Remake for template neutrality (from-scratch field inventory, five-state defaults, parameters and derived fields, schedule deferrals)
---
title: Emergency and Egress Lighting
category: Electrical / Lighting
−toc_depth: 3
description: >
− When to use: Means-of-egress illumination, emergency lighting, and exit signs
− for new construction and renovation of commercial, institutional, assembly,
− and multi-occupancy buildings; covers self-contained unit equipment, integral
− battery packs, emergency transfer devices, central inverter systems, and exit
− signage with 90-minute duration to NFPA 101, IBC Chapter 10, and NEC Article 700.
− Not intended for: The normal architectural lighting design (see
− [[sync/lighting-fixtures]]), normal lighting controls (see
− [[sync/lighting-controls]]), the on-site generator and its transfer scheme as
− a system (see [[sync/generators]] and [[sync/emergency-and-standby-power]]),
− or fire alarm notification appliances (see [[sync/fire-alarm-systems]]).
+ When to use: The illumination of the means of egress under normal power, the emergency illumination that replaces it when normal power fails, exit signs, and luminous egress path markings, in new construction and renovation of commercial, institutional, assembly, industrial, and multi-occupancy buildings. Covers the code-required illumination levels and duration, the photometric demonstration of compliance, the choice of emergency power source strategy for egress illumination, self-contained unit equipment, emergency battery packs in architectural luminaires as they serve the egress design, central inverter systems, generator-backed emergency lighting circuits and their battery bridging, exit sign type, power source, legend, and construction, photoluminescent and self-luminous signs, luminous egress path marking, periodic testing and monitoring provisions, the wiring independence NFPA 70 Article 700 requires, acceptance testing, warranty, and spares.
+
+ Not intended for: The architectural lighting layout, the luminaires themselves, and the emergency battery driver as a luminaire component ([[sync/lighting-fixtures]]); the lighting control system and the UL 924 listed control override device that forces a controlled egress luminaire to full output ([[sync/lighting-controls]]); exterior site lighting beyond the exit discharge ([[sync/exterior-lighting]]); the system-level design of the emergency and standby power system, its load classification, and its selective coordination ([[sync/emergency-and-standby-power]]); the engine-generator set ([[sync/generators]]) and the transfer switch ([[sync/automatic-transfer-switches]]); uninterruptible power supplies serving loads other than egress illumination ([[sync/uninterruptible-power-supply-systems]]); fire alarm notification appliances ([[sync/fire-alarm-systems]]); the branch topology of a health care essential electrical system ([[sync/healthcare-essential-electrical-systems]]); tactile and raised-character exit signage required by the accessibility standard; and elevator car emergency lighting, which is furnished with the elevator.
---
# Scope {toc}
−## This standard covers the design, performance, equipment, and installation of emergency lighting, egress-path illumination, and exit signage for the means of egress. {note}
+## This standard governs the lighting that keeps the means of egress usable: the illumination of the exit access, the exit, and the exit discharge while the building is occupied, the emergency illumination that replaces it automatically when normal power fails, the exit signs that mark the route, and the luminous path markings that supplement them where the adopted code requires. {note}
−## Emergency and egress lighting exists to keep the path to a public way visible and usable when normal power is lost, so occupants can evacuate without the building's primary lighting. {note}
+## Four decisions are made independently of one another and are stated as independent selections in this standard: the emergency power source strategy for the egress luminaires, the battery bridging provided where that source is a generator, the power source for the exit signs, and the type of exit sign. Every combination is manufactured, and this standard does not assume that one selection implies another. {note}
−## The means of egress comprises three connected parts: the exit access (the path from any occupied point to an exit), the exit (the protected route such as an enclosed stair), and the exit discharge (the path from the exit to a public way, including the exterior). {note}
+## The illumination levels, the uniformity limit, the minimum duration, and the periodic test regime are fixed by NFPA 101 and the International Building Code and are stated in this standard as requirements rather than as selections; the datasheet carries the decisions the code leaves open, which are how the required performance is produced and with what equipment. {note}
−## The Work includes emergency luminaires, exit signs, integral and remote battery equipment, emergency transfer devices, central inverter systems where specified, photometric demonstration of egress illumination, and connection to the emergency power source.
+## The following are governed elsewhere and are outside this standard: {note}
−## The illumination performance levels, the 90-minute duration, the 40:1 uniformity limit, and the equipment listing requirements in this standard are common to NFPA 101 and the International Building Code; where an Authority Having Jurisdiction adopts a different edition, the more stringent provision governs. {note}
+- the architectural luminaires, their drivers, and the emergency battery driver as a component of the luminaire ([[sync/lighting-fixtures]])
+- the lighting control system and the listed control override device on a switched or dimmed egress luminaire ([[sync/lighting-controls]])
+- exterior site and area lighting beyond the exit discharge ([[sync/exterior-lighting]])
+- the classification of loads, the selection and sizing of the emergency power system, its transfer scheme, and its selective coordination ([[sync/emergency-and-standby-power]])
+- the engine-generator set ([[sync/generators]]) and the automatic transfer switch ([[sync/automatic-transfer-switches]])
+- uninterruptible power supplies that serve loads other than egress illumination ([[sync/uninterruptible-power-supply-systems]])
+- fire alarm notification appliances and the fire alarm control panel ([[sync/fire-alarm-systems]])
+- the branch assignment and topology of a health care essential electrical system ([[sync/healthcare-essential-electrical-systems]])
+- the emergency panelboards and the feeders that serve them ([[sync/panelboards]], [[sync/conductors-and-cables]], [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]])
+- surge protective devices as products ([[sync/surge-protective-devices]])
+- tactile exit signage, elevator car lighting, and the emergency lighting inside equipment furnished under other standards
−## Related Work {toc}
+## The locations of emergency luminaires, exit signs, and path markings shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the electrical lighting plans]].
−### The normal architectural lighting layout, fixture types, and finishes are specified in [[sync/lighting-fixtures]]; this standard governs only the emergency function added to or independent of those fixtures. {note}
+## The Contractor shall coordinate the emergency power source, the control override devices, the monitoring interface, and the wiring separation with the standards named in this section before any emergency lighting equipment is released for procurement.
−### Normal and automatic lighting controls, including occupancy sensing and daylight dimming, are specified in [[sync/lighting-controls]]; emergency lighting shall override controls to full output on loss of normal power.
−
−### The on-site generator, its fuel system, and its transfer scheme as an emergency power source are specified in [[sync/generators]] and [[sync/emergency-and-standby-power]]; this standard governs only the lighting load and the bridging equipment at the luminaire. {note}
−
−### Fire alarm notification appliances and the fire alarm control panel are specified in [[sync/fire-alarm-systems]]; this standard governs only the supervised interface between emergency lighting and that panel. {note}
−
# Referenced Standards {toc}
−## The publications listed below are referenced in this standard; the edition adopted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction governs, and where editions conflict the more stringent provision applies. {note}
+## Equipment, materials, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
+## Where the contract documents, the Authority Having Jurisdiction, or two referenced standards impose conflicting requirements, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
+
| Standard | Title |
|----------|-------|
−| NFPA 101 (2021) | Life Safety Code (Sections 7.8 Illumination of Means of Egress and 7.9 Emergency Lighting) |
−| NFPA 70 (2023) | National Electrical Code (Article 700, Emergency Systems) |
−| NFPA 110 (2022) | Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems |
−| IBC (2021) | International Building Code, Chapter 10 Means of Egress (Sections 1008 Means of Egress Illumination and 1013 Exit Signs) |
−| UL 924 | Standard for Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment |
−| UL 1994 | Standard for Luminous Egress Path Marking Systems |
−| UL 508A | Standard for Industrial Control Panels (central inverter and battery control cabinets) |
−| IES LM-79 | IES Approved Method for the Electrical and Photometric Measurements of Solid-State Lighting Products (manufacturer's IES photometric files for egress-path compliance) |
+| NFPA 101 | Life Safety Code (Sections 7.8, 7.9, and 7.10) |
+| NFPA 70 | National Electrical Code (Articles 700, 701, and 410) |
+| NFPA 110 | Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems |
+| NFPA 111 | Standard on Stored Electrical Energy Emergency and Standby Power Systems |
+| IBC | International Building Code (Sections 1008, 1013, and 1025) |
+| IFC | International Fire Code (Chapter 6 and Chapter 10) |
+| UL 924 | Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment |
+| UL 1994 | Luminous Egress Path Marking Systems |
+| UL 1598 | Luminaires |
+| UL 8750 | Light Emitting Diode (LED) Equipment for Use in Lighting Products |
+| ASTM E2072 | Standard Specification for Photoluminescent (Phosphorescent) Safety Markings |
+| ASTM E2073 | Standard Test Method for Photopic Luminance of Photoluminescent (Phosphorescent) Markings |
+| IES LM-79 | Approved Method: Optical and Electrical Measurements of Solid-State Lighting Products |
+| IES LM-80 | Approved Method: Measuring Luminous Flux and Color Maintenance of LED Packages, Arrays, and Modules |
+| ASCE 7 | Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (Chapter 13) |
+| ICC-ES AC156 | Acceptance Criteria for Seismic Certification by Shake-Table Testing of Nonstructural Components |
+| 10 CFR Part 32 | Specific Domestic Licenses to Manufacture or Transfer Certain Items Containing Byproduct Material (self-luminous signs) |
−# Definitions {toc}
+# Submittals {toc}
−## The following terms are used in this standard: {note}
+## Action Submittals {toc}
−- **Emergency luminaire:** a luminaire energized by the emergency power source that provides egress-path illumination when normal power is lost.
