Hi all,
I have several California projects (that are all LEED 2009) and thought that getting this credit via BUG ratings would be a slam dunk since these projects all have CALGreen requirements that include BUG rating compliance. As far as I can tell, the requirements overlap completely with the LEED requirements. And yet, on every one of these projects, I am struggling to get any BUG rating documentation out of the project teams. I am being told with a shrug that BUG ratings come from the suppliers (as if the mounting height and orientation play no part) and some provide it and some don't. If I were pursuing CALGreen based alternate compliance on these projects via LEED v4, I would get this credit outright without having to demonstrate anything.
So what's the deal? Am I missing something? I'm getting the impression that CA municipalities are not actually enforcing CALGreen so teams aren't actually having to demonstrate compliance and that GBCI is therefore giving them credit through alternate compliance for things they aren't actually doing. Can anyone with CA projects confirm how they are going about this?
The BUG rating (usually IES file) comes from the manufacturer's website. I consider it the responsibility of the Engineer of Record to show compliance with Code when the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ, aka Code official) wants documentation. This is often me. I don't do it unless asked. But if the city official asks for documentation for site lighting compliance, I will make a sheet to show compliance with that City's ordinance. Same with Emergency Egress lighting, same with ComCheck for Energy Code compliance. I put my stamp on the drawing and I take responsibility for Code compliance issues related to design.
If I am working on a LEED project I have added extra hours for LEED documentation. Having Code required documentation align perfectly with LEED documentation sounds like a dream.
Are these projects Design-Build? No one ever seems to want responsibility for Design-Build projects. And if a city official is not enforcing it, they won't do it. By contract, who was responsible to document LEED for this credit? You or the Engineer? If you, I understand you'd want the Engineer to do their job and document Code compliance and you can just copy it for LEED. But they won't do it if they don't have to. And if LEED documentation wasn't in their bid, and no AHJ is asking for it, they won't do it.
It often takes a while for Building Code Officials (AHJ) to start enforcing new laws. It is usually the result of them attending a training seminar explaining everything to them. And then they often just ask for the paper, scan the paper briefly to verify the numbers are where they are required to be, and then file the papers away. I have never experienced any AHJ review lighting related documents the way LEED reviewers do.