California Lighting Technology Center - Residential Lighting Design Guide for Title 24 Compliance

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Residential Lighting Design Guide for Title 24 Compliance

The Residential Lighting Design Guide was developed after extensive changes were made to California's Title 24 Energy Code in 2005. CLTC, with several organizations, collaborated to develop an easy-to-use guide showing how to comply with the new code.

On October 1, 2005 California’s Title 24 residential energy code started to require 50% of kitchen lighting wattage to be high efficacy. However, California utilities feared home builders would be slow to adapt to the changes and not understand the need for fluorescent fixtures. CLTC developed the Residential Lighting Design Guide, Best Practices and Lighting Design to Help Builders Comply with California’s 2005 Title 24 Energy Code.

The guide provides a practical “cookbook” approach to code compliance and lighting design.

Step-by-step compliance provides details and information guiding builders to select high-quality technology. It has a broad variety of sample designs for all major residential spaces.

The collaborative process proved successful in making connections — utilities with local builders and builders with the code community. Additionally, manufacturers consulted on technology details and warranty information, while state code developers clarified code issues.

Feedback on the Guide has shown that it shortened the builders’ learning curve, improved their overall knowledge, and demonstrated the importance of good lighting design and technology selection.

The guide is available as a free download from this site. Printed guidebooks were initially distributed at Title 24 workshops held across California but are available anytime on this site in electronic format.

For more educational information on Title 24 and the Residential Lighting Design Guide see professional educational resources in the Education section.

Application: Benefits designers, architects, contractors, etc. when designing new or retrofit residential spaces.

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