−- **Unit equipment:** a self-contained device with an integral rechargeable battery, charger, and one or more lamp heads that operates independently of any central battery or generator.
−- **Integral emergency battery pack (IEBP):** a battery and control module installed within or adjacent to a standard architectural luminaire that drives that luminaire's light source on loss of normal power.
−- **Emergency transfer device (ETD), also called an automatic load control relay (ALCR):** a listed line-voltage device that keeps a normally-ON luminaire on its normal circuit and transfers it to a battery or inverter source on power loss, so the luminaire stays continuously illuminated.
−- **Central inverter system:** a centralized static inverter and battery plant that feeds dedicated emergency branch circuits serving multiple luminaires from a single maintained source.
−- **Exit sign:** a listed sign marking the location of, and direction to, an exit, illuminated internally or by passive photoluminescence.
−- **Duration:** the time the emergency source sustains the required illumination after loss of normal power; the code baseline is 90 minutes.
+### The Contractor shall submit the following for review before any emergency lighting equipment is procured:
−# Performance Requirements {toc}
+- product data for each unit equipment type, exit sign type, emergency battery pack, central inverter, and control override device, identifying the UL 924 listing and the emergency lumen output, duration, and operating temperature range of each
+- point-by-point photometric calculations for the entire means of egress, including the exit discharge to the public way, prepared with the manufacturer's IES LM-79 photometric files and the emergency lumen output of each luminaire, demonstrating the initial and end-of-duration illumination levels and the uniformity limit required by this standard
+- battery data for every battery-containing product, giving the chemistry, the rated duration, the rated operating temperature range, the recharge time, and the published design life
+- for emergency battery packs in architectural luminaires, the manufacturer's statement that the pack and the host luminaire driver are a factory-matched or tested combination
+- for a central inverter system, the sizing calculation showing the connected load, the inrush allowance, and the capacity margin, together with the UL 924 listing of the complete assembly
+- an exit sign schedule giving the type, legend, letter color, number of faces, chevron direction, mounting, and power source of every sign by location
+- the monitoring interface description, giving the protocol, the points reported, and the terminating system
+- the seismic certification for the central inverter, where the datasheet requires one
−## Illumination Levels {toc}
+```datasheet
+label: Action Submittals
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Product data with UL 924 listing for every emergency product"
+ - "Point-by-point photometric calculations including the exit discharge"
+ - "Battery data for every battery-containing product"
+ - "Factory-matched driver and battery pack statement"
+ - "Central inverter sizing calculation and listing"
+ - "Exit sign schedule"
+ - "Monitoring interface description"
+ - "Seismic certification for the central inverter"
+default:
+ - "Product data with UL 924 listing for every emergency product"
+ - "Point-by-point photometric calculations including the exit discharge"
+ - "Battery data for every battery-containing product"
+ - "Exit sign schedule"
+```
−### Emergency illumination is specified at the floor along the egress path, not at a work plane, because occupants navigate the floor and obstructions during evacuation. {note}
+### Emergency lighting equipment shall not be procured until the action submittals covering it have been reviewed and returned.
−### NFPA 101 permits the illumination to decline over the duration as the battery discharges; the standard therefore specifies both an initial and an end-of-duration level. {note}
+### The photometric calculation is the submittal that most often comes back deficient, because it is prepared from the luminaire's normal lumen output rather than its emergency output, or it stops at the exit door and leaves the exterior path to the public way unproven. {note}
−### The emergency lighting system shall provide an average of not less than 1 fc and a minimum at any point of not less than 0.1 fc, measured at the floor along the entire egress path, at the start of the 90-minute duration.
+## Informational Submittals {toc}
−### The emergency lighting system shall provide an average of not less than 0.6 fc and a minimum at any point of not less than 0.06 fc, measured at the floor along the entire egress path, at the end of the 90-minute duration.
+### The Contractor shall submit the following with or before the action submittals:
−### Illumination of the means of egress shall be continuous during the time the building is occupied under normal power, at not less than 1 fc at the floor.
+- the installer's qualification statement required under Quality Assurance
+- the Authority Having Jurisdiction's confirmation of the exit sign letter color and legend, where the datasheet derives the color from that authority
+- the proposed acceptance test procedure, identifying the discharge method, the illumination measurement locations, and the instrument to be used
+- for self-luminous signs, the manufacturer's license under 10 CFR Part 32 and the general-license conditions the Owner assumes on receipt
−### Stairways that are part of the means of egress shall be illuminated to not less than 10 fc at the walking surface while in use.
−
```datasheet
−label: Egress-path emergency illumination (initial, at floor)
−type: range
−unit: fc
−min: 1.0
−max: 5.0
−step: 0.5
−setpoints: [1.0]
−default: 1.0
−note: NFPA 101 / IBC minimum average. Increase only where the AHJ or occupancy requires higher levels.
+label: Informational Submittals
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Installer qualification statement"
+ - "Authority Having Jurisdiction confirmation of exit sign color and legend"
+ - "Acceptance test procedure"
+ - "Self-luminous sign license documentation"
+default:
+ - "Installer qualification statement"
+ - "Acceptance test procedure"
```
+## Closeout Submittals {toc}
+
+### The Contractor shall submit the following before the emergency lighting is accepted:
+
+- the acceptance test report, recording for every unit, sign, pack, and inverter the date, the discharge duration achieved, the illumination measured along the egress path at the end of the discharge, and the tester's determination
+- the transfer test record for every generator-fed and inverter-fed circuit, recording the measured time from loss of normal power to restored illumination
+- an as-built record of the location, type, and power source of every emergency luminaire, exit sign, and path marking
+- operation and maintenance data giving the test procedure, the test schedule NFPA 101 requires, the battery replacement procedure, the battery design life, and the disposal requirements for each battery chemistry furnished
+- the monitoring point list as commissioned, where a monitoring interface is furnished
+- the warranty documentation for the equipment and for the batteries
+- a signed receipt from the Owner for the spare parts delivered
+
```datasheet
−label: Minimum point illumination (initial, at floor)
−type: range
−unit: fc
−min: 0.1
−max: 1.0
−step: 0.1
−setpoints: [0.1]
−default: 0.1
+label: Closeout Submittals
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Acceptance test report"
+ - "Transfer test records"
+ - "As-built record of emergency lighting locations and sources"
+ - "Operation and maintenance data with the test schedule"
+ - "Monitoring point list as commissioned"
+ - "Warranty documentation"
+ - "Spare parts receipt"
+default:
+ - "Acceptance test report"
+ - "As-built record of emergency lighting locations and sources"
+ - "Operation and maintenance data with the test schedule"
+ - "Warranty documentation"
```
−## Uniformity {toc}
+### The acceptance test report is the first entry in the test record NFPA 101 requires the Owner to keep for the life of the building, and an Authority Having Jurisdiction that inspects the building later reads the record from that entry forward. {note}
−### A uniform path prevents both dark pockets that hide hazards and bright spots that constrict the pupil and leave adjacent areas effectively dark. {note}
+# Quality Assurance {toc}
−### Checking only the average illumination is a common error; widely spaced or high-output fixtures near exits with low output at corridor midpoints can satisfy the average yet exceed the uniformity limit and fail inspection. {note}
+## Listing {toc}
−### The ratio of maximum to minimum illumination along any portion of the egress path shall not exceed 40 to 1.
+### Every emergency luminaire, unit equipment, exit sign, emergency battery pack, central inverter, and control override device shall be listed and labeled to UL 924 by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.
+### Luminous egress path marking shall be listed to UL 1994 or shall comply with ASTM E2072, as the adopted code requires.
+
+### A product listed only to UL 1994 is a path marking and not an exit sign, and shall not be installed at a position where an exit sign is required.
+
+### UL 924 is the listing NFPA 101 and the International Building Code both name for emergency lighting equipment and for exit signs, so it is the single mark that makes a product code-recognized in either regime; a luminaire listed to UL 1598 alone is a luminaire and carries no emergency function until a UL 924 listed component gives it one. {note}
+
+## Installer Qualifications {toc}
+
+### The installer shall have completed emergency lighting installations under NFPA 70 Article 700 on not fewer than the number of projects indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Maximum-to-minimum uniformity ratio (limit)
+label: Minimum Installer Comparable Projects
type: range
−unit: ratio (max:min)
−min: 10
−max: 40
−step: 5
−setpoints: [10, 40]
−default: 40
−note: 40:1 is the code ceiling. A tighter ratio improves spacing margin in long corridors and stairs.
+unit: projects
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 10
+ setpoints: [0, 1, 3, 5, 10]
+default: 3
```
−## Duration {toc}
+### The photometric calculations shall be prepared by an individual experienced in egress lighting calculation, and the calculation software shall accept IES photometric files and compute illumination at the floor.
−### The 90-minute duration covers the time required to evacuate and for responders to operate; equipment rated for shorter durations does not meet the code. {note}
+# Environmental and Service Conditions {toc}
−### Sixty-minute equipment is sold and is sometimes substituted, but it does not satisfy NFPA 101 or IBC for egress and shall not be accepted; the duration is therefore stated explicitly. {note}
+## Battery Operating Temperature {toc}
−### Emergency luminaires and exit signs shall provide the required illumination for a minimum of 90 minutes after loss of normal power.
