2006 and 2009 IECC Lighting Requirements

Documenting Compliance

Indicate switching schemes, fixture types, and lamp/ballast types that comply on your project plans.

Complete and sign the Lighting Compliance Certificate, generated using the View/Print Report or Save Report option under the File menu.

Exempted Lighting

The following lighting is exempt from all compliance and mandatory requirements:

2009 IECC: Lighting within dwelling units where 50% or more of the permanently installed interior light fixtures are fitted with high-efficacy lamps.  

North Carolina: Lighting within dwelling units where 75% or more of the permanently installed interior light fixtures are fitted with high-efficacy lamps.

All other codes:  Lighting within dwelling units.  

Interior-Lighting Controls

At least one manual lighting control is required for each area enclosed by ceiling -height partitions.  These controls can be any of the following:

A switch located so the occupant can see the area controlled by the switch

A switch that indicates whether the lights are on or off when it is impossible to see the controlled area from the switch location.

EXCEPTIONS:

Areas designated as security or emergency areas that must be continuously lighted.

Lighting in stairways or corridors that are elements of the means of egress.

Automatic Lighting Shutoff Control

2006 IECC/2009 IECC:

Automatic shutoff control is also required for spaces that require manual controls but only for buildings larger than 5000 square feet.  This control can be:

A programmable time-of-day controller with independent control for spaces not exceeding 25,000 square feet and/or for single floors, or

An occupant sensing device that turns lighting off within 30 minutes or occupant leaving the space, or

Signal from another control or alarm system that indicates area is unoccupied

EXCEPTIONS:

Sleeping units

Patient care spaces

Spaces where an automatic shutoff would endanger occupant safety or security

Automatic time switch control devices must include:

An override switching device that:

Is readily accessible

Is located so the person using the device can see the lights or the area controlled by the switch, or so the area being lit is annunciated

Is manually operated

Allows lighting to remain on for no more than 2 hours when an override is initiated

Controls an area not exceeding 5000 square feet

An automatic holiday scheduling feature that turns off all loads for at least 24 hours, then resumes normal scheduled operation.  EXCEPTIONS:  Retail stores and associated malls, restaurants, grocery stores, churches, and theaters.

2009 IECC:  Daylight Zone Control

Daylight zones must have individual control of the lights independent of general area lighting

Contiguous daylight zones adjacent to vertical fenestration can be controlled by a single controlling device if the zone A space or group of spaces within a building with any combination of heating, cooling, or lighting requirements sufficiently similar so that desired conditions can be maintained throughout by a single controlling device doesn't include areas facing more than two adjacent orientations (i.e., north, east, south, west)

Daylight zones under skylights more than 15 feet from the perimeter must be controlled separately from daylight zones adjacent to vertical fenestration

EXCEPTIONS:  Daylight spaces 1) enclosed by walls or ceiling-height partitions and 2) containing two or fewer light fixtures are not required to have a separate switch for general area lighting

Master Switches

Sleeping Units:  One or more master light switches are required at the entry door of sleeping units in hotels, motels, boarding houses or similar buildings.  Master switches operate all permanently wired luminaires and switched receptacles.  In multiple-room suites, the control can be at the entrance to each separate room or at the primary entry. EXCEPTION:  Bathroom lighting.

Light Reduction Controls

Areas that require manual controls must allow the occupant to reduce the connected lighting load by at least 50 percent in a reasonably uniform illumination pattern.  Lighting reduction requirements may be met by

Controlling all lamps or luminaires

Dual switching alternate rows of luminaires, alternate luminaires or alternate lamps

Switching the middle lamp luminaires independently of the outer lamps

Switching each luminaire or lamp

EXCEPTIONS:

The area has only one luminaire

An occupant-sensing device controls the area

The area is a corridor, storeroom, restroom, public lobby, or sleeping unit

The space has a lighting power density less than 0.6 Watts per square feet

Exterior-Lighting Controls

2006 IECC:  Astronomical time switch or photosensor controls are required for all exterior lights to turn off exterior lighting when sufficient day light is available or when the lighting is not required during night time hours. Astronomical time switches shall be capable of retaining programming and the time setting during loss of power for a period of at least 10 hours.

EXCEPTION:  Lighting in covered vehicle areas or exits from buildings or parking structures where required for safety, security, or eye adaptation.

2009 IECC:  Astronomical time switch or a combination of a photosensor and a time switch control are required for all exterior lights not designated for dusk-to-dawn operation to turn off exterior lighting when sufficient day light is available or when the lighting is not required during night time hours. Astronomical time switch or photosensor control is required for lighting designated for dusk-to-dawn operation.  All time switches shall be capable of retaining programming and the time setting during loss of power for a period of at least 10 hours.

