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NC-2009 EAp2:Minimum Energy Performance

Energy Modeling for Casino

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Chris Hammett
Mechanical Designer
Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Inc.
LEEDuser Basic Member
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Hello. I am working on the energy model for a casino/hotel/nightclub. I have been contracted only to develop the model, no input in regards to design. I have built the entire model in Energy Pro with the exception of the interior and exterior lighting. The energy savings are well above baseline. However, I have begun inputing the installed lighting and the power is off the chart. I am seeing conflicting interpretations on how to treat lighting. Some sources say that if it is superfluous to the general lighting for the space, consider it process. I understand that per ASHRAE 90.1, Casino gaming floor lighting is treated as process. I do not have any technical or official resources that say that you can declare a portion of the lighting for nightclub as decorative/process. Some of the nightclub spaces are 7 watts per square foot. Can a portion of this lighting be considered process or task or something?

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Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow
7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
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Thu, 08/28/2014 - 22:18

The Exceptions to Section 9.2.2.3 are the ones that are considered process.
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Chris Hammett
Mechanical Designer
Turpin & Rattan Engineering, Inc.
LEEDuser Basic Member
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Thu, 08/28/2014 - 23:26

Marcus, thank you for your quick reply. In a few instances below you have suggested that you can claim lighting is decorative if you remove that lighting and the remaining lighting meets the lighting design requirements. That is what I am getting at here. Other questions also speak of decorative lighting and decorative lighting allowance. Where can I find information on decorative lighting allowance in LEED or ASHRAE? Much of the lighting that I am discussing is separately circuited, it just does not fit nicely into the exceptions under 9.2.2.3, I would say it is kind of a grey area.
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Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow
7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
4454 thumbs up

Thu, 08/28/2014 - 23:46

If it does not meet a specific exception then you have to make the case that the lighting in question is over and above what is needed for illumination as a means to claim it as process lighting. You could also just tell the client that 7 W/sf is ridiculous, unnecessary and highly wasteful and in my opinion means it should not be allowed to be called a green building. For me this kind of thing comes down to doing the right thing. Is LEED all about trying to find an exception to allow wasteful practice? Even though you are not doing the design (we never do the design and make recommendations using the energy model all the time, in fact that is the point of energy modeling!), you could certainly talk to the client about how the lighting kills all the savings and encourage them to seek ways to reduce it. Maybe it can get down to 5 W/sf! How about being the first all LED Casino? Sorry for the rant but doing a green building is just not about seeking exceptions to allow for poor energy performance.

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