5 Questions to Ask: Title 24 Compliance & Lighting Retrofits

This “Cliff Notes” Version Of Title 24 Will Provide You Important Questions To Ask When Planning Your Lighting Retrofit Project.

California’s Title 24 is a very extensive energy code standard for new and existing residential and nonresidential buildings. In today’s post we present five questions to ask when determining the minimum lighting control (per Title 24) when retrofitting a specific space. This snapshot of Title 24 is part of our partners 16500‘s “Lighting Controls Application Guide – Title 24” document. Download the guide here.

Title 24 is much more comprehensive than what we will cover here. Please use the “Cliff Notes” as a starting point and not a replacement for the full Title 24 requirements.

The Lighting Control Application Guide contains information for both new construction and retrofits, and works as a “Cliff Notes” guide to Title 24. The following questions focus on LED Lighting retrofit applications.

Q1: Is my project a light fixture alteration or a light fixture component modification?
(p. 4 of “Cliff Notes” Lighting Controls Application Guide)

From the matrix on p. 4 select your project type – alteration or modification.

Light Fixture Alteration includes: 1) Removing and reinstalling of existing fixtures 2) Replacing or adding entire fixtures 3) Adding, removing or replacing walls or ceilings along with any redesign of the lighting system.

Light Fixture Component Modification includes: 1) Ballast, drivers and lamp replacements in the light fixture 2) Permanent changing of the lighting source of the light fixture 3) Changing optical system of the light fixture.

Q2: What type of alteration or modification is my lighting retrofit project?
(p. 4 of “Cliff Notes” Lighting Controls Application Guide)

On the same matrix on p. 4, you will see the categories Reinstall, Replace / Add Luminaires, Changes in enclosed space and Luminaires per Annum. Select the category that aligns with your project. This will guide your Minimum Required Control Type (See Question 4).

Q3: Do I need to calculate lighting power density or luminaires per annum?
(p. 4 of “Cliff Notes” Lighting Controls Application Guide)

If your application requires the calculation of lighting power density, reference the complete Title 24 requirements. See the detailed specification Section 140.6 – Prescriptive Requirements for Indoor Lighting or 140.7 Prescriptive Requirements for Outdoor Lighting. For additional support with your lighting project, Buckles-Smith Electric can connect you with a Lighting Controls Application Engineer. Contact us for additional support.

Q4: What is my minimum required control?
(p. 4 of “Cliff Notes” Lighting Controls Application Guide)

Questions 1-3 will guide you to select the control type requirements set by Title 24. In the matrix, the control types are categorized as A, B, C, D, R or E. These six control categories include: Manual Control, Auto-Shut-Off, Automatic Daylighting Control, 120V Outlet Control and Demand Response.

Q5: What is your Area Type?
(p. 2 of “Cliff Notes” Lighting Controls Application Guide)

In Question 4 you determined your minimum control type. Now you must cross reference this finding with the Keyed Notes for Each Type on p.4 and the Non-Residential & High-Rise Indoor Areas Control matrix on p. 2. Based on your Area Type, the matrix on p. 2 will provide the next level of detail for the minimum required control type (i.e. A1, A2, A3, B2, C6, R1, R2). You can go above and beyond what’s required, but the matrix on p. 2 indicates the minimum control requirement you must meet to be Title 24 compliant.

Note: What if the minimum required control type was blank on p.4, but the area type has a keyed code on the matrix on p.2?

In this case, you would not be required to implement the coordinating minimum required control type (such as “Automatic Daylighting Control”), as Title 24 would not be “triggered”. All other control types would be required per Title 24.

Example Using Title 24 “Cliff Notes” to Determine the Minimum Control Type

Here is a simple example of how the “Cliff Notes” Lighting Controls Application Guide works for a Lighting Retrofit of a “Warehouse – Open Area”. In this example you are reinstalling ≥ 10% of existing fixtures and your lighting power density calculation resulted in ≤ 85% per Title 24 Section 140.6:

1. Based on the project criteria, you would select the following project application from the matrix on p.4: Luminaire Alterations  – Reinstall ≥ 10% – Power ≤ 85%
   
2. After you have determined your general control type from the matrix on p. 4, you will cross reference the Keyed Notes for Each Type on p.4 and the Non-Residential & High-Rise Indoor Areas Control matrix on p. 2. Look for your “Area Type” in the matrix on p. 2.
   
3. In the matrix on p. 2, the columns to the right indicate “Minimum Required Control Type” and each row specifies a key code. Here are the control types for our Warehouse – Open Area Lighting Retrofit example:

• Manual Control: On/Off A1
• Manual Control: Multi-Level N/A
• Auto-Shut-Off: Occupant Sensor / Auto Time Switch C6
• Automatic Daylighting Control N/A (see note on Question 5)
• 120V Outlet Control N/A
• Demand Response N/A (see note on Question 5)
  

4. Determining your Area Type on p.2 and referencing the Areas Control Matrix on p. 3, the matrix will indicate required control. In our Warehouse-Open Area example the minimum required manual control type would be A1:

A1: REQUIRED. Must be located within the room and accessible to users. EXCEPT, in Malls, Atria, Auditorium areas, Retail Merchandise Sales areas, Wholesale Showroom areas, Commercial/Industrial Storage and Work areas, Convention Centers, and Arenas, the control may be located in other areas provided the user can see the controlled lighting, or the status of the controlled lighting is annunciated to the user.

This “Cliff Notes” Lighting Controls Application Guide is a complimentary tool, not a substitute, for complete Title 24 compliance. We understand Title 24 comes with a lot of new information and we hope this guide helps you better understand the requirements set by the Title 24 Energy Code.

For more lighting and lighting control support, Buckles-Smith Electric partners with 16500 to support your lighting and lighting control needs, such as:

Lighting Controls Applications Engineering:

• Product/system selection and technical support
• Wiring diagrams
• CAD assistance
• System layouts
• Quotations
• Submittals
• Fixture-integrated controls coordination

Lighting Applications Engineering:

• Product selection and technical support
• Product specific lighting illuminance and power density calculations
• Lighting layouts
• Quotations
• Submittals