Schematic Design

To avoid letting this credit slip through the cracks, project owners or architects should ask the lighting designers at the outset of the project how they plan to achieve each aspect of the credit.

Fixtures that throw 50% or more of the cone of light out a window are likely to present problems.

Interior lighting cannot spill out of the windows after business hours, defined as 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. in the credit requirements. Window coverings or automatic controls like timers, occupancy sensors, or master switches have to shut off or reduce the input power by 50% for all non-emergency indoor lights during that time.

Be aware of all requirements for interior lights so that fixtures do not direct light through windows to the outdoors. Identify locations where fixtures might have a direct line of sight to a window or other opening. The lighting designer should either eliminate those fixtures from the design, provide shades to prevent more than 10% of light from shining outdoors, or include controls to reduce the input power by 50% between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Interior lighting

The cost of alarms and BMS equipment varies greatly and is dependent on the complexity of the system.

Fees for engineering services may increase due to this credit, because of the need to develop controls sequences. That premium can be reduced if the engineer has experience with the credit in similar applications.

CO₂ sensors will provide the highest return on investment in areas where the occupancy is intermittent or unpredictable. Examples include conference rooms and auditoriums, where ventilation rates will need to be high only when close to full occupancy and where ventilation rates can be low when the spaces are unoccupied.

Some utilities offer rebates for installing CO₂ sensors in conjunction with demand-control ventilation. For example, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Florida Power & Light have offered such incentives. Check with your local utility or DSIRE to see if rebates are available in your area (see Resources).

CO₂ sensors do not provide the same benefit in non-densely occupied spaces as they do in densely occupied spaces. It is important to remember that CO₂ sensors measure only CO₂ generated by human occupants and they are typically not a good way to indicate indoor air quality in non-densely occupied spaces. CO₂ monitors cannot replace outdoor air monitors and are often incorrectly preferred because they are less expensive than outdoor air delivery monitoring.