+### Battery capacity falls as the cell cools, and a unit that delivers its full duration at room temperature can fall short of it in an unheated stair, a vestibule, a loading dock, or a canopy in winter; a battery in a hot mechanical room or an unventilated attic loses service life instead of capacity. The rated operating range of the battery is therefore matched to the coldest and hottest locations the equipment is installed in. {note}
+### The minimum operating temperature rating of the battery in unit equipment and in emergency battery packs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Minimum emergency duration
−type: select
−unit: minutes
+label: Minimum Battery Operating Temperature Rating
+type: range
+unit: °C
+derived: "[[parameter: site-ambient-temperature-minimum]] for equipment installed outdoors or in an unconditioned space, and the lowest maintained temperature of the space for equipment installed in a conditioned space"
options:
− - 90
− - 120
− - 180
−default: 90
−note: 90 minutes is the code minimum. 60-minute equipment is non-compliant for egress and is not an option.
+ min: -40
+ max: 20
+ setpoints: [-40, -30, -20, -10, 0, 10, 20]
+default: derived
```
−## Photometric Demonstration {toc}
+### The maximum operating temperature rating of the battery in unit equipment and in emergency battery packs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### Because the consequence of an under-illuminated egress path is concealed during normal operation and only revealed in an emergency, compliance shall be demonstrated by calculation rather than assumed from fixture count.
+```datasheet
+label: Maximum Battery Operating Temperature Rating
+type: range
+unit: °C
+derived: "[[parameter: site-ambient-temperature-maximum]] for equipment installed outdoors or in an unconditioned space, and the highest maintained temperature of the space for equipment installed in a conditioned space"
+options:
+ min: 30
+ max: 55
+ setpoints: [30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55]
+default: derived
+```
−### The Contractor shall submit point-by-point photometric calculations, using the manufacturer's published IES files, demonstrating the required initial and end-of-duration illumination and the uniformity limit along the entire egress path.
+### A standard unit is rated for an operating range of roughly 20°C to 30°C, which is a conditioned interior and nothing else; cold-weather models carry a heated battery compartment or a chemistry rated to a stated low temperature, and high-temperature models carry a chemistry and a charger rated for the stated high temperature. Where one location on the project is outside the standard range, the equipment serving that location is the model rated for it, and the rest of the project is not upgraded with it. {note}
−### The photometric calculation shall include the exit discharge, including the exterior path from the exit door to the public way.
+### Equipment installed in a location whose temperature falls outside the rated range of the battery furnished shall be replaced with equipment rated for that location at the Contractor's expense.
−### The calculation shall account for the lumen depreciation of the battery-supplied source at the end of the 90-minute duration, not only the initial output.
+## Location Ratings {toc}
−# Emergency Power Source {toc}
+### Equipment installed in a damp location shall be listed for damp locations.
−## Selecting the Source {toc}
+### Equipment installed outdoors or in a wet location shall be listed for wet locations.
−### The emergency power source determines the wiring, transfer, and maintenance approach for the entire system and is therefore the first decision in the design. {note}
+### Equipment installed where the atmosphere carries salt, chemical vapor, or another corrosive agent shall be furnished in a corrosion-resistant housing and with corrosion-resistant hardware.
−### Three sources are recognized: self-contained unit equipment and integral battery packs at each luminaire, a central battery or inverter plant feeding dedicated emergency branch circuits, and an on-site generator feeding emergency branch circuits through an automatic transfer switch. {note}
+### Equipment installed in a hazardous (classified) location shall be listed for the class, division, and group of that location.
−### Unit equipment distributes the battery to each device for simple installation and graceful partial failure but multiplies the number of batteries to maintain; a central system concentrates maintenance at one plant but introduces a single point of failure and dedicated emergency feeders. {note}
+### Equipment installed in a food-processing area, a wash-down area, or a natatorium shall be listed for wet locations and shall be furnished in a housing that withstands the cleaning agents and the chlorinated atmosphere of that area.
−### The emergency power source for each area shall be as scheduled. [[drawing: emergency power source by area on the electrical drawings]]
+## Seismic Qualification of Central Equipment {toc}
+### The seismic certification required for a central inverter system shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Emergency power source
+label: Central Inverter Seismic Certification
type: select
+derived: "[[parameter: seismic-design-category]] and the component importance factor assigned to egress lighting equipment under ASCE 7 Chapter 13"
options:
− - Self-contained unit equipment (integral battery per device)
− - Integral emergency battery packs in architectural luminaires
− - Central inverter system on dedicated emergency branch circuits
− - On-site generator with automatic transfer switch
−default: Self-contained unit equipment (integral battery per device)
+ - "No seismic certification required"
+ - "Anchorage design only, in accordance with ASCE 7 Chapter 13"
+ - "Special certification as an active component in accordance with ASCE 7 Section 13.2.2"
+default: derived
```
−## Self-Contained Unit Equipment {toc}
+### Egress illumination is a life-safety function, so equipment serving it carries a component importance factor of 1.5 under ASCE 7, and in the seismic design categories where ASCE 7 requires it the inverter must be shown to keep operating after the design earthquake rather than merely to stay on its pad. {note}
−### Self-contained unit equipment is the most common solution for corridors, stairs, and discrete egress points because each unit is independent and needs no dedicated emergency feeder. {note}
+### Where special certification is required, it shall be by shake-table test in accordance with ICC-ES AC156 or by analysis accepted by the Authority Having Jurisdiction, and shall cover the inverter as furnished, including its battery cabinet and its enclosure.
−### Unit equipment shall be UL 924 listed.
+# Governing Code and Duration {toc}
−### Unit equipment shall accept a dual-voltage input of 120 V and 277 V, or a universal MVOLT input spanning 120 V through 277 V, to suit the available branch circuit.
+## Both NFPA 101 and the International Building Code require the same illumination levels, the same uniformity limit, and the same 90-minute duration for egress illumination, so the performance requirements in this standard hold under either regime; the two codes differ on where luminous path markings are required, on the illumination of stairs in use, and in the edition of NFPA 70 they adopt by reference, which is why the governing code is a fact this standard needs. {note}
−### Unit equipment shall include an integral charger that automatically recharges the battery to full capacity within 24 hours after a full 90-minute discharge.
+## The duration for which emergency illumination and exit sign illumination shall be sustained after loss of normal power shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### Unit equipment shall include a visible charge-status indicator and a manual test means accessible from the floor or by standard means.
−
−### Unit equipment located in damp or wet locations shall be listed for the location and shall be housed in a die-cast or corrosion-resistant enclosure.
−
```datasheet
−label: Unit equipment input voltage
−type: select
−unit: V
+label: Emergency Duration
+type: range
+unit: minutes
+derived: "the minimum duration NFPA 101 Section 7.9.2.1 and IBC Section 1008.3.4 require under [[parameter: adopted-building-code]]"
options:
− - "120/277 dual-voltage"
− - "MVOLT (120 through 277)"
− - "347 (where served by 347 V system)"
−default: "MVOLT (120 through 277)"
+ min: 90
+ max: 240
+ setpoints: [90, 120, 180, 240]
+default: derived
```
+## The duration shall be not less than 90 minutes, and equipment rated for a shorter duration shall not be furnished for egress illumination or for exit signs.
+
+## The code minimum is 90 minutes under both codes, and a longer duration is a project decision made where the Owner's operating program, an evacuation plan for a large or slow-to-evacuate population, or a facility that must remain occupied through an outage calls for it; a longer duration is bought as a larger battery in every distributed unit or as a larger battery plant at the inverter, and it lengthens the annual discharge test by the same amount. {note}
+
+## Sixty-minute unit equipment is manufactured for markets and applications outside the scope of this standard and is sometimes substituted at bid; the clause above exists so that the substitution is rejected on the face of the specification. {note}
+
+## Emergency illumination shall be restored automatically on loss of normal power, without manual intervention, and shall be capable of repeated automatic operation.
+
+# Egress Illumination Performance {toc}
+
+## Illumination Under Normal Power {toc}
+
+### The means of egress shall be illuminated at all times the building is occupied, to not less than 1 fc measured at the floor along the path of egress travel, in accordance with NFPA 101 Section 7.8 and IBC Section 1008.2.
+
+### Where NFPA 101 is the adopted code, new stairs that are part of the means of egress shall be illuminated to not less than 10 fc measured at the walking surface during conditions of stair use.
+
+### The normal-power illumination of the egress path is delivered by the architectural lighting furnished under [[sync/lighting-fixtures]], and the arrangement of that lighting along the path is checked by this standard's photometric calculation rather than assumed from the lighting layout. {note}
+
+## Emergency Illumination Levels {toc}
+
+### Emergency illumination is measured at the floor along the path of egress travel rather than at a work plane, because an evacuating occupant is reading the floor, the stair treads, and the obstacles on them. {note}
+
+### At the start of the emergency duration, the emergency illumination shall be not less than an average of 1 fc and not less than 0.1 fc at any point, measured at the floor along the entire path of egress travel, in accordance with NFPA 101 Section 7.9.2.1 and IBC Section 1008.3.5.
+
+### At the end of the emergency duration, the emergency illumination shall be not less than an average of 0.6 fc and not less than 0.06 fc at any point, measured at the floor along the entire path of egress travel.
+
+### The ratio of the maximum to the minimum illumination along any portion of the path of egress travel shall not exceed 40 to 1.
+
+### The code permits the illumination to decline over the duration as the battery discharges, which is why the requirement is stated at both ends of the discharge; a design that meets the initial levels with no margin fails at the end of the duration on every unit whose battery has aged. {note}
+
+### The uniformity limit is the requirement most often missed on a design that meets the averages, because a layout of a few high-output units near the exits and nothing at the corridor midpoints satisfies the average and still leaves a stretch of floor that is dark by comparison with the pool under each unit. {note}
+
+### Emergency illumination shall be arranged so that the failure of any single lighting element, including the failure of one lamp head, one luminaire, or one battery, does not leave any space requiring emergency illumination in total darkness, in accordance with NEC 700.16.
