LEED Certification for Homes – EA CREDIT: LIGHTING

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Requirements

HOMES

Case 1. Single Family

Option 1. Indoor Lighting (1.5 points)

Install high-efficacy lighting. Meet or exceed the requirements for lighting power density for hard-wired fixtures, as listed in Table 1.

Table 1. Points for reducing lighting power density
Maximum lighting power density (W/sf)Points
W/sq. ft. W/sq. m.
0.727.70.5
0.606.51
0.485.21.

The proposed fixtures used to calculate energy savings must be capable of meeting the recommended light levels (weighted average footcandles) in the Illuminating Engineering Society Lighting Handbook, 9th edition, for the given space type.

Either calculate the needs for each space type, or use 16 as the weighted average footcandles for the home.

In calculating lighting power density, follow these guidelines:

  •     Use a lighting power density of 1.1 W per square foot (11.8 W per square meter) for rooms or portions of any rooms with less than the required hardwired lighting.
  •     Account for all hard-wired fixtures in the home, including the garage and exterior lights (whether affixed to the home or freestanding).
  • Do not include portable table and floor lamps, appliance lights, or landscape lights. Include step lights and undercabinet and cabinet lights.
  • For standard incandescent (a-line medium screw base) bulbs, assume 64 watts per socket. For LED and Xenon lights, use actual wattages.
  • For fluorescent lighting, calculate wattage based on the assumptions in Table 2 or use the actual wattages installed.
Table 2. Assumptions for fluorescent bulb wattage
 Watts
CFL twist14
Covered14
CFL Candelabra9
Incandescent64
Incandescent40
Candelabra
MR1640

AND/OR

Option 2. Exterior Lighting (0.5 point)

  • All exterior lighting must be Dark Sky qualified and have motion sensor controls, integrative photovoltaic cells, photosensors, or astronomic time-clock operation.

The following lighting is exempt: emergency lighting, lighting required by code for health and safety purposes, and lighting used for eye adaptation near covered vehicle entrances or exits.

Case 2. Multifamily

Option 1. Indoor Lighting (1.5 points)

  • Install high-efficacy lighting and/or lighting controls that achieve a reduction from the ENERGY STAR baseline.
  • Complete the ENERGY STAR multifamily midrise worksheet for interior lighting.

Table 3. Points for reducing interior lighting from baseline

Percentage reductionPoints
35%0.5
45%1
55%1.5

OR

Option 2. Exterior Lighting (0.5 point)

  • Complete the ENERGY STAR multifamily midrise worksheet for exterior lighting. Reduce exterior lighting wattage by at least 50%.
  • All exterior lighting must be Dark Sky qualified.