Exterior Emergency Lighting?

[chuck@apsinc.biz]

NEC 210.70(A)(2)(b) requires an exterior light at all exits from a dwelling unit. However, I can not find anything in the NEC that requires an exterior light outside the doors of commercial occupancies.

The 2003 IBC section 1006.1 says "Illumination required. The means of egress, including the exit discharge, shall be illuminated at all times the building space served by the means of egress is occupied."

To me this says basically every exit has to have an exterior light. Any comments?

In addition IBC 1006.3(5) says " In the event of power supply failure, an emergency electrical system shall automatically illuminate the following areas: The portion of the exterior exit discharge immediately adjacent to exit discharge doorways in buildings required to have two or more exits.

Therefore not only does every exit have to have an exterior light, but that light has to "emergency" if it is one of two or more required exits.

Am I reading this right?

Say I have a retail strip center with 10 bays that have 2-exits, one in the front and one in the back. According to this I need 20 lights, 10 in the front and 10 in the back, on emergency power. Where does it stop? I thought the whole point was to get people out of the building, not light there way home???

 

[ryan_618]

Re: Exterior Emergency Lighting?

You won't find anything in the NEC that addresses this, because it is not an NEC issue. It is, however, a building code issue, and yes, emergency lighting is required on the exterior of any and all spaces requiring two or more exits.

 

[sceepe]

Re: Exterior Emergency Lighting?

To me this says basically every exit has to have an exterior light. Any comments?

You are correct. This means no metal halide lights or other HID outside the door. If the power goes out and the emergency power kicks in the restrike time will leave them in the dark.

To satisfy IBC and energy code, your basically stuck using florescent. Good luck if your in a cold climate trying to put florescent ballasts and batteries outside. Other option is to use a emergency light or exit sign / emerg light combo inside the exit and put a remote head on the outside.

Where does it stop? I thought the whole point was to get people out of the building, not light there way home???

I have had inspectors who wanted me to put the pole lights between the exit and the parking lot on emergency. They said the exit discharge extended all the way to the public right of way.

 

[iwire]

Re: Exterior Emergency Lighting?

Originally posted by sceepe:
This means no metal halide lights or other HID outside the door. If the power goes out and the emergency power kicks in the restrike time will leave them in the dark.

How about quartz re-strike lamps in the HIDs?

 

[Jerimi]

Re: Exterior Emergency Lighting?

Chuck,

The 2003 IBC section 1006.1 says "Illumination required. The means of egress, including the exit discharge, shall be illuminated at all times the building space served by the means of egress is occupied."

Note that the IBC defines the EXIT DISCHARGE: The portion of a means of egress system between the termination of an exit and a public way .

Therefore, you must provide a minimum of one foot candle at all outdoor locations all the way to a public street, alley, sidewalk, etc...

Jerimi Meyers
Electrical Inspector

 

[chuck@apsinc.biz]

Re: Exterior Emergency Lighting?

JERIMI,

The EM on the exterior per the IBC says:

"5.The portion of the exterior exit discharge immediately adjacent to exit discharge doorways in buildings required to have two or more exits."

This only eludes to the "PORTION" of the exit discharge "IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT" to exit discharge doorways....

Therefore you do not have to put EM lighting at all outdoor locations all the way to a public street, alley, sidewalk, etc...

How ever you do bring up an interesting point on the min. 1-foot candle requirement at all exterior locations. Do you have any idea how IES is addressing this, since their recommended standards are at times lower than 1-foot candle?

 

[Ole'sBuddie]

Exterior Emergency Lighting

Exterior Emergency Lighting

Another question......

We are being asked by a local plans examiner to connect the exterior emergency lights in a strip shopping center, so that they are connected to the building exterior lighting circuits, and he is citing NEC 700.12(F).

The exterior building lights are connected to a house panel. Presently, we have the emergency lights connected to the tenant panels with the unit equipment interior to the space, and remote heads on the exterior of the building.

Is the plans examiner correct in his interpretation???