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Lighting Energy Code Compliance

Excel Link Updates

A number of new functions were added to the Excel Link to make this feature possible. Previously, you could only insert quantity counts from the database into your Excel spreadsheet. For energy code compliance, it is necessary to import more types of information.

You can insert the following attributes for each light fixture type. When the fixture type is changed in Design Master, the function will automatically update the value in Excel.

Light Fixture Attributes

Room Attributes

Room Type Attributes

Lighting Group Attributes

Quick Label Insertion

We also included quick label insertion commands. Most often, you will not need to use any of the above functions. Instead, they will already be inserted in a pre-made spreadsheet. You will only need to fill in values specific to your project. The quick label insertion commands allow you to quickly insert light fixture types, room numbers, room types, and light fixture group names.

AutoCAD Updates

Exempt lighting

Light fixtures can be marked as exempt. In the Project Schedule, there is a checkbox for marking all light fixtures of a specific type as exempt. On the devices toolbar, there are commands to mark specific light fixtures on the drawing as either exempt, not exempt, or default exempt (match what the schedule exempt setting is for that light fixture). These light fixtures will be ignored when doing quantity counts for energy calculations.

Lighting groups

Lighting groups are for creating task areas in Title 24. Nothing in a lighting group is required, so you can tailor it to whatever the code requires. You can associate specific light fixtures with a group. You can draw an area or line on the drawing to associate with the group. You can set a LF mounting height and throw distance. You can set a lighting power density or illuminance category. You can have the area of the group subtracted or not subtracted from the room it is in.

For Title 24, you typically will associate specific lights with a group and an area, defined either as a horizontal area or a line with a height for a vertical area. If your lights are mounted high or far away, you will want to set the LF attributes for the group. Most of them will need an illuminance category set. In most cases, they will subtract area from the room area. Very valuable merchandise is one exception where the area of the lighting group should not be subtracted from the area of the room.

Room Changes

Rooms now have a lighting power density and illuminance category associated with them. I have schedules for WA state rooms and CA state rooms that I will need to get loaded in the REI customization databases. When you start a project, you will be able to select the room group to import. After a project has started, you can also import a specific group from the room master schedule.