Collaboration Efforts with LED Specifications - Reducing Confusion During Construction
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The document outlines a course on LED luminaires, focusing on specifications, installation, and communication strategies to ensure design intent is maintained through construction administration. It emphasizes the importance of documentation, warranty understanding, and coordination with manufacturers and owners to avoid construction pitfalls and ensure project success. Participants earn AIA CES credits and are encouraged to ask questions related to the course content and practical applications.
Collaboration Efforts with LED Specifications - Reducing Confusion During Construction
- 2. Credit(s) earned on completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. This course is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. ___________________________________________ Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.
- 3. @Jana_Owens @brielights @LEDucationNYC Jana Owens, PE Henderson Engineers Kansas City, MO Brienne Willcock, LC Illuminart Detroit, MI
- 4. In this presentation, we will investigate the specification of LED luminaires and ways to communicate design intent through initial concern to construction administration. We will cover how much information is necessary in specs and drawings to facilitate accurate bids and installation, reduce RFI's and maintain design integrity. We will also cover areas of concern where coordination is paramount to a successful project. ABSTRAC T
- 5. • Apply specific documenting techniques of LED systems to assist with bidding and construction administration. • Interpret warranty information to improve owner understanding and advocacy. • Plan for a specific controls outcome through coordination with design team, manufacturers, and owners. • Evaluate alternate LED luminaires with specific attention to coordinating compatibility with controls and design. • Identify potential installation & commissioning pitfalls and steps to overcome them during the design phase. OUTLINE
- 6. IF… The drawings clearly note project controls and design intent THEN… I can prove how my LED system should work together So this should be easy, right?
- 8. DOCUMENTRESEARCH EDUCATE Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty Future
- 9. RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration DOCUMENT EDUCATE Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty Future
- 10. – Understanding of LED and accessibility RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration
- 11. What do you have at your house? Do you like it? What would you change about it?
- 12. – Dimming with LED, color, and the basics RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration
- 13. Do we need Architectural Dimming everywhere? Are we dimming for energy code compliance? Would our owner be satisfied with ‘Lighting Management Dimming’? Source: IESNA Lighting Handbook, 9th Edition, (New York; IESNA, 2000), 27-4Perceived Light MeasuredLight
- 14. – Design for compatibility, not against it RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration
- 15. Research dimming compatibility • Low voltage, 0-10V, DMX, DALI • Discuss with manufacturer’s dimming compatibility • Look for common denominators, build a spec accordingly • Narratives discussed with the owner RESEARC H
- 16. – Scope Creep and LED RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration
- 17. Research warranties: 1. Owner expectation of labor coverage 2. Labor costs 3. Catastrophic-failure labor agreement 4. Extended warranty
- 18. 65% 26% 9% Extended Warranty 27 High Bay manufacturer’s response Yes No Negotiable
- 19. 45% 30% 25% Labor Agreement 27 High Bay manufacturer’s response Yes No Negotiable RESEARC H
- 20. How do we avoid wasting time during Construction Administration because we have to revisit our intent of dimming and design?
- 21. DOCUMENTRESEARCH EDUCATE Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty Future
- 22. DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH EDUCATE Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty
- 23. Document the luminaires you intend to use • Compatibility with control systems – manufacturer’s approval • Design intent met with luminaire differences (beyond qualities of light): • Dimensions • Remote vs. integral • Ambient temperature rating • Warranty review for alternates
- 24. DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH EDUCATE Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty
- 25. Document your dimming strategy • List your dimming technology & type • Document common denominators in your sequence of operations • Include driver types for all luminaires • Dimming requirements should go in your schedule
- 26. Clearly indicate dimming type List dimming intent
- 27. If 1% isn’t required: • Consider waiting to verify dimming curves. • Put the responsibility in the contract documents to verify after the project has bid.
- 28. DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH EDUCATE Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty
- 29. LED dimming has significant commissioning standards/requirements. DOCUMENT
- 31. Document commissioning requirements in specifications.
- 33. DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH EDUCATE Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty
- 34. Document through the Contract Drawings • Remote and integral drivers notated on plans • Ventilation, max distances, dimensions • Consider a separate luminaire type designation for dimmable luminaires
- 37. Sequence of Operations • Easier for owner to read and understand • Function is for end users, not engineers • Notes should include all assumptions and outcomes in detail • Focus on If/THEN statements
- 38. Vital information is not buried in a schedule. Sequences can be read and understood by your owner.
