All indoor sign lighting other than exit sign lighting and sign lighting installed at healthcare facilities must be controlled with an automatic time-switch control or astronomical time-switch control.
These controls must meet the functionality requirements in §110.9. See Section 7.2.1 of this chapter for more information.
Example 7-1: Indoor Sign Lighting Controls
Question
Because the Energy Code require sign lighting to be controlled by an automatic time-switch control, will a sign inside a mall be required to automatically turn off during the day?
Answer
No, the sign is not required to be turned off during the day. The automatic time-switch control will allow the owner/occupant to program the sign to automatically turn on and off according to their needs.
Outdoor sign lighting must meet the following requirements as applicable.
All outdoor sign lighting must be controlled with one of the following:
1. A photo control and automatic time-switch control
2. An astronomical time-switch control
Lighting for outdoor signs in tunnels and signs in large, permanently covered outdoor areas that are intended to be lit 24 hours per day and 365 days per year are exempt from this requirement.
Additional control requirements apply to outdoor sign lighting that is on during the day and night.
Outdoor sign lighting that is on day and night shall be 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.
Lighting for outdoor signs in tunnels and large covered areas that are intended to be illuminated both day and night are exempt from this requirement.
An “electronic message center” (EMC) is a pixelated image producing an electronically controlled sign formed by any light source. Bare lamps used to create linear lighting animation sequences through the use of chaser circuits, also known as “chaser lights,” are not considered an EMC.
EMCs that have a connected lighting load greater than 15 kW must have demand-responsive controls unless a health or life safety statute, ordinance, or regulation does not permit EMC lighting to be reduced. See Appendix D for guidance on compliance with the demand responsive control requirements.