+
+## Photometric Demonstration {toc}
+
+### Compliance with the emergency illumination levels and the uniformity limit shall be demonstrated by point-by-point calculation over the entire means of egress, including the exit discharge from the exit door to the public way, and shall not be inferred from luminaire spacing or count.
+
+### The calculation shall use the emergency lumen output of each luminaire at the end of the emergency duration, as published by the manufacturer for the battery or inverter output furnished.
+
+### The light loss factor applied to the emergency lumen output in the photometric calculation shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Unit equipment enclosure / location rating
−type: select
+label: Light Loss Factor Applied in Emergency Photometric Calculations
+type: range
+unit: factor
options:
− - Thermoplastic, dry/indoor location
− - Die-cast aluminum, damp location
− - Die-cast aluminum, wet location listed
−default: Thermoplastic, dry/indoor location
+ min: 0.7
+ max: 1.0
+ setpoints: [0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 1.0]
```
+### The manufacturer's end-of-duration emergency lumen output already accounts for the battery discharge curve, so a factor of 1.0 applied to that output is a calculation at the published condition; a factor below 1.0 adds an allowance for LED lumen depreciation over the service life, dirt on the lens, and battery aging between replacements, which some Authorities Having Jurisdiction require and some Owners adopt so that the installation still passes the annual test years after acceptance. The factor is a design margin and no value is the norm across projects. {note}
+
+### Where a control override device or a generator transfer produces an interval of darkness before emergency illumination is restored, the calculation shall state that interval and the source that bridges it.
+
+# Spaces Provided with Emergency Illumination {toc}
+
+## Emergency illumination shall be provided along the exit access, in every exit, and along the exit discharge to the public way, and in every room and space the adopted code requires to have it.
+
+## Where the International Building Code is the adopted code, emergency illumination shall be provided in electrical equipment rooms, fire command centers, fire pump rooms, generator rooms, and public restrooms larger than the area IBC Section 1008.3.3 states, in addition to the means of egress.
+
+## Emergency illumination shall be provided at the location of the emergency system transfer equipment and of the emergency system disconnecting means, so that the equipment can be operated with normal lighting lost.
+
+## The additional spaces provided with emergency illumination beyond those the code requires shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Remote lamp heads per unit
−type: select
−unit: heads
+label: Additional Spaces Provided with Emergency Illumination
+type: checkbox
options:
− - 2
− - 4
− - 6
−default: 2
−note: Head count and aiming are confirmed against the photometric layout.
+ - "Mechanical rooms"
+ - "Telecommunications and data rooms"
+ - "Elevator machine rooms"
+ - "Commercial kitchens"
+ - "Open work areas and open office floors"
+ - "Assembly seating areas"
+ - "Locker rooms and shower rooms"
+ - "Parking structures"
+ - "Loading docks"
+ - "Laboratories"
+ - "Patient care areas"
```
−## Battery {toc}
+## The code requires emergency illumination on the path out of a space, not within it, so a large open floor, a kitchen, or a laboratory can be code-compliant with emergency light only at its exits; the Owner's decision to light the space itself is made where occupants must shut down a process, secure a patient, or find their way across an obstructed floor before they reach the path. {note}
−### Battery chemistry sets the temperature tolerance, the maintenance life, and the disposal handling of every unit, so it is specified rather than left to the supplier. {note}
+## The exit discharge from each exit door to the public way shall be illuminated under emergency power by luminaires on the emergency source or by battery-equipped luminaires, and the luminaires serving it shall be located as indicated on [[drawing: the site electrical plan]].
−### Nickel-cadmium cells tolerate wide temperature ranges but contain cadmium that some jurisdictions restrict at disposal; nickel-metal-hydride cells are cadmium-free; sealed lead-acid is typical only for larger central plants. {note}
+## Exterior emergency luminaires at the exit discharge shall be listed for wet locations and shall be rated for the battery operating temperatures derived under this standard.
−### The battery shall be rated to deliver the full 90-minute duration at the lowest ambient temperature of its installed location.
+## The exit discharge is the part of the means of egress most often left dark, because the emergency circuits are laid out inside the building and the exterior path from the door to the public way is assumed to be lit by site lighting that is on normal power. {note}
−### The battery and its housing shall be rated for the ambient temperature of the installed location, and battery rooms or cabinets shall be maintained within the manufacturer's rated range.
+# Emergency Power Source Strategy {toc}
+## Source Selection {toc}
+
+### The emergency power source strategy for the egress luminaires shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Battery chemistry
+label: Emergency Power Source Strategy for Egress Luminaires
type: select
options:
− - Nickel-cadmium (NiCd)
− - Nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH)
− - Sealed lead-acid (SLA, central systems)
−default: Nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH)
−note: NiMH avoids cadmium disposal restrictions. SLA is typical only for central inverter plants.
+ - "Self-contained unit equipment"
+ - "Emergency battery packs integral to the architectural luminaires"
+ - "Central inverter serving dedicated emergency branch circuits"
+ - "Generator-backed emergency branch circuits"
+ - "Mixed, by area"
```
−```datasheet
−label: Minimum battery ambient temperature rating
−type: range
−unit: °C
−min: -30
−max: 10
−step: 5
−setpoints: [0]
−default: 0
−note: Set to the coldest expected ambient at the device (unconditioned stairs, vestibules, exterior).
−```
+### Where the datasheet selects a mixed strategy, the source serving each area shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the electrical lighting plans]].
−## Integral Emergency Battery Packs {toc}
+### No strategy is the norm across projects, because the choice follows from the building's size, from whether a generator is already present for other emergency loads, from the Owner's maintenance organization, and from the ceiling appearance the architecture calls for. {note}
−### An integral battery pack turns a standard architectural luminaire into an emergency luminaire, avoiding a separate emergency fixture and keeping the ceiling appearance uniform. {note}
+### Unit equipment places a battery, a charger, and lamp heads at each location, so each unit fails alone, needs no emergency feeder, and is added or moved without touching a central plant; the cost is a battery at every location, each of which is tested and replaced on its own schedule. {note}
−### Not every LED driver is compatible with every battery pack; specifying a pack without confirming the driver pairing produces a field substitution or a request for information, so a factory-matched or tested combination is required. {note}
+### Emergency battery packs make selected architectural luminaires into emergency luminaires, so the ceiling shows no separate emergency fixture and the emergency light comes from the same optics as the normal light; the pack is matched to the driver of its host luminaire, the emergency output is a fraction of the normal output, and the battery count equals the count of packed luminaires. {note}
−### Integral emergency battery packs shall be UL 924 listed.
+### A central inverter concentrates the battery plant in one room, so testing and battery replacement happen at one location and the emergency luminaires are ordinary luminaires on dedicated emergency circuits; the cost is the inverter, its battery room or cabinet, the emergency feeders and branch circuits wired to NEC 700.10, and a single point of failure that the code accepts because the inverter is listed and tested as a system. {note}
−### The battery pack and the host luminaire's LED driver shall be a factory-matched or manufacturer-tested combination, confirmed in the submittal.
+### Generator-backed circuits use the on-site generator that already serves other emergency loads, so the egress luminaires are ordinary luminaires on emergency panelboards and the only lighting-specific equipment is the control override at each controlled luminaire; the generator must restore power within 10 seconds under NEC 700.12, and the interval before it does is dark unless bridged. {note}
−### The battery pack shall drive the host luminaire to a constant emergency lumen output sufficient to satisfy the egress illumination requirement, and that output shall be stated in the submittal.
+### The system-level selection of the emergency power source, its capacity, and its transfer scheme is made under [[sync/emergency-and-standby-power]], and the strategy selected in this standard shall be consistent with that selection.
+## Battery Bridging of the Generator Transfer Interval {toc}
+
+### The battery bridging provided where the source strategy is generator-backed circuits shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Integral battery pack emergency output
−type: range
−unit: lm
−min: 500
−max: 1500
−step: 100
−setpoints: [500, 1100, 1500]
−default: 1100
−note: Emergency lumens delivered by the host luminaire on battery; confirm against the photometric layout.
+label: Battery Bridging Where Egress Luminaires Are Generator-Backed
+type: select
+options:
+ - "None"
+ - "Exit signs only"
+ - "Exit signs and luminaires in exit enclosures"
+ - "All egress luminaires"
```
−## Emergency Transfer Device (ETD / ALCR) {toc}
+### A generator that meets the 10-second restoration NEC 700.12 requires is code-compliant without bridging, so bridging is a project decision rather than a code requirement; it is made where the Owner will not accept ten seconds of darkness in a stair, where the generator start time is uncertain in cold weather, or where the facility's evacuation plan assumes continuous light. Bridging adds a battery to every bridged device and returns the testing and replacement burden of distributed batteries to the part of the project it is applied to. {note}
−### Where a luminaire is normally on and switched by lighting controls, an emergency transfer device keeps it lit through a power loss without the visible flicker of a dark-to-bright transfer. {note}
+### Where bridging is selected, the bridged luminaires and signs shall carry an integral battery rated for the full emergency duration, so that a generator that fails to start leaves the bridged locations illuminated for the duration rather than for the transfer interval alone.
−### Because lighting controls may switch a circuit off during normal occupancy, the transfer device monitors the upstream normal supply, not the local switch leg, so loss of normal power forces full output regardless of control state. {note}
+## Control Override of Switched and Dimmed Egress Luminaires {toc}
−### Emergency transfer devices shall be UL 924 listed.
+### Where an egress luminaire is switched, dimmed, or otherwise controlled during normal operation, it shall be forced to full emergency output on loss of normal power through a control override device listed to UL 924, in accordance with NEC 700.23 and 700.24.
