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(California Energy Commission)
(http://www.energy.ca.gov/title24/)

The following is updated information detailing changes to standards administered by the California Energy Commission (CEC). The 2005 Building Energy Efficiency Standards have been approved by the Commission to replace the existing 2001 standards. The revised standards take effect October 1st, 2005.

Changes for Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards

Non-Residential Indoor - Lighting Controls

• There are significant changes to Automatic Daylighting Control Devices used in daylit areas. The additional requirements are very specific and explained in Section 119.
• Multi-level Astronomical Time-switch Controls, Automatic Multi-level Daylighting Controls, and Outdoor Astronomical Time-switch Controls have been added to Section 119 for Mandatory Requirements For Lighting Control Devices. Manufacturers are required to certify to the Commission that their control product meets mandatory requirements for lighting control devices. ( Section 119 )
• For Non-residential, High-rise Residential, and Hotel/Motel Occupancies, UL 1598 and UL 1574 specifications shall be followed on lamp wattages for incandescent or tungsten-halogen luminaires, line-voltage track lighting, low-voltage track lighting, other low-voltage lighting, and miscellaneous lighting equipment. Continue to follow recommendations listed on product be manufacturer. ( Section 130 )
• "Controls to Reduce Lighting" sub-section has been revised and now defined as "Multi-level Lighting Controls". It is defined as having continuous dimming, stepped dimming, or stepped switching. It is to have one control step of 50-70% light output and at least one step 35% of full light output. It is achieved by dimming all lamps or luminaires, or by switching luminaires/luminaire groups. ( Section 131 )
• There are new requirements for controlling luminaires in daylit areas. For daylit areas greater than 250sq/ft, at least one control is required to either control 50% of the power, control luminaires in vertically daylit area separately from horizontal daylit areas, or maintain uniform level by means of dimming or alternating lamp/fixture switching. For daylit areas over 2,500sq/ft, general lighting has to be controlled separately with either automatic multi-level daylighting control or multi-level astronomical time switch, both having to meet requirements of Section 119 ( Section 131, 143 ).

Non-Residential Indoor - Prescriptive Requirements for Indoor Lighting - The most siginificant changes to indoor lighting requirements deal with calculating Lighting Power Density.

• Previously, only conditioned spaces were considered, but now unconditioned spaces apply, although allotments for each are done separately.
• For the Complete Building Method, retail and wholesale store type allowances have been added and can be calculated by this method, but only if the merchandise sales area is 70% or more of the building area. For Complete Building Method, allowed lighting power values have been added for auditoriums, convention centers, financial institutions, hotel, and parking garages (Table 146-B). For the Area Category Method, allowed lighting power values have been added for civic meeting place, housing, public, and common areas, parking garage, tenant lease space, and transportation function (Table 146-C).
• The Tailored Method for calculating Lighting Power Density has completely changed from the 2001 standards. The Tailored Method can be used for a combined area that does not exceed 30% of the building that is otherwise using the Area Category Method. The two methods cannot be used for the same floor area and trade-offs between the two are not allowed. Exceptions are Retail Merchandise Sales and Museums, and in situations of a single function area can exceed with remaining spaces using Area Category Method (Section 146-3). An illuminance category must b chosen as outlined from IESNA Lighting Handbook. For spaces needing E, F, or G, it is going to require following requirements under Section 10-103, Part 1(Title 24). Room cavity ratio needs to be determined and allowed lighting power is determined by using Table 146-F. Non-task areas need to be determined and the allowed lighting power density will be 50% of an adjacent task area or the lower when compared to category D. The Tailored Method separates areas additionally into separate wall display lighting, separate floor display lighting, separate ornamental/special effects lighting, and valuable items display lighting. It is suggested to consult Section 146-3 for complete description of the Tailored Method and for areas affected (Table 146-D).

