California T24 Compliant Lighting from ET2 Contemporary Lighting

Since 1978, all new homes, additions and alterations to existing homes, and most commercial buildings within California are required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards contained in Title 24, Part 6 of the California Code of Regulations. The Energy Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings were established in response to a legislative mandate to reduce California's energy consumption. The standards are updated periodically to allow consideration and possible incorporation of new energy efficiency technologies and methods.

California's building efficiency standards (along with those for energy efficient appliances) have saved more than $56 billion in electricity and natural gas costs since 1978. It is estimated the standards will save an additional $23 billion by 2013.

Any new homes, or the remodeled part of new homes that require building permits, will be subject to the new standards.

More energy-efficient lighting - which right now often means fluorescent lighting - will be required, as will dimmers and occupancy sensors.

Lights in bathrooms, garages, laundry rooms and outside, on the front porch, should be hard-wired for fluorescent. At least half the wattage in kitchens must be from high-efficacy lighting. Again, that means "fluorescent" today.

High-efficacy lighting is defined as:

• 15 watts or less: Minimum of 40 lumens/watt
• 15 to 40 watts: Minimum of 50 lumens/watt
• More than 40 watts: Minimum of 60 lumens/watt

It must not contain medium-based incandescent sockets, except for outdoor high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting containing an HID lamp and factory-installed, hardwired HID ballast and HID raised socket that meet minimum lumens/watt.

By the code's definition, virtually all pin-based fluorescent systems will qualify as meeting the residential lighting standards.

Whenever end users have the option of using an incandescent lamp in a fixture, that luminaire is considered to be "low efficacy."

High efficacy lighting systems must be operated on separate switch from incandescent or other low efficacy lighting systems.

For additional information on California Energy Efficency Standards, visit the Web Site of the California Energy Commission here.

ET2 Contemporary Lighting has a wide selection of California Title 24 Compliant Indoor and Outdoor lighting fixtures. To view selection, click here.