If your organization already protects/maintains/restores habitat space at an off-site location, you do not need to allocate additional funds to this area for LEED purposes.
Measurement is a low-cost compliance method but may not help to optimize daylight during the design phase. An optimized daylight design can cut down substantially on lighting costs over the long run.
Daylight simulations may add an upfront cost but they offer fast payback in the form of effective daylighting strategy selection resulting in reduced energy costs.
Daylight sensors that adjust lamp brightness based on the presence of natural light can greatly reduce lighting energy loads. On average, commercial buildings use 25% of their energy for lighting. Dimming ballasts are more expensive up front and complicated to specify than stepped ballasts.
Retailers may see increased sales linked with daylighting, according to studies showing a correlation between sales and natural lighting. Additional savings may be seen by employers through increased employee retention and satisfaction as well as productivity and reduced absenteeism.
Designing for daylighting will allow you to reduce the number of ambient light fixtures and their frequency of use, reducing the cost of electric lighting both upfront and in operations.
Energy-efficiency measures with a higher first cost often provide large savings in energy use and operational energy bills. These credit requirements are directly tied to the benefits of efficient, low-cost operations.