Outdoor Lighting Standards

• For the 2005 standards, requirements have been added for outdoor lighting. Additionally, lighting zones have been created and exterior lighting allowances are determined by these lighting zones. Table 10-114-A explains there are 4 lighting zones, each with an ambient illumination: LZ1 - Dark, LZ2 - Low, LZ3 - Medium, LZ4 - High. LZ1 is designated for parks, recreation areas, and wildlife preserves, LZ2 is for rural areas, LZ3 is for urban areas, and LZ4 is not specifically designated for any area and can only be applied through an amending of the lighting zone designation. Local jurisdictions can amend designated lighting zones through public process and approval by the Commission (Section 10-114).
• Outdoor lighitng requirements have been added to include hardscape areas, building entrances and facades, canopies for vehicle service stations, other sales canopies and non-sales canopies, outdoor sales lots, and signs. See Section 147 for exceptions.
• The new 2005 standards give requirements for allowed outdoor lighting power. Determine allowed lighting power as follows: determine the illuminated area; from Table 147-A, determine the lighting application and allowed area; use the lighting power values given on table as related to the lighting zone that applies; determined the sum of the allowed power. Section 147 continues with Part 2 by explaining determination of allowed lighting power for specific applications. It is suggested to see Section 147-2 for these specific requirements. Table 147-B lists these application explaining the allowances specific to approved lighting zone.

Further Outdoor Requirements

• Compliance is required for alterations to existing outdoor lighting if replacement amounts to more than 50% of existing lighting. There are no other requirements to existing lighting
• For minimum lighting system efficacy, standard to be revised to include all permanently installed outdoor luminaires. Exceptions are emergency or egress lighting, locations subject to Article 680 of California electric Code, searchlights, theme park lighting, film or live performance lighting, temporary outdoor lighting, light emitting diode, neon and cold cathode lighting
• For controls, standard to be revised to include all permanently installed outdoor lighting. Bi-level controls are required for building facades, parking lots, garages, sales and non-sales canopies, and all other outdoor sales areas. "Controls will be required to provide the owner with the ability to turn off the lighting or to reduce the lighting power by at least 50% but not exceeding 80% when lighting is not needed" (Flamm, pg 6). There will be exception for emergency lighting, day stair lighting, motion sensor and photoelectric switching, temporary outdoor lighting, some sign lighting
• Cutoff for light distribution to be included for hardscape areas, building entrances, canopies, and outdoor sales areas for luminaires using lamps rated above 175W. This does not require luminaire to be full-cutoff. Exceptions are some sign lighting, lightin on building facades, statues, monuments, vertical bridge lighting, emergency lighting, temporary lighting, and areas subject to Article 680, CA Electric Code
• New standards for internally illuminated and for externally illuminated sign lighting with the option for lighting power allowance or use of energy-efficient alternatives such as electronic ballast, pulse-start, ceramic metal halide, HPS, neon, cold cathode, light emitting diodes, CF lamps that are not medium base socket. Exceptions are Traffic Signage Lighting and Exit signs.
• New standards to include conditioned and unconditioned spaces. Existing models to be applied for unconditioned spaces. New model for parking garages to be created by the California Energy Commission.

( Information for Firther Outdoor Requirements obtained from California Outdoor Lighting Standards authored by Gary Flamm of the California Energy Commission.)

Residential

• Requirement for use of only high efficacy luminaires, containing only high efficacy lamps and shall not contain medium screw base socket. Lamps 15 watts and less shall have minimum lamp efficacy of 40 LPW, lamps 15 watts to 40 watts at 50 LPW, and lamps over 40 watts at 60 LPW. Electronic ballast, operating at frequency above 20kHz are required for lamps 13W or greater. Exception to this is HID fixtures usig magnetic ballast, provided they meet efficacy requirements as on Table 150-C ( Section 150 )
• Luminaires for bathroom, garage, laundry room, utility room must be high efficacy. Exception is provided if they are controlled by occupant sensor that is not manually or overridingly switched ( Section 150 )
• Luminaires installed for kitchens must be high efficacy. An exception is allowed for up to 50% of total rated wattage of permanently installed fixtures, provided that they are switched independently of the high efficacy luminaires.
• All other areas must be high efficacy luminaires. Following areexceptions: areas controlled by dimmer, closets under 70 sq ft, and areas controlled by occupant sensor that is not manually or overridingly switched ( Section 150 )
• Luminaires recessed into insulated ceilings to be IC rated and covered under UL or other recognized testing/rating organizations. Luminaires are to be listed as air tight in accordance with ASTM E283, and sealed with gasket or caulk between housing and ceiling ( section 150 )
• Outdoor lighting to be high efficacy luminaires with the exception of lighting controlled by motion sensor with integral photosensor ( Section 150 )
• Parking lots and garages for eight or more cars must resort to sections 130, 131,132, 146, and 147 for compliance.

( Information obtained from 2005 Title 24 Efficiency Standards from the California Energy Commission website)

Listed below you will find web links that have been useful in obtaining this information and seem to be very useful at keeping up with what is happening with California energy legislation. Also listed is contact persons of the California Energy Commission for those times when questions need an answer.

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

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