LEEDuser’s viewpoint
Explore this LEED credit
Post your questions on this credit in the forum, and click on the credit language tab to review to the LEED requirements.
Credit language
![USGBC logo](/sites/all/themes/leeduser/images/usgbc_170.png)
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To reduce the release of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBTs) chemicals associated with the life cycle of building materials.
Requirements
Specify and install fluorescent lamps with both low mercury content (MR Prerequisite PBT Source Reduction—Mercury) and long lamp life, as listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Criteria for rated life of low-mercury lamps
Lamp | Maximum content | Lamp life (hrs) |
---|---|---|
T-8 fluorescent, eight-foot | 10 mg mercury | Standard output - 24,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts (3-hour starts) High output – 18,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts or program start ballasts (3-hour starts) |
T-8 fluorescent, four-foot | 3.5 mg mercury | Both standard and high output - 30,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts, or 36,000 rated hours on program start ballasts (3 hour starts) |
T-8 fluorescent, two-foot and three-foot | 3.5 mg mercury | 24,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts or program start ballasts (3-hour starts) |
T-8 fluorescent, U-bent | 6 mg mercury | 18,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts, or 24,000 rated hours on program start ballasts (3-hour starts) |
T-5 fluorescent, linear | 2.5 mg mercury | Both standard and high-output - 25,000 rated hours on program start ballasts |
T-5 fluorescent, circular | 9 mg mercury | Both standard and high-output – 25,000 rated hours on program start ballasts |
Compact fluorescent, nonintegral ballast | 3.5 mg mercury | 12,000 rated hours |
Compact florescent, integral ballast, bare bulb | 3.5 mg mercury, ENERGY STAR qualified | Bare bulb - 10,000 rated hours Covered models such as globes, reflectors, A-19s – 8,000 hours |
High-pressure sodium, up to 400 watts | 10 mg mercury | Use noncycling type or replace with LED lamps or induction lamps |
High-pressure sodium, above 400 watts | 32 mg mercury | Use noncycling type or replace with LED lamps or induction lamps |
What does it cost?
Cost estimates for this credit
On each BD+C v4 credit, LEEDuser offers the wisdom of a team of architects, engineers, cost estimators, and LEED experts with hundreds of LEED projects between then. They analyzed the sustainable design strategies associated with each LEED credit, but also to assign actual costs to those strategies.
Our tab contains overall cost guidance, notes on what “soft costs” to expect, and a strategy-by-strategy breakdown of what to consider and what it might cost, in percentage premiums, actual costs, or both.
This information is also available in a full PDF download in The Cost of LEED v4 report.
Learn more about The Cost of LEED v4 »Frequently asked questions
See all forum discussions about this credit »Documentation toolkit
The motherlode of cheat sheets
LEEDuser’s Documentation Toolkit is loaded with calculators to help assess credit compliance, tracking spreadsheets for materials, sample templates to help guide your narratives and LEED Online submissions, and examples of actual submissions from certified LEED projects for you to check your work against. To get your plaque, start with the right toolkit.
![USGBC logo](/sites/all/themes/leeduser/images/usgbc_170.png)
© Copyright U.S. Green Building Council, Inc. All rights reserved.
Intent
To reduce the release of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBTs) chemicals associated with the life cycle of building materials.
Requirements
Specify and install fluorescent lamps with both low mercury content (MR Prerequisite PBT Source Reduction—Mercury) and long lamp life, as listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Criteria for rated life of low-mercury lamps
Lamp | Maximum content | Lamp life (hrs) |
---|---|---|
T-8 fluorescent, eight-foot | 10 mg mercury | Standard output - 24,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts (3-hour starts) High output – 18,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts or program start ballasts (3-hour starts) |
T-8 fluorescent, four-foot | 3.5 mg mercury | Both standard and high output - 30,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts, or 36,000 rated hours on program start ballasts (3 hour starts) |
T-8 fluorescent, two-foot and three-foot | 3.5 mg mercury | 24,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts or program start ballasts (3-hour starts) |
T-8 fluorescent, U-bent | 6 mg mercury | 18,000 rated hours on instant start ballasts, or 24,000 rated hours on program start ballasts (3-hour starts) |
T-5 fluorescent, linear | 2.5 mg mercury | Both standard and high-output - 25,000 rated hours on program start ballasts |
T-5 fluorescent, circular | 9 mg mercury | Both standard and high-output – 25,000 rated hours on program start ballasts |
Compact fluorescent, nonintegral ballast | 3.5 mg mercury | 12,000 rated hours |
Compact florescent, integral ballast, bare bulb | 3.5 mg mercury, ENERGY STAR qualified | Bare bulb - 10,000 rated hours Covered models such as globes, reflectors, A-19s – 8,000 hours |
High-pressure sodium, up to 400 watts | 10 mg mercury | Use noncycling type or replace with LED lamps or induction lamps |
High-pressure sodium, above 400 watts | 32 mg mercury | Use noncycling type or replace with LED lamps or induction lamps |