Tandem Wiring

The following types of one-lamp, three-lamp or odd-numbered lamp fluorescent fixtures must be tandem-wired:

Pendant- or surface-mounted luminaires within 1 foot edge-to-edge of each other

Recess-mounted luminaires located within 10 feet center-to-center of each other

EXCEPTION:  luminaires

that use electronic high-frequency ballasts

on emergency circuits

with no available pair

Exit Signs

Internally illuminated exit signs must not exceed 5 Watts per side.

Interior-Lighting Requirements

2006 IECC:  Interior lighting must not exceed the allocated wattage determined on the Lighting screen.  Interior lighting includes all permanently installed general and task lighting shown on the plans.  It does not include emergency lighting that is automatically off, specialized medical, dental, or research lighting, lighting for museum, monument, or gallery displays, professional sports arena playing field lighting, or guest room lighting.  Screw lamp holder wattage is the maximum luminaire labeled wattage.  Low-voltage lighting is the specified wattage of the supply transformer.  Track lighting wattage must be calculated as the greater of 30 W/linear foot of track or the actual total luminaire wattage.

2009 IECC:  The 2009 IECC permits fixtures used for the following purposes to be treated as exempt from inclusion in interior lighting power totals.

1.  Connected power associated with the following lighting equipment is excluded in the calculation of total connected lighting power:

Professional sports arena playing field lighting

Sleeping unit lighting in hotels, motels, boarding houses or similar buildings

Emergency lighting automatically off during normal building operation

Lighting in spaces specifically designated for use by occupants with special lighting needs including the visually impaired and other medical and age-related issues

Casino gaming areas

2.  Lighting equipment used for the following is exempt provided it is in addition to general lighting and controlled by an independent control device:

Task lighting for medical and dental purposes

Display lighting for exhibits in galleries, museums and monuments

3.  Lighting for theatrical purposes, including performance, stage, film production and video production

4.  Lighting for photographic processes

5.  Lighting integral to equipment or instrumentation and is installed by the manufacturer

6.  Task lighting for plant growth or maintenance

7.  Advertising signage or directional signage

8.  In restaurant buildings and areas, lighting for food warming or integral to food preparation equipment.

9.  Lighting equipment that is for sale

10.  Lighting demonstration equipment in lighting education facilities

11.  Lighting approved because of safety or emergency considerations, inclusive of exit lights

12.  Lighting integral to both open and glass-enclosed refrigerator and freezer cases

13.  Lighting in retail display windows, provided the display area is enclosed by ceiling-height partitions

14.  Furniture-mounted supplemental task lighting that is controlled by automatic shutoff

Screw lamp holder wattage is the maximum luminaire labeled wattage.  Low-voltage lighting is the specified wattage of the supply transformer.  Line voltage track lighting is either 1) specific wattage with minimum 30 W/linear ft OR 2) wattage limit of system's circuit breaker OR 3) wattage limit of other permanent current limiting devices.

Exterior-Lighting Requirements

Exterior lighting supplied through the building electrical service and not otherwise exempted must meet the following criteria:

All exterior building grounds luminaires that operate at greater than 100 watts shall contain lamps having a minimum efficacy of 60 lm/W unless the luminaire is controlled by a motion sensor or is otherwise exempted.

2006 IECC:  The total exterior lighting power allowance for all exterior building applications is the sum of the individual lighting power densities permitted in Table 505.6.2 for these applications plus an additional unrestricted allowance of 5% of that sum. Trade-offs are allowed only among exterior lighting applications listed in the Table 505.6.2 "Tradable Surfaces" section.

2009 IECC:  The total exterior lighting power allowance for all exterior building applications is the sum of the base site allowance plus the individual allowances for areas that are to be illuminated and are permitted in Table 505.6.2(2) for the applicable lighting zone.  Tradeoffs are allowed only among exterior lighting applications listed in Table 505.6.2.(2), Tradable Surfaces section.

EXCEPTIONS: Lighting used for the following exterior applications is exempt when equipped with a control device independent of the control of the nonexempt lighting:

Specialized signal, directional, and marker lighting associated with transportation

Advertising signage or directional signage

Lighting integral to equipment or instrumentation and installed by its manufacturer

Lighting for theatrical purposes, including performance, stage, film production, and video production

Lighting for athletic playing areas

Temporary lighting

Lighting for industrial production, material handling, transportation sites, and associated storage areas

Theme elements in theme/amusement parks

Lighting used to highlight features of public monuments and registered historic landmark structures or buildings

For more information, see Exterior Lighting

2006 IECC:  TABLE 505.6.2 Lighting Power Densities for Building Exteriors

Electrical Energy Consumption

 Individual dwelling units must be separately metered