We are developing a high rise multi-residential project (5 buildings) in a undeveloped land, the area is between the access to a national park and multiple neighborhood (residential units). The area belongs to a high priority zone established in municipal plans to increase density in this zone.
However the site falls into a "Zone1" by ASHRAE Addenda or "LZ-0" by MLO, but according to MLO "Selection of lighting zone or zones should be based not on existing conditions but rather on the type of lighting environments the jurisdiction seeks to achieve".
Can we use the last sentence from the MLO to change the ASHRAE Zone to a less rigorous one?? in addition to the Existent Municipal High-Priority Development Site definition.
Thanks ...
Sara BENLOUBA
Green building managerConfidential
12 thumbs up
January 13, 2021 - 4:57 am
Hello Dear,
did you recieve an answer from USGBC or others? we are in the same case and i'm searching for help. Could you please help us with your old feedbacks?
Many thanks
Bill Swanson
Sr. Electrical EngineerIntegrated Design Solutions
LEEDuser Expert
731 thumbs up
January 13, 2021 - 2:16 pm
Unfortunately most of the old comments got deleted when the site shifted servers a couple years ago. I looked up this comment on the Wayback Machine and saw Glenn Heinmiller had the following comment on July 8, 2015.
"First of all it depends on what version of the credit you are using. If you are using the 2009 version, then the MLO LZ definitions do not apply, only the ASHRAE/IES 90.1 definitions. The determination of the LZ for LEED is generally based on the project site itself, so I think you could justify an LZ2 designation according to 90.1 definitions based on your description of your project. You have a bit of an odd situation because you are up against national park land. If your GBCI reviewer takes a conservative approach to LZ designation they might consider it to be LZ1. If you're are using the v4 version of the credit and the MLO definition, I think you'd be LZ1 or LZ2, certainly not LZ0."
Marine Petrosyan
Project ManagerEnergy Systems LLC
September 4, 2023 - 5:19 am
For those, who will question this issue further. I am also struggling with understanding the precise grouping of the lighting zones. However, when filling in the online forms, the typical description of each lighting zone is given, so you can choose the proper option. I think that is a rational solution, having in mind, that it's how LEED online gives classification on its platform.