−### The emergency transfer device shall sense the normal line voltage ahead of any local control or dimming and shall force the connected luminaire to full output on loss of that normal supply.
+### The control override device shall be selected, located, and wired under [[sync/lighting-controls]], and shall sense the normal source serving the area rather than the switched leg at the luminaire.
−### The emergency transfer device shall restore the luminaire to normal control automatically when normal power is restored.
+### A self-contained unit or a battery pack senses the loss of its own branch circuit and needs no override device, because its branch circuit is connected ahead of every local control under this standard; the override device exists for the luminaire on a central inverter or a generator circuit, which stays lit only if something defeats the control that turned it off. {note}
−# Exit Signs {toc}
+# Self-Contained Unit Equipment {toc}
−## Exit sign type, color, and legend are coordinated with the Authority Having Jurisdiction because requirements vary by jurisdiction and occupancy. Most United States jurisdictions require red letters; some adopt green, and some municipalities require a bilingual legend, so the color and legend are confirmed before procurement. {note}
+## Unit Construction {toc}
−## Type and Listing {toc}
+### Unit equipment shall consist of a rechargeable battery, a charger, one or more LED lamp heads, a transfer relay, a charge indicator, and a test means, assembled and listed to UL 924 as one product.
−### Internally illuminated LED exit signs are the common solution; edge-lit and photoluminescent types serve specific aesthetic or maintenance goals. {note}
+### Unit equipment shall be fixed in place and shall not be portable.
−### A passive photoluminescent sign above a door is code-recognized only when it is UL 924 listed; UL 1994 listed products are egress path markings and are not recognized as exit signs, and Authorities routinely reject UL 1994-only signs at door positions. {note}
+### The lamp heads shall be adjustable in aim and shall hold their aim without tools once set.
−### A photoluminescent exit sign requires continuous ambient illumination to charge; in zones where controls dim the ambient lighting below the charging threshold, the sign will not sustain its glow and shall not be used.
+### Where the unit is fitted with remote lamp heads, the remote heads shall be wired to the unit with a wiring method of NEC Chapter 3 and shall be listed for use with the unit that powers them.
−### Exit signs shall be UL 924 listed.
+### The number of remote lamp heads served by each unit shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### Internally illuminated exit signs shall use LED light sources.
+```datasheet
+label: Remote Lamp Heads per Unit
+type: range
+unit: heads
+drawing_ref: "the luminaire schedule"
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 6
+ setpoints: [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6]
+default: deferred
+```
−### Battery-backed exit signs shall sustain the legend illumination for a minimum of 90 minutes after loss of normal power.
+### Every remote head draws on the same battery as the heads on the unit, so the battery is sized for the total connected head load at the full emergency duration, and a unit fitted in the field with more heads than its listing covers fails the annual discharge test on its first winter. {note}
−### Photoluminescent exit signs, where used, shall receive not less than 5 fc of continuous ambient illumination at the sign face during occupied hours to maintain the listed 90-minute glow performance.
+### Unit equipment shall not be fitted with a remote head load exceeding the load its listing covers for the emergency duration selected under this standard.
−### Photoluminescent exit signs shall not be used in zones where lighting controls reduce the ambient illumination below 5 fc at the sign face.
+## Unit Input Voltage {toc}
+### The input voltage of the unit equipment shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Exit sign type
+label: Unit Equipment Input Voltage
type: select
+drawing_ref: "the panel schedules"
options:
− - LED internally illuminated, AC with integral 90-minute battery
− - LED internally illuminated, AC only on emergency/inverter circuit
− - LED edge-lit, AC with integral 90-minute battery
− - Photoluminescent, UL 924 listed (passive)
−default: LED internally illuminated, AC with integral 90-minute battery
+ - "120 V"
+ - "277 V"
+ - "347 V"
+ - "120 V or 277 V dual-voltage"
+ - "120 V through 277 V universal"
+ - "120 V through 347 V universal"
+default: deferred
```
−## Color and Legend {toc}
+### The unit is powered from the lighting branch circuit of the area it serves, so its input voltage is the voltage of that circuit; a dual-voltage or universal input is bought where one unit type is to serve areas on different lighting voltages or where the circuit voltage is not settled at procurement. {note}
−### Exit sign letter color shall be as required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
+## Unit Housing {toc}
−### The legend and any additional language shall be as required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
+### The housing material of the unit equipment shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
```datasheet
−label: Exit sign letter color
+label: Unit Equipment Housing Material
type: select
options:
− - Red
− - Green
−default: Red
−note: Confirm with the AHJ. Red is the predominant US requirement; some jurisdictions require green.
+ - "Thermoplastic"
+ - "Die-cast aluminum"
+ - "Steel"
+ - "Stainless steel"
+ - "Fiberglass-reinforced polyester"
+default: "Thermoplastic"
```
+### A conditioned interior corridor or room is the installed location of most units on most projects, which is why thermoplastic is the default; every other location named in the Location Ratings article calls for the housing those clauses require. {note}
+
+### Thermoplastic housings are rated for dry indoor locations and are the lightest and least costly; die-cast aluminum and steel housings carry wet-location listings and resist impact; stainless steel and fiberglass-reinforced polyester housings are what a corrosive or wash-down location is served with. {note}
+
+### Units installed where they can be struck, in a gymnasium, a corridor of a detention or correctional occupancy, a loading dock, or a parking structure, shall be furnished in a metal housing with a lamp head guard or in a housing listed as vandal-resistant.
+
+### The location listing of the unit equipment shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Exit sign legend
+label: Unit Equipment Location Listing
type: select
options:
− - EXIT
− - EXIT / SORTIE (bilingual)
−default: EXIT
+ - "Dry location"
+ - "Damp location"
+ - "Wet location"
+default: "Dry location"
```
−## Mounting and Direction {toc}
+### Where the Location Ratings article requires a listing higher than the datasheet selection for an installed location, the higher listing shall be furnished at that location and the conflict reported to the Engineer of Record before procurement.
−### Single-face, double-face, and combination configurations and the directional chevrons are determined by the sign's position in the egress path. {note}
+## Charger, Indication, and Test Means {toc}
−### Exit signs shall be single-face or double-face as required by the visibility of the sign from the approach directions. [[drawing: single/double face by location on the exit sign plan]]
+### The charger shall recharge a fully discharged battery to the capacity required for the full emergency duration within 24 hours, and shall then hold the battery at float without overcharging it.
−### Directional chevrons shall be provided and oriented to indicate the direction of egress travel where the direction is not obvious. [[drawing: chevron direction by location on the exit sign plan]]
+### The charger shall be temperature-compensated where the battery chemistry furnished requires it, and shall be listed with the battery it charges.
−### The mounting position of each exit sign shall be as indicated. [[drawing: ceiling, wall, or end-mount by location on the exit sign plan]]
+### The unit shall carry a visible indicator showing that the charger is energized and the battery is charging, and shall carry a test switch that simulates loss of normal power and operates the lamp heads on the battery.
−```datasheet
−label: Exit sign faces
−type: select
−options:
− - Single-face
− - Double-face
−default: Single-face
−```
+### The transfer relay shall energize the lamp heads on loss of the branch circuit voltage and shall return them to the charging condition on restoration, without manual reset.
+### The unit shall include low-voltage disconnect of the battery at the end of discharge, so that a battery run to exhaustion during an extended outage is not damaged by deep discharge.
+
+## Battery Chemistry for Unit Equipment and Battery Packs {toc}
+
+### The battery chemistry of the unit equipment and of the emergency battery packs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Exit sign mounting
+label: Battery Chemistry for Unit Equipment and Battery Packs
type: select
options:
− - Ceiling-mounted
− - Wall-mounted
− - End-mounted (perpendicular to wall)
−default: Wall-mounted
+ - "Nickel-cadmium"
+ - "Nickel-metal hydride"
+ - "Sealed lead-acid"
+ - "Lithium iron phosphate"
```
−## Combination Exit / Emergency Units {toc}
+### No chemistry is the norm across projects, because the choice turns on the operating temperatures derived under this standard, on the replacement interval the Owner's maintenance program can sustain, and on the disposal rules of the jurisdiction. {note}
−### A combination unit houses an exit sign and emergency lamp heads in one enclosure, reducing the fixture count at exit doors where both functions are needed. {note}
+### Nickel-cadmium cells hold their capacity across the widest temperature range of the four and tolerate float charging for years, which is why they are the chemistry of most cold-weather and high-temperature units; cadmium is restricted at disposal in some jurisdictions and the cells are returned through a take-back program rather than discarded. {note}
−### Combination exit and emergency units, where used, shall be UL 924 listed and shall meet both the exit sign and the emergency luminaire requirements of this standard.
+### Nickel-metal hydride cells are cadmium-free and carry more capacity for their size than nickel-cadmium, at a narrower temperature range and a shorter float life, so they suit a conditioned interior on a regular replacement schedule. {note}
−```datasheet
−label: Combination exit/emergency unit
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - Provide combination exit/emergency unit at designated doors
−default: []
−```
+### Sealed lead-acid cells are the least costly per watt-hour and are the chemistry of larger-capacity units and of most central plants; they are heavier, lose capacity quickly at low temperature, and reach the end of their float life in a few years in a warm location. {note}
−# Photoluminescent Egress Path Marking {toc}
+### Lithium iron phosphate cells carry the longest cycle and float life, the lightest weight, and the flattest discharge curve, so a unit holds its output nearer the initial level through the duration; the chemistry does not charge below freezing without a heated compartment, and its charger and protection circuit are part of the listing. {note}
−## Floor-proximity path markings supplement exit signs in stairs and along egress paths; smoke accumulates at head height, so markings near the floor remain visible when overhead signs do not. {note}
+### The battery shall be replaceable in the field without removing the unit from its mounting and without tools other than a screwdriver, and the replacement battery shall be a stocked item identified in the operation and maintenance data.
