Codes & Standards - Lane Coburn

1 This summer marked a Codes changing of theguard in Washington state: As of July 1, allprojects in the state obtaining building per-mits must now follow the International BuildingCode (IBC). Previously, all projects followed theUniform Building code (UBC). One significant dif-ference between the two is the treatment ofpower for emergency 1006, Means of Egress Illumination, more specifically, , Illumination Emer-gency Power, states the following:The power supply for means of egress illumi-nation shall normally be provided by thepremise s electrical supply. In the event of powersupply failure, an emergency electrical system shallautomatically illuminate the following areas:1)Exit access corridors, passageways and aisles inrooms and spaces that require two or more meansof )Exit access corridors and exit stairways locatedin buildings required to have two or more )Exterior egress components at levels other thanthat of exit discharge until exit discharge is accom-plished for buildings requiring two or more )Interior exit discharge elements, as permittedin Section , in buildings required to havetwo or more )The portion of the exterior exit dischargeimmediately adjacent to the exit discharge door-way in buildings requiring two or more exits.

2 Notethat exit discharge is the portion of the means ofegress system between the termination of the exitand a public requirements 3 and 5 above have themost dramatic impact on electrical distributionand lighting systems. Take the top deck of a park-ing garage, for example, which now falls underthe requirements of IBC Perfomance ofSystems and NFPA 101. The former requires anaverage illumination level of one footcandle anda maximum to minimum ratio of 40:1 or less. Thetypical parking structure does not require egresslighting to be fed from an emergency electricalsystem and does not require compliance with However, if there is parking on the top ofa garage, emergency lighting is now major problem here is that typical rooftopparking decks are lit with 150- to 250-watt metal-halide fixtures on 15- to 25-ft.

3 Poles. Even in the eventthat the garage is served by an emergency genera-tor, a quartz re-strike will not typically provide therequired emergency illumination for the parking sur-face. If power fails, the generator will usually sensethe failure, start the engine and transfer to emer-gency power within six to eight seconds. Per theNational Electrical code (NEC), systems are requiredto transfer within 10 seconds. The problem with ametal-halide source is that if power is interrupted even briefly the light will extinguish. Once extin-guished, lamp cool-down and re-strike time can beup to 15 minutes, a minute at the very IBC and Emergency LightingCodes & StandardsConsulting-Specifying Engineer OCTOBER, 200421 The problem with a metal-halide lightingsource is that if power is interrupted even briefly the light will KEITH LANE, , RCDD/NTS Specialist, LC, LEED AP, Vice President Engineering, SASCO, SeattleIBC requirements significantlyaffect emergency lighting on structures such as parking 10/26/2004 1:08 PM Page 21 Manufacturer of ENERGY CONTROLS for POWER GENERATION, plus GENERATOR SET PACKAGING, ASSEMBLIES & TESTING1-800-218-8831 1 Altorfer Lane, E.

4 Peoria, IL 61611e-mail: STAYS THE SAME IF YOU DON TADAPT, EXTINCTION IS THE ONLY OPTION. Power-up your ability to control and monitor yourgenerator installations, receive the benefits of acustom SCADA system at an off the shelf S YOUR FUTURE,STAY AHEAD OF IT . Codes & StandardsThe good news is that there is a helpful technology otmeet code called an HID arc-maintenance device an aux-iliary off-line inverter that can maintain the lamp arc inmetal-halide lamps to eliminate the re-strike period. Thecombination of an NEC emergency gen-erator and the HID arc-maintenance device should meetthe IBC provisions required for emergency being said, egress lighting issues become much morecomplicated if an emergency generator is not part of the equa-tion.

5 Unlike fluorescent fixtures, metal-halide fixtures cannot beequipped with individually mounted battery backup are solutions, but they are costly. One involves providinga second fluorescent lighting system with internal battery back-up; another is providing a fast transfer centralized lightinginverter system that produces 90 minutes of battery power. Forthe latter solution, be aware that an arc-maintenance devicemust also be provided in the metal-halide to the former, limited mounting locations and Dark Sky restrictions make the installation of redun-dant fluorescent systems very difficult. Dark Sky, for therecord, among other local energy Codes , is intended toreduce light pollution and glare, and can require full cut-off luminaires that allow no light above the nadir and can-dela at less than 10% of the rated lumen output between80 and 90 degrees.

