The intent of this credit is to minimize light trespass from the building and site, reduce sky-glow to increase night sky access, improve nighttime visibility through glare reduction, and reduce development impact on nocturnal environments.

Requirements for Certification:

Verify light trespass requirements are met by providing site plan showing initial horizontal and vertical footcandles. Provide catalog cut-sheets of all site and building mounted luminaires.

Successful Strategies:

• Minimize site lighting where possible
• Full cutoff-luminaries
• Low-reflectance surfaces
• Low-angle spotlights

Helpful Hints:

1. Exterior luminaires with lamps over 1,000 lumens must be shielded and those with lamps of 3,500 or more lumens must be full cutoff fixtures, as defined by IESNA.
2. If city street lights are being installed as part of the project scope and they are located within the project's site boundary, these fixtures must comply with credit requirements.
3. In campus settings, a project need not have zero footcandles at the site boundary and can take a comprehensive approach to the campus lighting plan. See the LEED Campus Application Guide for more details.
4. Projects should be especially cautious with monument, flagpole and signage lighting, artistic or building up lighting and landscape up lighting.

Historical Data (updated June 2006):

• Five California LEED v2.1 certified buildings have achieved this credit.
• 30% of all California LEED Certified projects achieved this credit for LEED v2.1.
• 30% average electricity savings is estimated for projects attaining this credit.

Additional EDR Resources

Online training module #2

Design Briefs: Efficient Lighting Systems

Design Briefs: Options & Opportunities

Case Studies: Title 24 and Savings By Design