Light-Years Ahead: A New Approach to Transform Commercial Lighting

Philip Mosenthal, Optimal Energy, Inc.
Priscilla Richards, NYSERDA
Steven Lacey, ICF Consulting

Keywords

Abstract

Vermont and New York are leading the nation with the first ever statewide efficiency utility and a central administrator for delivering systems benefits charge (SBC) funded efficiency programs. Under these efficiency frameworks has emerged an innovative new approach to transform commercial lighting practices. The two approaches are spearheading similar efforts that shift the traditional focus of promoting equipment to promoting — and providing the proper tools for — high quality efficient lighting design.

This paper describes and contrasts the two programs, the theory behind them, and provides limited results and lessons learned. Both programs target small- and medium-sized commercial new construction, renovation and lighting remodeling. They set stringent lighting performance standards for each building space type. In addition, they require that lighting systems be properly analyzed and assessed in terms of certain important metrics, including vertical and horizontal illuminance, visual probability factors (glare) and color rendering. Lighting designers, suppliers and contractors are provided with tools, incentives and
assistance to perform these analyses that are currently often ignored, resulting in excess energy use, poor quality and concomitant reductions in productivity, or both. The goals of these programs are not only to acquire lighting efficiency savings, but also to transform the capabilities and common practice of lighting practitioners to ensure high quality, high efficiency and aesthetically pleasing spaces. While these programs are independent, they both coordinate with and enhance a regional effort at lighting market transformation currently underway in the Northeast, while going significantly beyond that effort.