- 39. DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH EDUCATE Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty
- 40. Documentation is critical to make the Construction Administration process successful
- 41. luminaires selected during conceptual design. luminaires reselected during final design. luminaires ordered and installed. Are my luminaire selections still valid?
- 42. 1. Lumen outputs change rapidly 2. Optics change 3. Model numbers get updated 4. Wattage or VA values will change 5. Driver technology will innovate
- 44. Pay attention to the minutiae: • Check new bins/tolerances • Did your drivers or chip manufacturer change? • What about phosphor? Did you have chip on board? Remote Phosphor? Clearly identify in your luminaire schedule what is important to you. • List details of everything DOCUMENT
- 45. Consider the application. • Is remote a necessity? • Is there a temperature controlled driver location? Conversely, did you spec an integral driver because there was no place to mount it?
- 46. Coordinate your drawings across your basis of design. If driver changes (remote vs. integral) during CA: • Require contractor to suggest an applicable driver location • Ask manufacturer for voltage drop and wire size chart • Verify ventilation and ambient temperatures • Verify aesthetics with architect • Verify driver quantity for field-cuttable luminaires DOCUMENT
- 49. DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH EDUCATE Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty
- 50. Document for the future • Maintenance materials • Control interface and commissioning • Overview of LED system • Review the WARRANTY! DOCUMENT
- 51. EDUCATE Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration
- 52. EDUCATE Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration
- 53. Educate owners about their investment …time, maintenance, monetary commitment. EDUCATE
- 54. Educate on the differences between traditional technologies and LEDs. 1. Relamping mindset 2. Define end of life 3. Replacement time frame
- 55. SOURCE: DOE Building Technologies Program, Solid State Lighting Technology Fact Sheet
- 56. SOURCE: DOE Building Technologies Program, Solid State Lighting Technology Fact Sheet
- 57. EDUCATE Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration
- 58. Educate about the warranty and focus on common denominator information if there are several manufacturers. EDUCATE
- 59. Warranty fine print is rarely conveyed to the owner. They could violate their warranty without the correct information. Seriously, would you read this?
- 60. 1. Warranty duration 2. Environmental Condition (In-situ) 1. Moisture 2. Maximum rated temperature 3. Electrical (control compatibility, surge protection) 4. Ventilation 3. What’s the first step in pursuing a warranty? EDUCATE
- 61. EDUCATE Owner Understanding of LED Contractor Awareness Warranty DOCUMENT Luminaire Performance Dimming Strategy Commissioning Contract Drawings Construction Administration Future RESEARCH Owner Comfort Expectations Compatibility Design Collaboration
- 62. Submittals Lead times (4 weeks? 12 weeks?) Commissioning and final focus (1 day? 1 week?) Opening date Alternates create delays Commissioning duration and accuracy impacted by documentation EDUCATE
- 64. This concludes The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems Course
- 65. Thank you! - Jana Owens, PE Jana.Owens@hei-eng.com - Brienne Willcock, LC BWillcock@illuminart.net
Editor's Notes
- #4: [BW] Jana and I met when we were both IES Illumination Award judges, and created an idea for this presentation from two sides of the same goal: design and engineering. Jana is a professional engineer from Kansas City who has spent time on the architectural lighting design side, and currently works on the engineering side designing lighting, controls & power systems for higher education facilities and professional & collegiate sports practice facilities. Jana is actively involved in IES on the local level and is a member of the national Illumination Awards Committee. [JO] Brienne is an architectural lighting designer from Detroit, who specializes in performance specification & product evaluation for LED systems. She is currently working on net-zero projects. She is president of the IES-Detroit section and is the chairperson for IES’s annual conference in the fall. This presentation is a collaboration between the two of us as Brienne is an architectural lighting designer who digs deep into controls & whole-system performance, and I am an electrical engineer with a passion for architectural lighting design and building controls beyond the standard code-required lighting.
- #5: [JO] – just read it.
- #6: [BW] … just read it again.
- #7: [JO] There will always be issues that come up, but having a solid background to turn back to helps us when that issue occurs. Sounds Easy.
- #8: [BW] This is our ‘recycling diagram’ of lighting so to speak. All of the topics we cover today are going to fit into one of these three categories. That said, these categories are going to flow together to create the process that we move through during a project. They don’t happen in phases, but overlap simultaneously as we move through the project.
- #9: [BW] Let’s face it – LED’s are different. They are changing the way we specify our lighting design. We are all here at LEDucation because we’re trying to determine how best to deal with those differences. These topics you see here are the items we believe are paramount to making sure you have a solid set of drawings to tell your design story.
