MICHAEL A MANFREDI, PRINCIPAL | WEISS/MANFREDI In our work we have found that the energy code does not compromise the design concept. In fact, we would argue that often restraints—building codes, energy codes, or economic pressures—elicit or provoke a higher level of inventiveness. All codes, including the energy code requirements, are blunt tools and are design blind. They do need to be revisited in the context of emergent technologies and changing environmental or life-safety concerns and are only as effective as they are simple and free of shifting interpretations. If good design is foregrounded and if a design is successful then all codes, including the energy code, need to be incorporated into the design at the conceptual level and holistically, in the context of all project parameters and conditions.
RICHARD RENFRO, PRINCIPAL | RENFRO DESIGN GROUP What to light and where the light sources are located define the lighting concept. If you are mindful of the code as you brainstorm ideas, just as you are of the quality of light and user needs, this should not cause sacrifices to the concept. Implementation of the concept is where the energy code will impact the lighting design variables: aesthetics, function, and budget. Sacrifices are relative to one’s expectations. Ideally, sufficient dollars would be allocated in the concept budget to accommodate the technology of efficient sources, fixtures, and controls to not compromise the lighting’s aesthetics or function.
Another major facet of energy use is the choice of how much light to use. Once your concept establishes what to light, the amount of light has a significant impact on all the other design variables. Most designers and even institutions look to generic guidelines to determine light level requirements. While many of the recommendations for critical tasks are based on scientific research, there are many parts of a building and exterior landscape where the requirements are subjective. The next step toward reducing energy as a profession is to challenge how much illumination truly is needed, not in a reckless way but with a true understanding of the needs of the occupants, the adjacent visual environment and the building’s context. This is where an experienced design team can provide the owner with the best balance of design with the energy code.