Sustainable Facilities Tool U.S. General Services Administration

Lighting Ecosystem Lighting in the workplace can be better understood as an ecosystem that includes lighting design as just one component of a netw...

Avoid over-lighting by delivering the amount and quality of light necessary for the particular task.

Are design strategies being implemented to bring light deeper into occupied spaces and provide uniform lighting?

What percentage of all lighting in the facility is "high efficiency lighting"?

Lighting accounts for nearly 20% of the total electricity costs of commercial buildings in the United States.1 Effective lighting systems invol...

Large windows can provide daylight to interior spaces, but the daylight can be best used when complementary technologies are employed. Lighting cont...

Provide occupants with ways to make meaningful changes to their lighting environments through personalization of task lighting and manual overrides ...

EISA 2007 established energy management goals and requirements, of which a sustainable lighting strategy is necessary, for federal buildings. It est...

Green Globes certification for NC projects directly necessitates a sustainable lighting strategy in the categories of Site, Energy, and Indoor Envir...

Does the building incorporate any of the following high-efficiency lighting features: compact fluorescents, T8 or T5 fluorescent lamps, exit signs w...

By consuming 17% of the building’s total electricity consumption and further influencing overall energy demand by the waste heat it emits, lig...

The lighting engineer is responsible for ensuring that all lighting regulations are met, interior and exterior spaces are sufficiently and elegantly...

The lighting engineer, in cooperation with the rest of the integrative team, should ensure as much natural daylight permeates the space as possible....

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/lmc_vol1_final.pdf

http://www.wbdg.org/resources/energy-efficient-lighting

https://app_gsagov_prod_rdcgwaajp7wr.s3.amazonaws.com/Fort_Carson_Energy_Research_Project_Lighting_508.pdf

https://www.gsa.gov/cdnstatic/Lighting_and_Daylighting_Two_Pager_508_compliant_2-9-15.pdf

Human behavior and interaction with the building space plays a critical component in achieving holistic sustainability. Desired gains in energy effi...

http://www.ibpsa.org/proceedings/BS2009/BS09_1143_1150.pdf

http://enduse.lbl.gov/Info/LBNL-39795.pdf

http://www.ibpsa.org/proceedings/BS2009/BS09_1143_1150.pdf

http://enduse.lbl.gov/Info/LBNL-39795.pdf

Finding: Occupancy sensors can save 15% to 20% on lighting energy costs. Source: ASHRAE.org | Advanced Energy Design Guide for Small to Medium Offic...

sdsdWhen designed and installed together, this bundle can decrease the electricity needed to provide adequate and high-quality light to your space. ...

Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design for Operations & Maintenance: Existing Buildings (LEED O+M: EB) addresses lighting systems through...

http://www.wbdg.org/resources/efficientlighting.php

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/106383

https://app_gsagov_prod_rdcgwaajp7wr.s3.amazonaws.com/Lighting_and_Daylighting_Two_Pager_508_compliant_2-9-15.pdf

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/mediaId/196915/fileName/Fort_Carson_Energy_Research_Project_Lighting_508.action

https://betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov/alliance/technology-campaigns/interior-lighting-campaign

The lighting engineer ultimately determines the power used by the lighting system. The engineer’s equipment selection also affects how much of this ...

Providing access to uniform general lighting, daylight and views has demonstrated beneficial returns in occupant morale, comfort, and productivity. ...

Supplementing natural light with a combination of direct and indirect light sources creates a consistent and well dispersed indoor lighting level fo...

Incorporating task lights into the overall lighting strategy allows occupants to customize their ambient light conditions on a personalized basis. T...

With payback periods often less than one year, lighting projects offer some of the simplest measures when seeking to reduce energy costs. For exampl...

The lighting systems must be commissioned (and recommissioned), and integrative design processes should be employed. Energy efficiency necessitat...

Limit the use of accent lighting. Couple necessary accent lighting applications with lighting controls to ensure highlighted objects are illuminated...

Employ a layers of light approach - using daylighting for basic ambient light levels while providing occupants with additional lighting options to m...

The interior architecture and building layout play a significant role on the lighting strategy. Maximizing daylight requires meticulous planning of ...

The beneficiaries of a lighting system upgrade are the building occupants, who should be considered in all decisions regarding their environment. Oc...

The integrative design process doesn’t end when the lighting upgrade is installed. It is important to commission the new lighting technologies and d...

Use lighting controls that dynamically adjust lighting levels according to ambient levels while allowing manual override if desired.

Provide information at workstations explaining the benefits of the lighting system and offer suggestions for adjusting task lighting levels for vari...