- #10: [BW]
- #11: [BW]
- #12: [BW] Owner’s comfort level. Dimming Flicker
- #13: [JO] In addition to owner comfort, our role as designers is to manage the owner’s expectation.
- #14: [JO] Discussing the owner’s home and their familiarity with dimming should be our starting point. What do they expect at their building? How can we relate our design back to what the owner knows? Our role as a designer is to use the owner’s words/thoughts and then incorporate it into our design in simple ways. There’s no need to scare the owner with incredibly technical discussions when we can take their expectation in their words and then implement it into our design. Are they looking for theatrical style dimming? Or are they looking for something to handle one level of ‘dimming’ to be able to view presentations? Or does the owner not worry about dimming and simply needs to comply with local energy codes. Do they want to set it and forget it?
- #15: [JO]
- #16: [JO] We’ve been told in the past to coordinate across drivers, dimming manufacturers and verify the two are completely compatible. But what happens when all that changes during the bid? Or VE? Or the manufacturer changes their drivers without telling you? How do we avoid wasting time while giving the owner a quality project. Again let’s keep it simple, starting with our dimming expectation. What drivers are integral to our fixtures?
- #17: [BW] Transition to Warranties to tie into next three warranty slides. Navigation of construction
- #18: [BW] – discussion of warranty fine print Designers are advocates for the reality of LED (what happens after the design team is gone) There are a lot of gotchas that manufacturers put in there about LEDs. luminaires and Drivers need to be cooled. Labor is not covered in catastrophic failure.
- #19: [BW] Would a manufacturer consider including an extended warranty? Of the 27 manufacturers that were asked… What’s interesting about this is that you, as the consumer or designer have a lot of power in convincing the manufacturer to provide the warranty if that’s what you want. And you SHOULD want it.
- #20: [BW] Would a manufacturer include a labor agreement if there is a catastrophic failure? Of the 27 manufacturers that were asked…
- #21: [JO] The answer is documentation. We think through all these situations during design, but don’t remember what we wanted as our ‘outcome’.
- #22: [JO]
- #23: [JO]
- #24: [JO] The first step is selecting and documenting your luminaires. Document your control Indicate your physical luminaire characteristics If you accept alternates, always indicate your warranty performance and review that during your submittal review.
- #25: [JO]
- #26: [JO] We discussed our research of fixture properties. Consider creating a narrative to discuss project ‘goals’ and get early approval from the owner to discuss what areas are dimmed, what lighting levels are included for their ‘presentation’ level, ‘ambient’ level or ‘cleaning’ level. Then write it all down, document our dimming strategy and list the detailed information on the plans to build a solid specification.
- #27: [JO] With LED’s the dimming a characteristic of the driver, not universal ‘ballast’ that we can specify the dimming type. Sometimes our equal luminaires or contractor’s substitutions don’t match the basis of design dimming intent – documentation should include the basis of design dimming so when this situation occurs, we can insist the contractor coordinate with the controls manufacturer. How critical is our dimming really? Do we need incredibly smooth dimming, or is the owner’s intent for dimming a “lowered level for presentation viewing”? Use the research we reviewed earlier to help us specify the level of detail with respect to our dimming intent.
- #28: [JO] Require dimming verification during submittals. Note that the contractor shall coordinate final dimming types and manufacturers of the approved submittal. If it is: Consider independent drivers that are proven to handle dimming curves very well.
- #29: [BW] Discuss what commissioning is vs building commissioning.
- #30: [BW] The possibilities are endless with LED Dimming. But that means the time and effort required on behalf of the programmer is extended. Now that we have all these capabilities, we expect more out of our systems, and therefore we have a responsibility to show more on our drawings, communicate more with the contractors. Plus because there’s just so much to cover with LED’s, the possibilities of an error along the way are greater & require more time during CA to cover these issues.
- #31: [BW] This is an illustration about something you wouldn’t think you need to tell your contractors. The contractor thought this was fine b/c the contract documents didn’t explicitly say that the LEDs needed to “dim together."
- #32: [BW] The most important item we run into currently is that the bid documents do not clearly describe who makes decisions on the different systems – DMX? Architectural lighting controls? Who interfaces with the owner to confirm their needs and expectations? Where does one manufacturer’s commissioning efforts stop and another’s begin? Who is responsible for making sure there are no gaps in the system.
