The Light Pollution Reduction credit has been rewritten to make it easier to understand while maintaining both flexibility for lighting designers and applicability to different kinds of light pollution. The exterior requirements are split into two areas: uplight and light trespass. For both requirements, an optional path allows teams to demonstrate compliance by selecting luminaires with an appropriate BUG rating and placing them appropriately. These optional paths do not require point-by-point calculations. The calculation path has also been simplified and now requires calculations for fewer locations. Many projects can achieve the credit by simply complying with ASHRAE 90.1–2010 and selecting luminaires with an appropriate BUG rating. This revision also introduces a new term, lighting bound-ary. All light trespass requirements are met relative to the Lighting Boundary, rather than the LEED site boundary. Uplight requirements are still met based on all non-exempt exte-rior luminaires located within the LEED site boundary.
Definitions:
BUG Rating: A luminaire classification system that classifies luminaires in terms of back-light (B), uplight (U) and glare (G) (taken from IES/IDA Model Lighting Ordinance). For this credit, the BUG ratings supersede the former cutoff ratings.
Lighting Boundary: The Lighting Boundary is located at the property lines of the property, or properties, that the LEED project is within. The Lighting Boundary can be modified un-der the following conditions:
- When the Lighting Boundary abuts a public area that is a walkway, bikeway, pla-za, or parking lot, the Lighting Boundary may be moved to 5 feet (1.5 meters) be-yond the Property Line;
- When the Lighting Boundary abuts a public roadway or public transit corridor, the Lighting Boundary may be moved to the center line of that roadway or corridor;
- When there are additional properties owned by the same entity that are contigu-ous to the property, or properties, that the LEED project is within and have the same or higher MLO lighting zone designation as the LEED project, the Lighting Boundary may be expanded to include those properties.
A multi-tenant complex is defined as a site that that was master-planned for the devel-opment of stores, restaurants and other businesses. Retailers may share one or more services and/or common areas.
Credit Submittals
General
1.) Register a username at LEEDuser.com, and participate in online forum
3.) Submit the feedback survey using the link on the USGBC.org credit page; supply PDF of your survey/confirmation of completion with credit documentation
Credit-Specific
NC, CS, Schools, Retail, Healthcare
Exterior Lighting – provide the following:
- A site plan showing all sign locations and exterior light fixtures with designations and an associated fixture schedule with brief descriptions including lamp infor-mation for all fixtures
- A description with drawings and/or images of the site and all immediately adja-cent properties, documenting a lighting zone for each of these. Any lighting zone 4 designations should include a document from the local zoning authority show-ing that they have authorized that zone designation for that site.
- A list of all exempt exterior luminaires and which exemption they qualify under.
- Signage: Narrative and drawings describing the luminance levels of the signs during hours of darkness and hours of daylight. Daylight hours are between 30 minutes after sunrise and 30 minutes before sunset. Nighttime hours are be-tween 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise.
Uplight
Option 1 BUG Rating Method:
- The lighting zone designation used for this option
- A lighting schedule documenting the three-dimensional orientation (plan/ eleva-tion) of each non-exempt exterior fixture and it’s U-Rating in that orientation (identical luminaires in the same orientation may be grouped).
Option 2 Calculation Method:
- The lighting zone designation used for this option
- A spreadsheet showing the following for each non-exempt luminaire (including summations where appropriate): (identical luminaires in the same orientation may be grouped)
- Catalog #
- Quantity of this luminaire
- The three dimensional orientation of the luminaire (plan/ elevation)
- The lumens emitted by the luminaire in that orientation
- The lumens emitted by the luminaire in that orientation above the horizon
- A summation calculation showing compliance based on the data presented above.
Light Trespass
Option 1 BUG Rating Method:
- The lighting zone designation used for this option
- Where appropriate, a narrative justifying extending the lighting boundary line past the property line in accordance with the credit requirements.
- a spreadsheet showing the following for each non-exempt luminaire: (identical luminaires in the same orientation may be grouped)
- Catalog #
- The three dimensional orientation of the luminaire (plan/ elevation)
- The orientation of the luminaire relative to the nearest lighting boundary line
- The backlight and glare ratings of the luminaire in the defined position
- An statement of compliance
Option 2 Calculation Method:
A point-by-point calculation showing initial vertical illuminances. Each vertical plane shall include:
- The maximum vertical illuminance encountered
- The lighting zone for this plane
- A statement of compliance
Multitenant Complex Projects:
- Include a narrative that describes:
- How the safety/security issues, comfort, and economic activity were ad-dressed and enhanced,
- The shared exterior lighting amenities,
- How light pollution and energy consumption was minimized, and
- How specific projects fit into the overall design.
EBOM
Interior Lighting- provide the following:
- Narrative and drawings showing control locations, describing the lighting controls used on the interior lighting, the sequence of operation, and how these controls comply with this credit and section 9 of the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010.
Exterior Lighting
Option 1:
- A luminaire schedule identifying those luminaires where the sum of the mean lamp lumens exceeds 2,500
- A photometric report of those luminaires demonstrating that no light is emitted above 90 degrees from straight down in their final installed position(s).
Option 2:
Provide proof that the project complies with NC, CS, Schools, Retail, Healthcare above.
Option 3:
- A plan showing the location of the measurement points used to measure the night illumination levels.
- A description of the measurement results.
Additional Questions
- Were you able to understand and comply with the credit language as written?
- Were there barriers to implementing the strategies used under this credit?
- Do the criteria associated with quality exterior lighting align with your project’s productivity, safety, and quality needs?