Properly explain the functionality and purpose of all newly-installed lighting technologies implemented in the system.

Use light colored paints on vertical surfaces and ceilings that reflect more light to create the perception of a warmer and brighter space.

Create a visually interesting lighting environment by providing flexibility (coloring, quantity, quality, and source).

Periodically test and monitor emergency lighting to ensure proper functionality.

Design lighting systems with components that minimize light loss over time, are easy to maintain, and use the fewest types of lamps.

Plan for group relamping to reduce labor costs and maintain lighting uniformity.

LEED ID+C: Commercial Interiors emphasizes daylight as a beneficial lighting strategy for the whole building. The rating system puts a preference on...

Limiting light trespass and resulting sky-glow from inefficient outdoor lighting is addressed in LEED, among other lighting-specific categories. Red...

The lighting system is primarily addressed in the Energy and Indoor Environment categories of Green Globes for Existing Buildings. Incorporating hig...

Interior Lighting

Light Pollution Reduction

Interior Lighting

Light Pollution Reduction

Interior Lighting

Are lighting controls being integrated?

Have the energy-efficient lighting systems and controls been commissioned?

Has the building had an energy audit within the past three years for the lighting system?

Does the building have sub-metering of major energy uses (e.g. lighting, hot water, motors etc.)?

Do lighting levels meet IES guidelines of 50-75 footcandles (500-800 lux) for office space?

An effective daylighting strategy sufficiently illuminates the building space without subjecting occupants to inconvenient glare or light level fluc...

Integrate task lighting and thermal controls to leverage human behavior to promote IEQ.

Interior Lighting

Interior Lighting

Interior Lighting

Educate occupants about turning off lights and computers before leaving the building.

Happier and more comfortable occupants tend to miss fewer days of work and perform at sustained levels when approaching tasks throughout the day. Pr...

Creating a sustainable and well-functioning lighting strategy by integrating efficient lighting technologies, controls, and space layout has been sh...

Lighting plays an important role in the safety of humans within and outside of the building. Emergency lighting must efficiently direct occupants du...

An educational campaign for your staff can quickly pay for itself. Ask your employees to turn off the lights when leaving a room, particularly at th...

When specifying or replacing a particular lighting component, consider coordinating that component with other related building equipment. Lighting t...

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) established a number of energy management goals for federal facilities involving components of a sustaina...

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992) amended the National Energy Consumption Policy Act and gave federal agencies the authority to enter into ...

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) amends EPAct 1992 and establishes a number of energy management goals for federal facilities involving co...

Provides the minimum requirements for energy-efficient design of most buildings, except low-rise residential buildings in the United States. Require...

Facilitate the transition from a passive occupant to an active participant through training and incentives. Where appropriate, account for passive ...

Adhere to all outdoor lighting codes and regulations regarding human safety. Survey occupants on their feelings of security during evening hours and...

Is there sub-metering installed for the following systems: light and lighting controls by floor or by zones, plug loads by floor or by zone, major e...

Finding: One lighting upgrade at a postal sorting facility in Reno, Nevada led to a 6% increase in worker output and a reduction in sorting errors.S...

https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/commercial_initiative/sustainable_guide_ch5.pdf?bcsi_scan_F066E91406BDD76E=0&bcsi_scan_...

https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/commercial_initiative/sustainable_guide_ch5.pdf

Poorly designed lighting systems, characterized by uncomfortable fluctuations in luminance levels or excessive glare, causes visual discomfort and l...

An upgrade that results in a 35% increase in lighting efficiency could save over $0.18/sf/yr.Courtesy: E Source; data from Right Light Consortium ...

High-efficiency lighting tends to have very long life. Technologies like LEDs, which today have longer payback periods when considering energy alone...

Providing daylight access and views for occupants is important in reaching performance goals as part of the IEQ strategy. According to a study done ...

A lighting upgrade can cut energy bills, improve the look of a facility, and boost employee morale, but all those benefits can fade away if the new ...

The lighting system has a tremendous impact on building resources, primarily through the electricity and associated energy it demands. Designing, im...

Limit internal “night lighting” by utilizing occupancy sensors (currently allowed by safety codes) during off-peak hours.

Reduce electrical lighting consumption and associated waste heat by pairing harvested daylight with automated dimmers and photosensors.

Commission all lighting systems including controls to ensure they are performing as required and create a retro-commissioning to maintain the desire...

Defining and establishing lighting quality and performance criteria for the daily activities of the worker is the role of the workplace specialist. ...