−## These markings are a supplement and never a substitute for UL 924 listed exit signs; their separate listing standard reflects a different, supplemental role. {note}
+# Emergency Battery Packs in Architectural Luminaires {toc}
−## Photoluminescent egress path marking, where provided, shall be UL 1994 listed.
+## Where the source strategy selects emergency battery packs, the pack is furnished as a component of the luminaire under [[sync/lighting-fixtures]], and this standard governs what the pack must deliver for the egress design and the conditions it must deliver it under. {note}
−## Photoluminescent path markings shall not be substituted for UL 924 listed exit signs at door positions.
+## The battery pack and the host luminaire driver shall be a factory-matched or manufacturer-tested combination, and the combination shall be identified in the submittal.
−## Photoluminescent path markings shall receive the continuous ambient charging illumination required by their listing to maintain the rated glow duration.
+## An emergency driver that is not matched to the host driver can fail to transfer, can drive the LED array outside its rating on battery, or can produce a lower emergency output than the calculation assumed, and none of these is visible until the discharge test. {note}
−## Path marking locations shall be as indicated. [[drawing: floor strip, stair nosing, and handrail marker locations on the egress marking plan]]
+## The emergency lumen output of each battery-packed luminaire shall be not less than the output the photometric calculation requires of it, and the output required at each location shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the luminaire schedule]].
−```datasheet
−label: Photoluminescent path marking components
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - Floor-proximity strips
− - Stairway nosing markers
− - Handrail markers
−default: []
−```
+## The battery pack shall be rated for the emergency duration selected under this standard, for the battery operating temperatures derived under this standard, and shall be of the battery chemistry selected under this standard.
+## The pack shall be located inside the luminaire, in a listed enclosure attached to it, or in a remote enclosure within the distance the listing permits, and the pack's charge indicator and test switch shall be visible and reachable from the floor or from the access the luminaire provides.
+
+## The pack shall be powered from the unswitched lighting branch circuit of the area the luminaire serves, connected ahead of every local control, so that the pack charges whenever the branch circuit is energized and transfers whenever it is lost.
+
# Central Inverter Systems {toc}
−## A central inverter feeds many emergency luminaires from one maintained battery plant, concentrating maintenance and testing at a single location at the cost of dedicated emergency feeders and a single point of failure. {note}
+## Inverter Listing and Ratings {toc}
−## Sizing the inverter only to the steady connected wattage ignores LED driver inrush on transfer, the power factor of the load, and future expansion, and produces nuisance tripping or an undersized plant; a design margin is therefore required. {note}
+### A central inverter system shall be listed to UL 924 as a complete assembly, comprising the inverter, the charger, the battery, the transfer provision, and the enclosure, and shall be installed, tested, and maintained as a stored electrical energy emergency power supply system in accordance with NFPA 111.
−## Where specified, the central inverter system shall be UL 924 listed; custom or field-assembled control cabinets shall additionally be UL 508A listed.
+### The output capacity of the inverter shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−## The inverter shall be sized to not less than 125% of the connected emergency lighting load, accounting for LED driver inrush and power factor.
+```datasheet
+label: Central Inverter Output Capacity
+type: range
+unit: kW
+drawing_ref: "the one-line diagram"
+options:
+ min: 0.35
+ max: 150
+ setpoints: [0.35, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 33, 50, 75, 100, 150]
+default: deferred
+```
−## The inverter output voltage shall match the served luminaire driver input voltage.
+### The capacity margin above the connected emergency lighting load shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−## The inverter shall transfer to battery and maintain output within the interval required to keep the connected luminaires continuously illuminated, with no perceptible interruption.
+```datasheet
+label: Inverter Capacity Margin Above Connected Load
+type: range
+unit: '%'
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 100
+ setpoints: [0, 10, 20, 25, 30, 50, 100]
+default: 25
+```
+### NEC 700.4 requires the source to carry every emergency load that can operate at once, so a margin of zero is code-legal; the margin covers the inrush of LED drivers energizing together at transfer, a lagging power factor that the inverter's volt-ampere rating sees and its watt rating does not, and the luminaires the Owner adds over the life of the plant. A margin of 25 percent is the value most specifications carry, and a larger margin is bought where the load is expected to grow or where the drivers furnished have a high inrush. {note}
+
+### The inverter shall be rated to carry the connected emergency lighting load, with the margin selected, for the full emergency duration selected under this standard, with its battery at the end of its published design life.
+
+### The inverter output voltage shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Central inverter output voltage
−type: select
+label: Central Inverter Output Voltage
+type: range
unit: V
+drawing_ref: "the one-line diagram"
options:
− - 120
− - 277
− - 347
−default: 277
+ min: 120
+ max: 480
+ setpoints: [120, 208, 240, 277, 347, 480]
+default: deferred
```
+### The inverter output configuration shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Inverter design margin over connected load
−type: range
−unit: "%"
−min: 125
−max: 200
−step: 25
−setpoints: [125, 200]
−default: 125
−note: 125% is the minimum. Increase where future expansion or high driver inrush is expected.
+label: Central Inverter Output Configuration
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "1Φ, single output voltage"
+ - "1Φ, two output voltages"
+ - "3Φ, four-wire"
```
+### The output voltage matches the driver input voltage of the luminaires the inverter serves; a two-voltage output serves 120 V and 277 V luminaires from one plant, and a three-phase output is the construction of the largest plants and of an inverter that also serves three-phase emergency loads under [[sync/emergency-and-standby-power]]. {note}
+
+## Inverter Topology and Transfer {toc}
+
+### The inverter topology shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Inverter battery technology
−type: select
+label: Central Inverter Topology
+type: radio
options:
− - Sealed lead-acid (SLA)
− - Nickel-cadmium (NiCd)
−default: Sealed lead-acid (SLA)
+ - "Line-interactive with fast transfer"
+ - "Double-conversion with no transfer interval"
```
−# Generator-Fed Emergency Lighting {toc}
+### A line-interactive inverter passes utility power to the load in normal operation and transfers to the battery within a few milliseconds of an outage, so the luminaires see an interruption shorter than a driver's hold-up and stay lit; a double-conversion inverter powers the load from its own output at all times and has no transfer interval, at a higher first cost and a continuous conversion loss for the life of the plant. UL 924 permits a transfer interval of up to 10 seconds, so both are code-compliant for egress illumination. {note}
−## Where the emergency power source is an on-site generator, normal architectural luminaires on dedicated emergency panels become the egress lighting, transferred by an automatic transfer switch. {note}
+### The inverter shall transfer to battery on loss or degradation of the normal source and shall return to normal operation on restoration without manual reset, and shall not produce a visible interruption in the output of the connected luminaires on either transfer.
−## A generator is not instantaneous; the transfer switch and the generator start introduce a delay that battery equipment at critical points must bridge so the egress path is never dark during the transfer.
+### The operation of the inverter output circuits under normal power shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−## The transfer switch for an emergency system has stricter listing requirements than a standby switch; a switch listed only for optional standby use does not qualify. {note}
+```datasheet
+label: Inverter Output Circuit Operation
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Normally on"
+ - "Normally off"
+ - "Normally on and controlled through UL 924 listed control devices"
+```
−## The automatic transfer switch serving emergency lighting shall be listed for emergency system use per NEC 700.5(C), and shall be electrically operated and mechanically held.
+### A normally-on output keeps the emergency luminaires lit at all times and makes them part of the normal lighting; a normally-off output energizes them only on loss of normal power, so the emergency luminaires are dark and unnoticed until they are needed; a controlled output lets the emergency luminaires be switched and dimmed with the rest of the lighting through the override devices selected under [[sync/lighting-controls]], which force them to full output at transfer. {note}
+### Where the output is normally off, the inverter shall energize its output circuits within 10 seconds of loss of normal power, and the emergency luminaires on those circuits shall be tested from the inverter's test provision rather than by removing normal power at each luminaire.
+
+## Inverter Battery {toc}
+
+### The inverter battery chemistry shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Transfer switch listing
+label: Central Inverter Battery Chemistry
type: select
options:
− - Listed for emergency system use per NEC 700.5(C)
−default: Listed for emergency system use per NEC 700.5(C)
−note: A switch listed only for optional standby use does not qualify for an emergency system.
+ - "Valve-regulated lead-acid"
+ - "Vented lead-acid"
+ - "Nickel-cadmium"
+ - "Lithium iron phosphate"
```
−## Transfer of the emergency lighting load to the generator shall occur automatically within 10 seconds of loss of normal power, per NEC 700.12.
+### The published design life of the inverter battery shall be not less than the period indicated in the datasheet.
```datasheet
−label: Maximum transfer time to generator
+label: Central Inverter Battery Design Life
type: range
−unit: s
−min: 5
−max: 10
−step: 1
−setpoints: [5, 10]
−default: 10
−note: NEC 700.12 ceiling. Battery bridging covers the generator start interval at critical points.
+unit: years
+options:
+ min: 5
+ max: 25
+ setpoints: [5, 10, 15, 20, 25]
```
−## Battery-equipped luminaires or exit signs shall be provided at exit signs, stairs, and other critical egress points to bridge the transfer interval, and shall be specified wherever the generator start time may exceed 10 seconds, such as in cold climates without an engine pre-heat system.
