Recently in Building Codes Category
The
goal: meet California 's growing needs for energy efficiency and
demand response by creating and introducing energy-efficient, advanced
lighting technologies in 2008 and 2009.Lighting California's Future A $3.7 million California Energy Commission PIER Program focused on lighting technologies for buildings. The goal is to meet California's growing needs for the built environment.
- Improved Daylight Performance of Tubular Daylighting Devices
- Cost-Effective Demand Response (CEDR)
- Integration of Electric Lighting Controls with Utility Demand Response Signals
- Retrofit Integrated Classroom Lighting System (R-ICLS)
- Wireless Integrated Photosensor and Motion Sensor (WIPAM) Lighting Control System
- Advanced LED Downlighting Systems
- Novel LED Downlights
- Smart LED Lighting in Residential Fans
- Advanced, Energy-Efficienct LED Lighting for Residential and Commercial Applications
- ASHRAE / IESNA 90.1-1999/2001
- LEED
- IECC
- Energy Policy Act 2005
- 2002 ECCC of New York
- Ballast Legislation
- DARK-SKY
- Energy Star
- California Energy Commission - Title 24
- NEMA
- ISO 14000
ASHRAE 90.1 was recently published under joint sponsorship by ANSI (American National Standards Institute, http://www.ansi.org/), ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, http://www.ashrae.org/) , and IESNA (Illuminating Engineering Society of North America, http://www.iesna.org/). This standard is generally regarded as the definitive source of guidelines for achieving energy efficiency, and many other codes and standards (such as the latest version of the International Energy Conservation Code or IECC, http://www.iccsafe.org/) either have or are expected to adopt the requirements published under ASHRAE 90.1.
The 1999/2001 version includes several key changes from the 1989 version:
- More stringent lighting power requirements and codes written in more enforceable language.
- Required use of lighting controls for many applications (details below).
- Control points for spaces are no longer used.
- Building area power allowances (W/ft2) no longer depend on the size of the buildings.
- Area factor, a function of ceiling height and floor area, is no longer calculated.
- Exterior lighting power requirements have been simplified. Specifically, most exterior lighting power requirements are now stated in terms of minimum efficacy (lumens/watt).
USGBC: LEED
(Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design: http://www.usgbc.org/)
The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating SystemTM is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Members of the U.S. Green Building Council representing all segments of the building industry developed LEED and continue to contribute to its evolution. LEED standards are currently available or under development for:
- New construction and major renovation projects (LEED-NC)
- Existing building operations (LEED-EB, Pilot version)
- Commercial interiors projects (LEED-CI, Pilot version)
- Core and shell projects (LEED-CS, Pilot version)
- Homes (LEED-H)
- Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND)
International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)
Many states and municipalities have adopted portions of the IECC code as law. The IECC was formed in order to establish energy-related standards for
residential, multi-family, and commercial buildings. A major focus of
the code provisions is on the building envelope insulation and window
requirements, which vary depending on the regional climate. While the a
large portion of the code deals with the U-factor and R-factor
requirements, the code also addresses the heating, cooling,
water-heating, electrical, and lighting systems of the building.
Entire IECC document page http://www.ecodes.biz/
Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT)
EPACT includes a significatnt tax deducation to encourage the use of energy efficient products through the year 2008. Lighting and HVAC/hot water systems and building envelop improvements can qualify for tax deductions totaling up to 60 cents / sq. foot for each sysgtem with a posible $1.80 / sq ft maximum.
Ballast Legislation: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office:
Consumer products; energy conservation program: Fluorescent lamp ballasts; energy conservation standards, 56739-56749 [00-24004]. Standards go into effect, they will essentially require fluorescent lamp ballasts for F40 and F96 lamps to be the electronic type. The standards will segment the market into new applications and replacement applications and extend the implementation dates to mitigate the burdens to acceptable levels. The standards provide a phase-in period of approximately five years, until April 1, 2005 for new applications. In addition, today's rule provides an additional phase in, until June 30, 2010 for ballasts intended for the replacement market. This Federal Ballast Rule covers only the following lamp types...2ft U Tubes, 4ft Rapid Start, 8ft Rapid Start, 8ft High Output.
Municipal Dark Sky Ordinances
The International Dark-Sky Association was incorporated in 1988 as a tax-exempt non-profit organization, exclusively for educational and scientific purposes. IDA operates under formal bylaws, established at the time of incorporation and revised at the annual meeting on 4 February 1989, and again in September 1990.
