Sustainable Facilities Tool General Services Administration

• The lighting systems must be commissioned, and integrative design processes should be employed.
• A 30% reduction in energy use compared to ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for new construction necessitates lighting best practices and use of energy efficient lighting products.
• "Maximize opportunities for daylighting in regularly occupied space, except where not appropriate because of building function, mission, or structural constraints."
• "Maximize the use of automatic dimming controls or accessible manual lighting controls, task lighting, and appropriate shade and glare control."

Determining Compliance with the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings

• Assessing existing lighting conditions and incorporating a building management plan to ensure lighting component upgrades are carried out as designed is important.
• Recommission lighting to verify performance; building recommissioning must have been performed within two years prior to reporting a building as meeting the Guiding Principles.
• "Maximize opportunities for daylighting within the existing structure except where not appropriate because of building function, mission, or structural constraints."
• "Maximize the use of automatic dimming controls or accessible manual lighting controls, task lighting where life cycle cost-effective, and appropriate shade and glare control"

Determining Compliance with the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings

Executive Order (EO) 13834, "Efficient Federal Operations", directed Federal agencies to pursue "reductions in building energy use and implement energy efficiency measures that reduce costs", and lighting system upgrades can help meet these goals. The EO 13834 Implementing Instructions provide additional detail on how agency performance on energy reduction will be measured and assessed.

Executive Order 13834

Executive Order 13834 Implementing Instructions

EISA 2007 established energy management goals and requirements, of which a sustainable lighting strategy is necessary, for federal buildings. It established a 30% energy consumption goal per gross square foot of federal space. It also required facility managers to complete preliminary comprehensive energy evaluations coupled with plans for ongoing lighting maintenance and commissioning. EISA also strengthened energy-efficient lighting procurement requirements by specifying Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)-designated products and prohibiting the purchase of incandescent light bulbs in some circumstances.

GPO.gov | Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) established a number of energy management goals for federal facilities involving components of a sustainable lighting system. Each agency is required to incorporate energy efficiency criteria in “all procurements involving energy consuming products and systems.” EPAct 2005 also directs new federal buildings to be designed 30% below the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) or International Energy Code standards.

DOE | Energy Policy Act of 2005

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct 1992) amended the National Energy Consumption Policy Act and gave federal agencies the authority to enter into energy savings performance controls (ESPCs) and encouraged negotiations with electric utility companies to find incentives for sustainable lighting systems. It also required 20% energy consumption reductions per gross square foot of federal buildings by FY2000.

Congress.gov | Energy Policy Act of 1992

The National Energy Consumption Policy Act (NECPA) serves as the underlying authority for federal energy management goals and has been regularly updated and amended by subsequent policies such as EPAct 1992, EPAct 2005, and EISA 2007. Energy reduction goals are set and amended as new best practices arise.

Energy.gov | National Energy Consumption Policy, Federal Energy Initiative, Federal Energy Management