+### Valve-regulated lead-acid is the chemistry of most lighting inverters, is furnished in five-year and ten-year design-life grades, and needs no separate battery room; vented lead-acid and nickel-cadmium reach twenty years and beyond and require the ventilation, spill containment, and eyewash provisions of a battery room; lithium iron phosphate reaches a long life in a small footprint and carries its management system and its fire-code provisions as part of the listing. The battery room and the battery as a system are governed by [[sync/dc-battery-systems]] where the inverter is furnished with a separate battery installation. {note}
+### The inverter shall include a battery charger that recharges the battery to the capacity required for the full emergency duration within 24 hours of a full discharge, a low-voltage disconnect that protects the battery from deep discharge, and battery monitoring that reports a battery fault to the monitoring interface selected under this standard.
+
+## Inverter Enclosure and Location {toc}
+
+### The inverter enclosure type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Battery bridging at critical egress points
−type: checkbox
+label: Central Inverter Enclosure Type
+type: select
options:
− - Provide battery-backed exit signs and stair lighting to bridge transfer
−default:
− - Provide battery-backed exit signs and stair lighting to bridge transfer
+ - "NEMA Type 1"
+ - "NEMA Type 2"
+ - "NEMA Type 3R"
+ - "NEMA Type 4"
+ - "NEMA Type 4X"
+ - "NEMA Type 12"
+default: "NEMA Type 1"
```
−## The generator set, fuel storage, and testing intervals are governed by NFPA 110-2022 and are specified in [[sync/generators]]; the transfer time, bridging-battery requirement, and testing provisions shall be coordinated with that specification. {note}
+### A dry, conditioned electrical room is the installed location of the inverter on most projects, which is why Type 1 is the default; an inverter installed outdoors shall have an enclosure of Type 3R, Type 4, or Type 4X, an inverter installed in a corrosive atmosphere shall have a Type 4X enclosure, and an inverter installed where dust or dripping liquid is present shall have an enclosure of Type 12, Type 4, or Type 4X. {note}
−# Electrical Installation {toc}
+### Where a rating higher than the datasheet selection is required for the installed location, the higher rating shall be furnished and the conflict reported to the Engineer of Record before procurement.
−## Wiring Independence {toc}
+### The inverter shall be installed in the location indicated on [[drawing: the electrical plans]], in a space that holds the battery within its rated operating temperature and that satisfies [[sync/electrical-rooms]].
−### Emergency wiring is kept entirely separate from normal wiring so a fault on a normal circuit cannot disable the emergency system; inspectors check this separation specifically. {note}
+### The emergency branch circuits from the inverter shall be installed in accordance with NEC 700.10 and shall serve no load other than emergency illumination and exit signs.
−### Emergency circuit conductors run in the same raceway or box as normal branch-circuit conductors are a code violation, so the separation is documented on the drawings. {note}
+# Generator-Backed Emergency Lighting Circuits {toc}
−### Emergency system wiring shall be kept entirely independent of normal-system wiring per NEC 700.10, in separate raceways, boxes, cabinets, and panelboards.
+## Where the source strategy selects generator-backed circuits, the egress luminaires are ordinary luminaires furnished under [[sync/lighting-fixtures]] on emergency branch circuits from emergency panelboards, and the generator, the transfer switch, and the emergency distribution are furnished under [[sync/generators]], [[sync/automatic-transfer-switches]], and [[sync/emergency-and-standby-power]]. {note}
−### Emergency panelboards shall be designated with an 'E' prefix on the drawings and labeled in the field. [[drawing: emergency panel designations on the panel schedule]]
+## The emergency lighting load shall be restored within 10 seconds of loss of normal power, in accordance with NEC 700.12 and NFPA 101 Section 7.9.2, and the restoration time shall be demonstrated in the transfer test required under this standard.
−### Emergency wiring shall not be installed in the same raceway, cable, box, or cabinet as normal branch-circuit wiring, except where permitted for transfer equipment by NEC 700.10.
+## The transfer switch serving emergency lighting shall be listed for emergency system use in accordance with NEC 700.5, as selected under [[sync/automatic-transfer-switches]].
−## Connection of Unit Equipment {toc}
+## Battery bridging of the transfer interval shall be provided as selected under this standard, and each bridged device shall be listed to UL 924 with an integral battery rated for the full emergency duration.
−### Unit equipment and integral battery packs shall be connected ahead of any local switch, to the same branch circuit and unswitched supply that feeds the normal lighting in the area served, per NEC 700.12(I).
+## Every egress luminaire on a generator-backed circuit that is switched or dimmed shall be controlled through the override device selected under [[sync/lighting-controls]].
−### The branch circuit feeding unit equipment shall not be controlled by any switch other than the system's overcurrent device.
+## Where an emergency panelboard serves both egress luminaires and other emergency loads, the egress luminaires shall be on branch circuits that serve no load other than emergency illumination and exit signs.
−## Surge Protection {toc}
+# Exit Signs {toc}
−### The 2023 NEC added a surge protection requirement for emergency panelboards and switchboards that was not present in the 2020 edition; where the 2023 NEC is adopted this provision applies. {note}
+## Exit Sign Type {toc}
−### A surge protective device shall be provided on emergency system panelboards and switchboards where required by the adopted edition of NEC Article 700.
+### The exit sign type shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−## Exterior Exit Discharge {toc}
+```datasheet
+label: Exit Sign Type
+type: select
+options:
+ - "Internally illuminated LED"
+ - "Edge-lit LED"
+ - "Photoluminescent"
+ - "Self-luminous tritium"
+default: "Internally illuminated LED"
+```
−### The exit discharge path from the exit door to the public way is part of the means of egress and must be illuminated, yet emergency circuits are frequently placed only inside the building, leaving the exterior path dark.
+### An internally illuminated LED sign is the sign furnished on the large majority of projects, which is why it is the default; an edge-lit sign is a variant of it with the legend on a clear or mirrored panel lit from its edge, chosen for appearance. {note}
−### The path of egress from the exit door to the public way shall be illuminated by emergency luminaires on the emergency circuit or by battery-backed luminaires, per NFPA 101 §7.9.1.1.
+### A photoluminescent sign carries no lamp and no battery and glows from energy absorbed from the ambient light, so it needs no circuit, no test switch, and no battery replacement; it depends on a stated level of continuous ambient illumination at its face, and it is not usable in a space where the lighting is dimmed, switched off, or occupancy-controlled during occupancy. {note}
−### Exit discharge luminaire locations shall be as indicated. [[drawing: exit discharge luminaire locations on the site/egress plan]]
+### A self-luminous tritium sign glows from a sealed radioluminescent source, needs no circuit and no ambient light, and has a rated life of ten to twenty years after which the sign is returned to the manufacturer under the general license the Owner holds under 10 CFR Part 32; it is used where no circuit can be run and the ambient light cannot be assured, and the Owner accepts the license obligations before it is furnished. {note}
−# Monitoring and Self-Testing {toc}
+### Internally illuminated and edge-lit signs shall use LED light sources and shall be listed to UL 924 for the sign as furnished.
−## Test Regime {toc}
+### Photoluminescent and self-luminous signs shall be listed to UL 924 as exit signs.
−### Emergency equipment is tested on a fixed schedule because a battery that has silently failed provides no warning until the moment it is needed. {note}
+### A photoluminescent sign shall receive continuous ambient illumination at the sign face of not less than the level and from the source type its listing requires, and shall not be installed where the ambient lighting is dimmed or switched off by controls or by occupancy sensing during the time the building is occupied.
−### A manual regime requires a 30-second functional test monthly and a full 90-minute discharge test annually; listed self-testing equipment may perform these automatically and is frequently specified to reduce inspection labor. {note}
+## Exit Sign Power Source {toc}
−### Manually tested equipment shall be subjected to a 30-second functional test monthly and a 90-minute full-duration test annually, with results recorded.
+### The power source of the exit signs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### Self-testing equipment, where specified, shall be UL 924 listed for self-testing, shall automatically perform the monthly and annual tests, shall record the results, and shall annunciate a failure locally.
−
```datasheet
−label: Test method
+label: Exit Sign Power Source
type: select
options:
− - Manual (monthly 30-second, annual 90-minute)
− - Listed self-testing / self-diagnostic
−default: Listed self-testing / self-diagnostic
−note: Self-testing units must be paired with a monitoring output, or a failure annunciates only at the device.
+ - "Integral battery"
+ - "Central inverter emergency circuit"
+ - "Generator-backed emergency branch circuit"
+ - "Central inverter emergency circuit with integral battery"
+ - "Generator-backed emergency branch circuit with integral battery"
+ - "No electrical supply, photoluminescent or self-luminous sign"
```
−## Monitoring Output {toc}
+### The sign source is decided separately from the luminaire source, because a sign with an integral battery is often furnished on a project whose luminaires are on a generator, so that the route stays marked through the transfer interval and through a generator failure, and because a photoluminescent sign needs no source at all. {note}
−### A self-testing unit that fails its test annunciates only at the device unless it is connected to a monitoring system; without a reported output the failure can go unseen, defeating the purpose of self-testing. {note}
+### Where the sign is powered from an emergency circuit, the sign shall be illuminated continuously by that circuit and shall not be switched.
−### Self-testing equipment and central inverter systems shall provide a supervised output reporting trouble and test-failure status to the building automation system or fire alarm control panel.
+### Where the sign carries an integral battery, the battery shall sustain the legend illumination for the full emergency duration selected under this standard, and the sign shall carry the charge indicator and test switch required of unit equipment under this standard.
−### The monitoring output protocol shall be as scheduled. [[drawing: monitoring protocol and termination on the controls/FA drawings]]
+## Legend, Color, and Size {toc}
−### Testing provisions and the supervised interface shall satisfy NEC 700.3.