IDA's goals are to be effective in stopping the adverse environmental impact on dark skies by building awareness of the problem of light pollution and of the solutions, and to educate everyone about the value and effectiveness of quality nighttime lighting. http://www.darksky.org
Energy Star
ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy efficient solutions -- helping to save money while protecting the environment for future generations -- http://www.energystar.gov/
EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy in 1996 to promote the ENERGY STAR label, with each agency taking responsibility for particular product categories. ENERGY STAR has expanded to cover new homes, most of the buildings sector, residential heating and cooling equipment, major appliances, office equipment, lighting, consumer electronics, and more product areas.California Energy Commission Title 24
The 2005 Building Energy Efficiency Standards that affect residential and non-residential building standards statewide in California
California Energy Commission -- http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/
These web links can be useful in keeping up
with what is happening with California energy legislation.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/ - site for California Energy Commission
http://www.cabec.org/ - site for California Association of Building Energy Consultants organization
http://www.calbo.org/ - site for California Building Officials organization
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
Nema publishes over 400 standards, application guides and technical papers. A few helpful documents include: "White Paper on Outdoor Lighting Code Issues", "Model Outdoor Lighting Regulation" and a June 2001 publication called "Exit Sign Brightness for Visibility & Safety" which includes a review of NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code and the related standard UL924, Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment.
National Electrical Manufacturers Association http://www.nema.org/
International Standards Organization -- ISO 14000
The ISO 14000 series of voluntary standards address international environmental management systems, environmental auditing, environmental labeling, environmental performance evaluation, and the life cycle assessment. ISO is an international non-governmental organization that promotes the development and implementation for voluntary international standards. ISO consists of 112 member countries, with the U.S. represented by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
ISO 14000 is used as a condition of some customer/supplier transactions, especially in Europe and with the U.S. government. In the courts, ISO 14000 may become a standard of due care in assessing whether a company was in good faith making consistent and diligent efforts to manage its environmental impact.
Cooper Lighting provides an excellent overview of each of these energy and lighting policies and legisltation: Cooperlighting.com
Cost-Effective Demand Response (CEDR) research by Lighting California's Future seeks to introduce a novel demand response (DR) lighting control technology that can be easily retrofit to existing buildings.
CEDR makes retrofit installation economical by using existing power wiring to transmit a load shed signal to designated lighting loads. This signal, introduced at the lighting panel and transmitted to receivers installed in existing bi-level light switches, tells receivers to turn off half the lights.
This research project will develop a new system capable of receiving a utility demand reduction signal and transmitting, over the building power lines, a load-shed signal to multiple receiver devices. The outcome of the project is the development and commercialization of a novel demand responsive lighting technology.
CEDR takes a low-tech approach, doing only one simple task inexpensively - reducing loads during DR conditions.
Applications
■ Buildings with lighting controlled by bi-level switching.
■ Buildings with significant sheddable plug loads.
■ ESCOs with the above customers.
■ Utilities requiring more automatic DR capacity.
Key project members are the CLTC, NEV Electronics, and SCE. Collaborators include NEV Electronics, Benya Lighting, California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC), Southern California Edison, and Architectural Energy Corporation.
CEDR LCF program information and reports
Technical information and CLTC/UCDavis
Licensing
| For additional information on the benefits of converting various lighting applications to LED lighting in the work environment and to learn more about LED Workplace, visit www.ledworkplace.org. |
They are converting all lighting at its Durham headquarters and manufacturing facility to LED lighting and released the results of the first phase of the conversion. The parking lots, entryways, lobby and conference rooms at Cree's headquarters building are now 100-percent lit by energy-efficient, environmentally friendly XLamp(R) LEDs.
Cree's LED Workplace(TM) conversion validates the energy savings, quality of light and reality that LED lighting is now a viable option for business and residential consumers.
In a study of the energy usage before and after the lighting conversion, Cree confirmed the energy savings of the newly installed LED lights.
The findings indicate that in total the new LED lights use 48% less energy than the incandescent, fluorescent and high-pressure sodium lights they replaced.
The combination of the energy savings, reduced maintenance and disposal costs and the environmental savings demonstrate that LED lighting is now a real alternative to traditional lighting solutions.
