Lighting Controls Association Publishes Article Summarizing Lighting Changes in New LEED

My January column for the Lighting Controls Association blog and newsletter lightingCONTROL summarizes the major lighting changes in the new LEED v4.

Of particular interest for general lighting is a new “lighting quality” provision (EQc6, Interior Lighting, 1 point), which lists eight options and requires adoption of at least four of them in the design.

Satisfying these requirements involves choosing carefully shielded luminaires and long-life lamps with good color rendering, with a majority of luminaires providing some uplight. High-reflectance surfaces can raise light levels and brighten walls and ceilings. Managing brightness ratios promotes visual comfort (photometric brightness as in luminance, though USGBC here uses the term illuminance, which refers to light level measured in footcandles).

While some may take offense to USGBC defining “lighting quality,” I think it’s a step in the right direction, as it encourages good lighting practice within LEED to help ensure that designers do not sacrifice the primary purpose of lighting, which is to serve people, in order to squeeze wattage for LEED points.

Check out the article here.

Craig DiLouie

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