- #33: [BW] Example: Include timeframe requirements: Set a hard-open date! Avoid mentioning a specific time frame, but instead include information about requirements. Require that the manufacturer determine their time on site, and include within their bid. The last thing we want to do is require an amount of time and find out during construction that our project is more complex than we thought! Consider requiring a field tech to be present on their opening date for last minute ‘panic’
- #34: [JO]
- #35: [JO]
- #36: [JO]
- #37: [JO]
- #38: [JO] Sequences tend to be much easier for the owner to read and understand, schedules and matrixes make sense to the person who put them together, not necessarily the user. We don’t have the budget in our fee to be constantly revisiting our design intent, so let’s all make sure we put every bit of information – note all our assumptions and lighting outcomes - on how we want the system to function in the sequence of operations. Focus on IF/THEN statements – IF the room is occupied, THEN I want the lights to behave and dim in this manner. Indicate what zones should dim similarly; based on luminaire output not energy usage.
- #39: [JO]
- #40: [BW]
- #41: [BW] LED technology changes so rapidly that in the time that it takes to get from design to installation, the luminaires may no longer be available or innovative.
- #42: [BW] LED technology changes so rapidly that in the time that it takes to get from design to installation, the luminaires may no longer be available or innovative.
- #43: [BW] This situation happens all to often, and could occur based on a manufacturer’s changes, or based around a contractor’s proposed substitution or VE effort. Where do we include time to coordinate all of this? If it’s a substitution, put it back on the contractor/distributor. If it’s a model number change, ask the manufacturer for help before you go down the rabbit hole.
- #44: [BW] This situation happens all to often, and could occur based on a manufacturer’s changes, or based around a contractor’s proposed substitution or VE effort. Where do we include time to coordinate all of this? If it’s a substitution, put it back on the contractor/distributor. If it’s a model number change, ask the manufacturer for help before you go down the rabbit hole.
- #45: [JO]
- #46: [JO] For several projects a single name spec is acceptable, so consider driver locations, temperature requirements, access, etc. Do you have a gyp ceiling and need it integral to the luminaire (and need access through the luminaire?). If you have a project where the owner requires a 3-name spec, we can end up with a different driver style location. Who is responsible for coordinating the new location?
- #47: [JO] Watch temperatures when grouping multiple drivers in small enclosures. Aesthetics – can we use access panels? Is there a place to locate it or will it block the light?
- #48: [BW] These shadows are happening because of the location that drivers were installed. Aesthetics have been compromised! Is there a better place to locate it? Can we use access panels? Our drivers could overheat! Watch temperatures when grouping multiple drivers in small enclosures.
- #49: [BW] These glare spots are occurring because the lighting was not coordinated with the beams. Could this have been specified more clearly? Can something be done to mitigate this problem? Where are the drivers located? Is there a risk of them overheating?
- #50: [JO]
- #51: [JO] This could be for 5 or 10 years after the project is finished. Consider that our documents aren’t just for the contractor, the manufacturer, or for us to remember what we did. Our documents serve with the maintenance manuals to be an indication of what the owner purchased and how it should operate.
- #52: [JO]
- #53: [JO]
- #54: [JO] This should be the responsibility of the design professionals. They need to better understand the life and sensitivity of an LED luminaire.
- #55: [BW]
- #56: [BW] In this theoretical example, the rated life of the LED system is a function of both the LEDs and the driver. The rated life of the combined system is approximately 52,000 hours, which is less than for either component individually.
- #57: [BW] Figure 1. The distribution of failures over 34 million operating hours for one manufacturer’s family of outdoor luminaires. A total of 29 fixtures failed out of more than 5,400 (0.56%). Source: Appalachian Lighting Systems, Inc.
- #58: [JO]
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- #60: [JO] Tie back into research warranty information
- #61: The design team needs to remind the owner that the warranty has caveats. The owner is responsible for maintaining the environmental condition. If a warranty issue occurs, consider leaving a narrative to the owner about their warranty document. Chances are we will get the phone call when something goes wrong, but we don’t put fee in our scope to navigate a warranty 3 years in the future. Consider documenting a ‘division of responsibility’. Who does the owner call if… …dimming needs to be changed …color of the DMX controlled fixtures needs to be modified …etc.
- #62: [BW]
- #63: [BW] Discuss the impact of alternates, and issues with lead times Discuss prevention via clear documentation and owner/contractor education about timing Nature of LED has changed: Lead times Submittals Dimming curves Opening day could be the same time frame, so the front end process needs to run smoothly to make the final run.
- #64: [BW] As an expert in architectural lighting, we need to know more about what the electrical engineer requires … [JO] For engineers, the documentation of control systems and LED function are more important than ever. We have to be diligent in determining what the lighting design intent is and including that on our drawings. Tie back to research/document/education and that working through the entire process. Not just linearly through the project.