Duke Energy Collaboration
Cree's local utility, Duke Energy, is collaborating with Cree to explore the benefits of LED lighting. "Our customers are always interested in understanding how to save money through energy efficiency, so we make it our business to support innovative technologies such as LEDs," said Ted Schultz, Duke's vice president of energy efficiency.
"We expect our energy efficiency plans to be approved next year (2008) and are committed to having a complete line of lighting solutions available for customers," said Schultz. "At that point, we expect to have programs developed that will take advantage of LED technology."
"Conventional wisdom is that LED lighting is years away from widespread adoption. The truth, however, is that the performance of Cree's LED technology enables real LED lighting solutions today," said Chuck Swoboda, Cree chairman and CEO. "The conversion of Cree's site demonstrates that the LED Lighting Revolution is well underway and will illustrate the benefits in energy savings, maintenance costs and environmental impacts."
Cree also announced that it has launched a new website to share the results and implementation details of the LED Workplace lighting conversion with other organizations.
...will include lighting vendor information and the light, energy and maintenance metrics that form the basis for LED lighting's cost savings. This site will also feature other LED Workplace installations.
LED lighting is currently being used in workplace installations, including:
- Overhead lighting for conference rooms and office spaces
- Recessed lighting for hallways, bathrooms, breakrooms, and more
- Exterior lighting for parking lots, walkways and entrances
Learn how energy savings and workplace productivity mount up when LED lights were installed in the featured installations and discover the potential savings achieved by installing state-of-the-art LED lighting.
Learn how LED lighting is lowering lighting costs for a variety of workplaces:
Visit the Q&A section to get answers to common questions like:
Question: I own a small business and am intrigued by the cost savings and environmental friendliness of LED lighting. How can I get started?
Answer: LED lighting offers economic value in many applications, including outdoor lighting and indoor down lights and accent lighting. Please contact the listed vendors on this website for information relevant to your specific applications.Question: How do I go about converting my facility to LED lighting?
Answer: An LED lighting conversion usually includes three types of solutions: complete replacement of the existing fixtures, retrofit of existing fixtures with LED components, or simple plug-compatible bulb replacements. For each of these, the existing wiring and power can often be used. For Cree, as an industrial operation, our electrical is at 277VAC. We adapted the installation as needed to assure the LED fixtures matched our site electrical systems. The vendors listed on this website should be able to provide a solution to match your needs.
account for nearly 70,000 home fires.
injure more than 2,000 people,
and account for $868 million in property damage.
“Everyday almost 200 homes catch fire because of electrical issues,” says Brett Brenner, President of ESFI. “While we put a figure to the damage these fires cause to property, the damage to lives is incalculable. The new Code will prevent thousands of these fires and protect homes for decades to come.”
Electrical Code Controversy
What started as a routine year for the electrical industry has turned into a full debate involving the Governor, home builders, manufacturers and safety organizations. Since January’s adoption of the new National Electrical Code, which is updated every three years, home builders in Ohio have been actively working to get it overturned. They complain that the additional costs to comply with the new code would make new homes unaffordable, and they have even presented the Governor with a petition to annul Ohio’s adoption of the 2008 Code reverting the state back to an older version. This controversy has caused fire, safety and electrical industry officials to descend on Columbus. Among them is the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) who is working to help Ohio residents understand that the new code will save lives and homes. The foundation and many others are also quick to point out that arguments against the new code are based on inaccurate information.
In their petition to Governor Strickland, the Ohio Home Builder’s Association alleges that complying with the new Code would add $600 - $1,200 to the average new home. However, an analysis by Ohio’s electrical inspectors points out that the additional cost is really less than $200 a home. This lower cost is also endorsed by the Electrical Code Coalition as being more accurate. The coalition is a group of industry organizations consisting of safety experts, inspectors, contractors, and utilities, who have partnered together to promote electrical safety in Ohio.
“This whole debate should be centered on what this all means to Ohio’s families,” points out Brenner. “Everyone agrees that the new code provides fire protection that is unequaled. But, if the new Code is not enforced, Ohio will be taking a step backwards in fire prevention.”
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is the leading authority and advocate of electrical safety. Established in 1994, ESFI sponsors National Electrical Safety Month each May and focuses on reducing electrically related deaths, injuries and property loss.
SOURCE:
The Electrical Safety Foundation International
1300 North 17th Street, 17th Floor,
Rosslyn, VA 22209
Phone: (703)841-3229
www.electrical-safety.org
