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To contractors, facility managers, and engineers planning energy retrofits, Title 24 lighting code requirements are more than an inconvenience. Sometimes the extra costs, paperwork, and associated risks are just plain deal breakers.
Government overreach, out-of-date standards, and complex rebate compliance requirements have stopped great projects before they ever got off the ground. Fortunately, on at least one front, progress is being made that makes many lighting projects more viable.
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has included a new provision in the 2016 update of the Title 24 energy code that simplifies and reduces the fiscal impact of one of the more expensive requirements for lighting retrofits. Although the new code is more stringent for new construction, retrofit projects can be exempt from some of the costly requirements of the previous code. For example, office lighting projects that achieve a minimum 50% power reduction no longer require the use of advanced dimming controls, which can add complexity and cost to the project.
In short, if the right type of high-efficiency lighting equipment is installed for an office lighting retrofit project, that project’s requirements for advanced dimming controls can be eliminated. This is good news for many electrical contractors, plant facility personnel, and consulting engineers who could not previously justify a code-compliant lighting retrofit to some customers from a reasonably quick return on investment (ROI) standpoint.
Code changes not only help reduce engineering and equipment costs, but also speed simple payback and can reduce ROI by 50% or more for a typical office building. Energy retrofit projects are now less expensive, faster, and easier. With these changes, more are being completed, helping the state of California lower its energy consumption level and meet its net-zero energy initiative.
What is Title 24?
Loosely referred to as the California Energy Code, Title 24 is the state’s regulatory code of energy efficiency standards for residential and nonresidential (commercial) buildings. It was created by the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) in 1978, and is updated by the CEC on a three-year cycle. Widely regarded as the nation’s first true energy code for buildings, Title 24 has served as an influential archetype to guide energy policies and codes throughout the country for nearly 40 years.
In 2013, the CEC made sweeping changes to the code to better meet the state’s aggressive energy goals. The 2013 update included a new set of energy efficiency standards designed to decrease energy consumption in existing buildings. For the first time, lighting retrofit projects were added to the code, which had previously addressed only new construction and tenant improvement projects. However, for lighting retrofit projects, the new codes turned out to be more of a hindrance than a help for the state.
Lighting retrofit projects had to meet most of the requirements of new construction projects, which meant higher design, engineering, and equipment costs. Expensive dimming controls became mandatory in many cases, resulting in higher project costs and extended payback periods. These added costs made many projects financially non-viable and created a disincentive for building owners to participate.
Working cooperatively with input from building owner and industry groups, the CEC has revised the requirements for the 2016 update, focusing on moving toward the aggressive zero-net energy goals for the state. All new residential buildings in California must be zero-net energy by 2020 and all commercial buildings by 2030.
Don’t dismiss the advantages of lighting controls
While the new Title 24 update reduces the requirement for advanced controls in lighting retrofit projects, it does not eliminate the need for controls entirely. Lighting controls can now be specified for retrofit projects where they make financial sense, and not forced onto projects where they’re just not financially feasible.
Lighting control systems arevaluable because they eliminate reliance on people to turn lights on and off while maximizing energy savings through dimming strategies, daylighting control, and personal control strategies. Some systems even allow users to adjust the brightness of the lighting in their office with an application on their desktop computer or mobile phone, just as they would adjust the brightness on their computer screen. Lighting controls minimize lighting energy expense while providing increased flexibility and enhancing employee comfort and productivity.
Advantages of working with an expert
Understanding Title 24 requirements can be complex and time consuming. A certified lighting and energy retrofit professional has the proficiency and expertise required to deal with Title 24 (or other) standards as well as maximize the value of an energy retrofit project. As an expert in lighting and energy retrofits, a professional will have the experience and people to assess needs and goals, customize a plan that provides the most energy savings for the least amount of cost and disruption, and provide energy saving guarantees.
Wray is a certified lighting management professional and 18-year veteran at ABM Industries. He has worked with utilities across the nation and designed and implemented PG&E’s unique California High Performance Lighting Program. He is also a former licensed California electrical contractor. He can be reached at [email protected].