Commercial Lighting Requirements

• Energy Conservation and Production Act: states must follow the commercial energy code.Fa?¡ìade de buiding avec balcons. image by Bruno Bernier from Fotolia.com
  
  According to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), a nonprofit public benefits corporation in North America, lighting represents about 40 percent of the energy consumption in the commercial building sector. The Pike Research website also adds that lighting currently represents about 17.5 percent of all global electricity consumption.
  
  To improve energy efficiency in the United States, the Energy Conservation and Production Act requires states to adopt a commercial energy code for commercial establishments' lighting resources.
  
  

Independent Lighting Controls

• An independent lighting control that allows occupants to control unneeded lighting is required for each space surrounded by floor-to-ceiling partitions. These controls must be located in a specific space within the lighting location or have a switch coming from a remote location. Each switch for the controls of all lighting resources available in the area must have indicators identifying the lights served and their statuses (off or on).
  
  Occupants must also be able to individually control any display or accent lighting, case and task lights and nonvisual and demonstration lighting. The only exemptions to individual lighting control options are: security or emergency areas that must be lit continuously, and lighting in stairways or corridors that people use to enter or exit.
  
  

Light Reduction Controls

• An occupant in a commercial establishment must be able to reduce connected lighting by at least 50 percent. Once reasonable illumination is conducive to the area, an occupant must be allowed to control the light levels to save energy through any of the following light reduction control options: dimmer switches; alternating luminaries; and alternating luminaire lamps.
  
  Light reduction control exemptions are provided in the following: areas with only one luminaire; areas controlled by occupancy sensor, corridors, storerooms, restrooms or public lobbies; and sleeping units.
  
  

Automatic Lighting Shutoff

• An automatic lighting shutoff control device is required in all buildings larger than 5,000 square feet. A building is defined as: any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy; or any commercial structure surrounded by exterior walls and fire walls. The automatic shutoff function for all lighting of buildings can be done using time-scheduling devices, occupant-sensing devices or any similar shut-off system with the ability to indicate that an area is unoccupied.
  
  Exempted spaces for this requirement are: sleeping units; lighting for patient care; or any cases that automatic shutoff could endanger occupant safety or security.