lighting control

[Jaime A. Restrepo]

For a building less than 5000 square feet, and provided with a lighting control panel, Can the switches, or occupancy sensors for any room, such as conference room, bathrooms, etc be eliminated and have the lights controlled by just the lighting control panel. The lighting control panel is located in a electrical room, no within sight of the lights controlled. In other words, Do the lights of an enclosed space need to have a local control?

 

[rcarroll]

You don't need switches in the same rooms as the luminaires in most cases. See 210.70(C).

 

[kkwong]

Depends where you're at. If you have any energy regulations, like Title 24 in CA, then probably not.

The other concern that I have, is the lighting control panel listed for SWD and is it zoned or a site type panel?

 

[raider1]

The NEC really doesn't address the location of switches as a general rule.

But as Kkwong has pointed out there are other codes that due address this issue.

Here is what the 2006 Internation Energy Conservation Code requires for lighting in commercial applications:

505.2.1 Interior lighting controls. Each area enclosed by
walls or floor-to-ceiling partitions shall have at least one
manual control for the lighting serving that area. The
required controls shall be located within the area served by
the controls or be a remote switch that identifies the lights
served and indicates their status.
Exceptions:
1. Areas designated as security or emergency areas
that must be continuously lighted.
2. Lighting in stairways or corridors that are elements
of the means of egress.

Chris

 

[smithacetech]

The NEC really doesn't address the location of switches as a general rule.

But as Kkwong has pointed out there are other codes that due address this issue.

Here is what the 2006 Internation Energy Conservation Code requires for lighting in commercial applications:

505.2.1 Interior lighting controls. Each area enclosed by
walls or floor-to-ceiling partitions shall have at least one
manual control for the lighting serving that area. The
required controls shall be located within the area served by
the controls or be a remote switch that identifies the lights
served and indicates their status.
Exceptions:
1. Areas designated as security or emergency areas
that must be continuously lighted.
2. Lighting in stairways or corridors that are elements
of the means of egress.

Chris

Does this also include industrial buildings? Would'nt the circuit breaker qualify?

 

[raider1]

Does this also include industrial buildings? Would'nt the circuit breaker qualify?

Yes this section applys to industrial buildings, here is the definition of "commercial building" in the 2006 IECC:

COMMERCIAL BUILDING. For this code, all buildings
that are not included in the definition of ?Residential buildings.?

Here is the definition of "Residential buildings":

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING. For this code, includes R-3
buildings, as well as R-2 and R-4 buildings three stories or less
in height above grade.

So basically anything that does not fall under the definition of residential building is a commercial building according to the IECC.

A breaker could be used to meet this requirement.

Also keep in mind that the IECC also requires lighting reduction controls as well as automatic lighting shutoff for buildings larger than 5,000 square feet.

Chris

 

[bphgravity]

This appears to be a Florida based question. All your lighting energy related code requirements can be found in Section 13-415 of the FBC...