The mechanical engineer will size the heating and cooling equipment based on both internal heat loads and heat loss through the building envelope. ...

Dealing with existing buildings undergoing change will involve the Facility Manager. The facility manager should work with architects and lighting e...

Regularly survey occupants to ensure the ambient workspace light conditions are satisfactory and not being consistently overridden.

Provide placards encouraging users to turn off unneeded lights. Consider incentives for those reducing their electricity consumption.

Provide placards explaining the principles of automated light controls so users understand when and how it is appropriate to override those controls...

Couple indirect and direct lighting fixtures to create a well-balanced illuminated work environment without uncomfortable shadows.

Even though energy and maintenance are significant portions of an organization’s operating budget, these tend to be greatly outweighed by the cost o...

Retro-commission lighting controls to ensure that they continue to work as expected and are not obscured by new furniture arrangements.

Develop an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) manual to serve as the lighting-management policy and a central operating reference for building managem...

Is there a requirement that electrical lighting should be integrated with daylighting, taking into account daily and seasonal variations?

Is there a planned schedule of cleaning light fixtures? Is there a group-relamping program?

Be sure to buy LEDs from the DesignLights Consortium (DLC) Qualified Products List.  DLC qualified LEDs provide the most lifecycle cost effecti...

The integrative design process understands that buildings, their components, and their context are interrelated. Whole-building systems observe this...

Occupant behavior plays a critical role in achieving the designed energy efficiency of lighting systems. Energy modeling accuracies can often vary b...

IEQ occupant surveys are a cost effective and valuable resource for identifying areas of discomfort or dissatisfaction to address during renovation ...

Occupant comfort can be optimized by providing high levels of individual or group controllability with regard to ambient air, lighting, and sound. T...

Provide occupants with safe and healthy ventilation and thermal comfort, in alignment with applicable ASHRAE standards and statutory requirements....

Design windows to allow daylight to penetrate as far as possible into the space. Consider using light shelves to reflect daylight off the ceiling an...

Avoid direct beam sunlight in continuously occupied spaces to minimize direct glare. However, designing for contrasting light levels, or sun “spots”...

Finding: LED downlight lamps for existing CFL ballasts can produce energy savings between 40-50%, matching light levels and quality, and have a...

Upgrade lighting economically by retrofitting components (lamps, ballasts, or reflectors) within the existing system. Replacing the lamps with appro...

Does the floor plan of the building potentially allow for 80% of a typical working area to have access to day-lighting or are approximately 40% of w...

Submetering systems help to improve resource efficiency and conservation practices in a building, which can be used to improve indoor environmental ...

Choosing lamps and fixtures with long lives not only saves on maintenance costs but reduces waste that might otherwise go to the landfill. LEDs cont...

Replace low-efficiency lighting technologies (incandescent, fluorescent, etc.) with higher efficiency, longer lasting LEDs.

The integrative design process understands that buildings, their components, and their context are interrelated. Observe this principle by involving...

The occupant’s health and productivity is directly affected by the IEQ and therefore their well-being should be considered throughout the inte...

Systems can malfunction, drift out of spec, or become obsolete over the life time of the building. It is important to commission and regularly re-co...

Low-emitting materials that give off little to no harmful chemicals, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are promoted in LEED for Interior De...

Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) for Building Design and Construction (BD+C) highlights indoor environmental quality in a fully ...

When employing sustainable lighting strategies, financial benefits can be realized from several sources including energy savings from proper control...

EISA 2007 established energy management goals and requirements, of which a sustainable lighting strategy is necessary, for federal buildings. It est...

By establishing green cleaning contracts and purchasing agreements that specify environmentally-friendly cleaning and office materials, the facility...

Interior space not only impacts materials and resource use, but also is critical to human performance through safe and healthy interiors that promo...

The integrative design process understands that buildings, their components, and their context are interrelated. Whole-building systems observe this...

Your electricity bill tends to have several line items, such as costs for generation, distribution, and taxes. Some of these are related to consump...

HVAC systems must be commissioned (and recommissioned), and integrative design principles should be employed. Energy efficiency necessitates HVA...

Planted roofs reduce building energy use by cooling roofs and providing shading, thermal mass and insulation. Building-Level Energy Reduction The ...

The vegetation on a planted roof removes fine particulates (PM), black carbon, and pollen out of the air, which lends well to incorporating solar pa...

Americans spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors1 and as a result their comfort, health, and work performance rely heavily on indoor e...

One of the best ways to save energy is to measure and manage it. There are two basic methods for managing resource use: through improved resou...