allowance requirements in §140.7. Even though the number of luminaires has increased, the total wattage of the project is less than before, so the connected lighting load has decreased. Since the connected load was reduced by 40 percent or more compared to the original luminaires, the exception to §141.0(b)2Liii applies, and the new fixtures are not required to comply with the lighting power allowance requirements in §140.7.

 

Example 6-45: Outdoor Lighting Alteration Triggers

Question

I am retrofitting all my existing HID parking lot lights with an LED retrofit kit. What requirements do I need to follow for the LED retrofits?

Answer

Outdoor lighting alteration requirements apply when increasing the connected lighting load or when replacing existing luminaires. Modifications and retrofitting of existing luminaires are not an outdoor lighting alteration if the modification or retrofit does not increase the connected lighting load.

If the LED retrofit increases the connected lighting load, retrofit luminaires must meet all the applicable requirements of §130.2(c)|topic=(c) Controls for Outdoor Lighting. and §140.7.

§141.0(a)1., §130.0, §130.2|topic=SECTION 130.2 – OUTDOOR LIGHTING CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT

Example 6-46: Power Allowance for Additional Outdoor Dining (Inside Illuminated Area)

Question

A strip mall in Lighting Zone 3 with a common parking lot has its lighting system already designed and installed. A restaurant moves into one of the buildings and designates 400 sq. ft. as outdoor dining. The outdoor dining area is within the illuminated area (5 mounting heights) of the preexisting lighting. How is the allowable lighting calculated?

Answer

The allowable lighting power can be calculated in two ways:

Compliance Method 1

Calculate only the additional allowance layer for the outdoor dining area for specific applications (Outdoor Dining) as contained in Table 140.7-B of the Energy Code. In this case, the allowance is 0.050 W/sq. ft. Multiplying this allowance by 400 sq. ft. yields 20 W.

 

 

 

Compliance Method 2

One could have the permit cover all the site lighting including the outdoor dining area. (This second compliance path would provide a greater power allowance but would require more work in the application process.) This yields a higher allowance only if the current lighting system serving hardscape areas for the rest of the site has less wattage than the calculated total site hardscape wattage allowance. Additional allowances would be possible if one upgraded to the current hardscape system for other parts of the site and reduced its wattage.

Example 6-47: Power Allowance for Additional Outdoor Dining (Outside Illuminated Area)

Question

A strip mall in Lighting Zone 3 with a common asphalt parking lot has the parking lot lighting system designed and installed. A restaurant moves into one of the buildings and designates 400 ft.² as outdoor dining. The outdoor dining area is outside the illuminated area of the preexisting parking lot lighting. How is the allowable lighting calculated?

Answer

In addition to adding outdoor dining area, which is a specific application that is allowed more lighting, the illuminated general hardscape lighting area is also increasing in size by 400 sq. ft. Adding illuminated hardscape area results in increased general hardscape area wattage allowances (AWA) and increased linear wattage allowances (LWA), but it does NOT add an additional initial wattage allowance (IWA) because only one initial wattage allowance is allowed per site. The allowable lighting power can be calculated in two ways:

Compliance Method 1

Calculate the general hardscape area wattage allowances (AWA) and the increase to the general hardscape linear wattage allowances (LWA) and the additional allowance layer for the outdoor dining area for specific applications (Outdoor Dining) as contained in Table 140.7-B of the Energy Code. As discussed, previously, it is not permissible to also claim the general hardscape initial wattage allowance (IWA) as this is calculated only once per site. The linear wattage allowance applies only to the new perimeter length, which is not adjacent to the previously illuminated area that is part of the site.

As shown in the figure below, the perimeter length is 41 ft. (25 ft. + 16 ft.). In LZ3, the AWA is 0.021 W/sq. ft. and the LWA is 0.20 W/ft. The additional allowance for the outdoor dining area for specific applications (Outdoor Dining) as contained in Table 140.7-B is 0.05 W/sq. ft. Thus, for a perimeter length of 41 ft. and an area of 400 sq. ft., the total lighting wattage allowance is:

Hardscape LWA of 0.20 W/ sq. ft.  x 41 ft. = 8.2 W

Hardscape AWA of 0.021 W/sq. ft. x 400 sq. ft. = 8.4 W

Specific Allowance Outdoor Dining 0.05 W/sq. ft. x 400 sq. ft. = 20 W

                                                Total allowance = 36.6 W

Image: California Energy Commission

 

Compliance Method 2

One could have the permit cover all the site lighting including the outdoor dining area. (This second compliance path would provide a greater power allowance but would require more work in the application process.) This yields a higher allowance only if the current lighting system serving hardscape areas for the rest of the site has less wattage than the calculated total site hardscape wattage allowance.