In a marked change from LEED-CI 2.0, which only addressed daylighting, this credit addresses occupancy and daylighting sensors. Three points are available, with each of the following strategies earning you one point:

• Strategy 1: Install daylight controls or sensors within 15 feet of the windows or skylights in all regularly occupied spaces. 
• Strategy 2: Install daylight responsive controls for 50% of the connected lighting load.
• Strategy 3: Install occupancy controls for 75% of the connected lighting load

You can pursue any combination of these three separate points. Most projects have occupancy controls by code, but daylight controls are less common.  

Daylight dimming controls

Ideally, implementing daylight-sensitive controls should be part of your overall lighting strategy to maximize natural light, using electric light only as a supplement, dovetailing with IEQc8.1: Daylight and Views—Daylight. The goal is to combine natural and electric lighting seamlessly so that occupants won’t notice the difference. This is possible with automatic daylight sensors that supplement reduced daylighting by turning or stepping up electric lighting.

Using daylight sensors for all regularly occupied areas works for most projects. But if your space is in a building without good daylight access, having 50% of the lighting load connected to daylight sensors may not be possible. Daylight sensors and controls add to your initial construction budget but can start providing savings from day one of operations, with a typical payback of six months to four years.

You might imagine that having all fixtures within 15 feet of a window controlled by a daylight sensor would satisfy the credit requirements, but that’s not how it works. Instead, the credit requires that daylight sensors be installed within 15 feet of windows in all regularly occupied spaces. This approach may not work for all applications, especially those with deep daylight penetration (expanded height glazing with high ceilings) as sensor placement may need to be deeper than 15 feet to adequately control the fixtures in the space. 

Occupancy sensors

Occupancy sensors can reduce the lighting energy use up to 50% in non-regularly occupied spaces such as corridors and restrooms, often with a payback of less than one year. Many sensors can be adjusted for sensitivity to accommodate different occupancy situations.

Mandatory requirements from ASHRAE 90.1-2007 that you have to carry out for EAp2 require projects larger than 5,000 ft² to use occupancy sensors or timed switching when the space is not in use. It is important to recognize that this credit expands that requirement to all area sizes, even those smaller than 5,000 ft². 

Offices and retail environments are very different

In office buildings, there are opportunities to incorporate both types of lighting controls into your overall lighting strategy. Control sensors are generally used for ambient lighting rather than task lighting, but task lights and plug loads can be controlled with localized workstation occupancy sensors. 

Generally, retail spaces utilize occupancy-sensitive controls only in private or “back of the house” spaces like offices and bathrooms. A retail project can incorporate daylighting controls in all public areas receiving ample daylight and may even benefit from increased sales in addition to energy savings.