Exterior lighting includes all ground lighting, all façade lighting, flag lighting, any rooftop or terrace lighting, and any other fixtures outside the building. Pay careful attention to exterior light fixtures and light levels at building entrances close to the LEED site boundary.
The key to achieving this credit is to find the optimum balance between lighting quality and lighting energy consumption. It is often assumed that more light is better, but a low level of uniform lighting throughout a site will eliminate the need to install bright halogen lamps that illuminate some areas and leave others dark in contrast.
For schools, the playground lights must turn off automatically after 11 p.m., with manual overrides available for special occasions. When designing exterior light-fixture layout, locate light fixtures as far from site boundary as possible.
Interior lighting cannot spill out of the windows after business hours, defined as 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. in the credit requirements. Window coverings or automatic controls like timers, occupancy sensors, or master switches have to shut off or reduce the input power by 50% for all non-emergency indoor lights during that time.
Core and Shell projects must comply with LEED requirements for all the exterior and façade lighting within the project scope and construction budget. Interior lights fitted by the owner must also comply with LEED’s control requirements. Fixtures not installed within the scope of the LEED project are exempt from credit requirements.
Discuss fixture and lamp options with the landscape designer, civil engineer and other project team members, focusing on both reducing overall lighting power