6 This essentially prohibits far as centralized inverter systems are concerned,they simply require a significant footprint. There are twotypes of inverters to choose from: interruptible systemsand fast-transfer systems. The former will typically trans-fer within 50 milliseconds (ms) and can be utilized for flu-orescent and incandescent light sources. The latter willtransfer within two ms and must be used with metal-halide light sources to prevent the arc from aware, however, that once 50 gallons of electrolytesare stored in a non-sprinkled building, or 100 gallons in asprinkled building, NFPA Chapter 52 applies, requiringspill control, room separation and ventilation. So much for requirement 3 of Requirement 5, onthe other hand, defines the provisions for emergency lightingfrom an exit discharge to the public right-of-way.

7 The typicalwall-mounted egress light over an exit doorway will now haveto provide emergency illumination to the public same issues pertaining to requirement 3 also apply as thetypical wall-mounted egress light is illuminated by a metal-halide light source. In this scenario, if a generator is part of thesystem, an arc-maintenance device would be required toensure proper light levels within the NEC-prescribed 10-secondmandate. If no generator is included, fluorescent fixtures musthave internal batteries. Metal-halide fixtures must have a cen-tralized inverter in addition to an arc-maintenance device. Ineither case, 90 minutes of backup is final issue with the fifth requirement of IBC is thatthe public right-of-way may be quite some distance away. IfFor more info, enter #217 on the Reader Service Card(Continued on page 24) 10/26/2004 1:08 PM Page 22 Stop pumpturbulence in less spaceVane Flex straightens flow fromthe a fraction of the space, atless cost.

8 Vane Flex puts you in immediatecompliance with valve manufacturer smooth, straight flow reduces noise andvibration, protecting your piping 3121-738-0415 Chicagothis is the case, to obtain the minimumaverage footcandles and uniformityratios, additional fixtures on the exte-rior of the building may be required oradditional emergency lighting provi-sions may be necessary for is important to be aware of theIBC code change, especially as itapplies to the electrical distributionsystem. These changes can be costlyand must be implemented from thebeginning of the design phase. Notbeing aware of these IBC require-ments will only cause more pain andexpense during the plan review andconstruction phase of the to ToughenExterior LightingRequirements Eight addenda strengthening theexterior lighting requirements in stan-dard were approved for publica-tion at ASHRAE s 2004 Annual Meetingthis past summer in Nashville, Tenn.

9 According to Eric Richman, chair ofthe lighting subcommittee, Adden-dum updates exterior lightingrequirements in response to interest inplacing reasonable energy limits onexterior lighting in the same manner asinterior requirements. Interior lightingpower density values, he said, wererecently updated by addenda, basedon current design criteria, recentresearch and up-to-date lightingequipment efficiency, while the exteri-or lighting was only regulated as a lightsource efficacy. There was concernthat exterior lighting was effectivelyuncontrolled by not making exteriorrequirements as specific as indoorrequirements, Richman said. Before,builders were allowed to use as muchoutdoor lighting as they liked, as longas the source was reasonably efficient.

10 The addendum includes a require-ment that all exterior applications musthave automatic controls capable ofturning off lighting when there is suffi-cient daylight or when it s not provision requiring occupancy sensorcontrol was also & StandardsFor more info, enter #218 on the Reader Service CardStatement of Ownership,Management and CirculationStatement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (Required by Title 39 United States code 3685) ofConsulting-Specifying Engineer (ISSN-0892-5046), published monthly except semi-monthly in June (13 issuesannually) at Highlands Ranch, CO 80129-2345 for October 1, 2004. Annual Subscription Prices: $ ;$ Can.; $ Mex.; $ Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: Reed Business Information, 8878 S. Barrons Blvd.