+### The letter color of the exit signs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
```datasheet
−label: Monitoring output protocol
+label: Exit Sign Letter Color
type: select
+derived: "the letter color the Authority Having Jurisdiction requires under the adopted code and its local amendments"
options:
− - Dry contact (supervised)
− - RS-485 (Modbus)
− - BACnet
− - Proprietary network
−default: Dry contact (supervised)
+ - "Red"
+ - "Green"
+default: derived
```
+### Neither NFPA 101 nor the International Building Code names a letter color, and the color is fixed by state or local amendment; red is required in most jurisdictions and green in some, and a sign in the wrong color is rejected at inspection, so the color is confirmed with the Authority Having Jurisdiction and recorded before the signs are procured. {note}
+
+### The legend of the exit signs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Monitoring destination
+label: Exit Sign Legend
type: select
options:
− - Building automation system (BAS)
− - Fire alarm control panel (FACP)
− - Both BAS and FACP
−default: Building automation system (BAS)
+ - "EXIT"
+ - "EXIT / SALIDA"
+ - "EXIT with running-figure pictogram"
+default: "EXIT"
```
−# Submittals {toc}
+### The word EXIT shall be in plainly legible letters not less than 6 in. high with a principal stroke not less than 3/4 in. wide, in accordance with NFPA 101 Section 7.10.6 and IBC Section 1013.6, and a bilingual or pictogram legend shall be in addition to and not in place of the word EXIT.
−## Action Submittals {toc}
+### The rated viewing distance of the exit signs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### The Contractor shall submit the following action submittals for review before procurement:
+```datasheet
+label: Exit Sign Rated Viewing Distance
+type: range
+unit: ft
+options:
+ min: 50
+ max: 100
+ setpoints: [50, 75, 100]
+default: 100
+```
−- Product data for each emergency luminaire, exit sign, battery pack, transfer device, and inverter, with UL 924 listing identified
−- Point-by-point photometric calculations covering the entire egress path including the exterior exit discharge, at initial and end-of-duration levels
−- Battery data sheets showing chemistry, duration rating, and ambient temperature rating
−- For integral battery packs, documentation of the factory-matched or tested driver-and-pack combination
−- For central inverter systems, sizing calculations showing the 125% minimum design margin and the UL 924 (and UL 508A where applicable) listing
−- Exit sign schedule showing type, color, legend, faces, mounting, and chevron direction by location
−- Monitoring output protocol and the interface to the BAS or fire alarm control panel
+### A sign is listed for a viewing distance under UL 924, and NFPA 101 Section 7.10.1 places signs so that no point in the exit access is farther from the nearest sign than that rating or 100 ft, whichever is less; a sign rated for 100 ft is the standard product, and a sign rated for a shorter distance is a smaller sign that can be used only where the layout keeps every point within its rating. {note}
+## Exit Sign Construction {toc}
+
+### The housing material of the exit signs shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Action submittals
−type: checkbox
+label: Exit Sign Housing Material
+type: select
options:
− - Product data with UL 924 listing
− - Photometric calculations (egress path + exterior discharge)
− - Battery data (chemistry, duration, temperature)
− - Driver-and-pack matched combination documentation
− - Central inverter sizing and listing
− - Exit sign schedule
− - Monitoring output / interface documentation
−default:
− - Product data with UL 924 listing
− - Photometric calculations (egress path + exterior discharge)
− - Exit sign schedule
+ - "Thermoplastic"
+ - "Die-cast aluminum"
+ - "Steel"
+ - "Stainless steel"
+default: "Thermoplastic"
```
−## Closeout Submittals {toc}
+### A conditioned interior is the installed location of most signs, which is why thermoplastic is the default; a sign installed outdoors, in a wet location, or where it can be struck shall be furnished in a metal housing listed for the location, and a sign installed in a corrosive atmosphere shall be furnished in stainless steel or in a thermoplastic listed for that exposure. {note}
−### The Contractor shall submit the following closeout submittals before final acceptance:
+### Signs installed where they can be struck, in a gymnasium, a corridor of a detention or correctional occupancy, or a loading dock, shall be furnished with a vandal-resistant housing or a polycarbonate guard listed with the sign.
−- Operation and maintenance manuals for all emergency equipment
−- Record of the initial 90-minute acceptance discharge test for each unit and system
−- Warranty documentation for equipment and batteries
−- Battery replacement schedule and recommended spare quantities
−- Final as-installed exit sign and emergency luminaire locations
+### Exit signs installed outdoors or in a wet location shall be listed for wet locations.
+### The number of faces of each sign shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the exit sign schedule]].
+
+### The direction of the chevrons on each sign shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the exit sign schedule]].
+
+### The mounting of each sign, whether ceiling, wall, or end mounted, shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the exit sign schedule]].
+
+### The faces, chevrons, and mounting of a sign follow from its position in the egress path and are settled sign by sign on the schedule; a double-faced sign marks a corridor approached from both directions, a chevron is added wherever the direction to the exit is not apparent, and the mounting follows the ceiling and the sightline. {note}
+
+### Exit signs shall be furnished with a universal mounting canopy and with knockout provisions for the mounting the schedule indicates, so that a sign can be remounted in the field without replacement.
+
+## Combination Exit Sign and Emergency Lighting Units {toc}
+
+### Whether combination units that house an exit sign and emergency lamp heads in one enclosure are permitted shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Closeout submittals
−type: checkbox
+label: Combination Exit Sign and Emergency Lighting Units
+type: radio
options:
− - Operation and maintenance manuals
− - Initial 90-minute acceptance test record
− - Warranty documentation
− - Battery replacement schedule
− - As-installed locations
−default:
− - Operation and maintenance manuals
− - Initial 90-minute acceptance test record
− - Warranty documentation
+ - "Not used"
+ - "Permitted"
```
−## Informational Submittals {toc}
+### A combination unit reduces the fixture count at an exit door where both a sign and an emergency luminaire are needed, and puts both functions on one battery, so a battery failure at that door takes down the sign and the light together and the single-element-failure requirement is checked against the adjacent devices. {note}
−### The Contractor shall submit the following informational submittals:
+### Where combination units are permitted, each shall be listed to UL 924 as a combination unit, shall satisfy the exit sign requirements and the unit equipment requirements of this standard, and shall be installed at the locations indicated on [[drawing: the exit sign schedule]].
−- Manufacturer's installation instructions for each product type
−- Certification that all emergency luminaires and exit signs are UL 924 listed
−- Authority Having Jurisdiction confirmation of exit sign color and legend
−- Field test reports for the monthly and annual or self-test verification
+# Luminous Egress Path Marking {toc}
+## Whether luminous egress path marking is provided shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Informational submittals
+label: Luminous Egress Path Marking
+type: select
+derived: "the occupancy group and building height evaluated under IBC Section 1025 and [[parameter: adopted-building-code]]"
+options:
+ - "Not provided"
+ - "Required by the adopted code"
+ - "Provided as an Owner requirement beyond the code"
+default: derived
+```
+
+## The International Building Code requires luminous path markings in the exit enclosures and exit passageways of high-rise buildings of certain occupancy groups, and NFPA 101 does not require them for new construction, so whether they are required follows from the occupancy, the height, and the governing code rather than from a design preference; an Owner adds them beyond the requirement where a stair will be used by a large population in smoke. {note}
+
+## Smoke stratifies from the ceiling down, so a marking at the floor, on the nosing, and on the handrail stays visible after an overhead sign is lost in the smoke layer; the markings supplement the exit signs and never replace them. {note}
+
+## The components of the luminous egress path marking shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Luminous Egress Path Marking Components
type: checkbox
+derived: "the components IBC Section 1025 requires where the marking is required by the adopted code"
options:
− - Installation instructions
− - UL 924 listing certification
− - AHJ confirmation of exit sign color/legend
− - Field test reports
−default:
− - Installation instructions
− - UL 924 listing certification
+ - "Step and stair nosing markings"
+ - "Landing and floor-perimeter demarcation lines"
+ - "Handrail markings"
+ - "Obstacle markings"
+ - "Door frame and hardware markings"
+ - "Directional markings on the floor"
+default: derived
```
−# Quality Assurance {toc}
+## Path marking shall be listed to UL 1994 or shall comply with ASTM E2072, and its luminance shall be verified by ASTM E2073 where the adopted code requires it.
−## All emergency luminaires and exit signs shall be UL 924 listed, regardless of technology type; UL 924 is the single required listing that makes the equipment code-recognized by NFPA 101 and the IBC. {note}
+## Path marking shall receive the continuous ambient charging illumination its listing requires at the marking surface during the time the building is occupied, from a source that is not controlled by occupancy sensing or by a schedule, in accordance with IBC Section 1025.
−## The installer shall be experienced in emergency lighting and Article 700 wiring separation and shall be able to demonstrate prior projects of comparable scope.
+## Path marking shall be installed at the locations indicated on [[drawing: the egress marking plan]].
−## All emergency luminaires, exit signs, and power equipment shall bear a UL 924 listing mark.
+# Periodic Testing and Monitoring {toc}
−## Photoluminescent egress path marking shall bear a UL 1994 listing mark.
+## Test Regime {toc}
−## The installation shall comply with the emergency system wiring separation requirements of NEC Article 700.
+### Every battery-equipped emergency luminaire, unit equipment, exit sign, and central inverter shall be tested at intervals not exceeding 30 days by a functional test of not less than 30 seconds, and at intervals not exceeding 12 months by a discharge test of not less than the full emergency duration, in accordance with NFPA 101 Section 7.9.3, and the results shall be recorded.
−# Testing {toc}
+### A battery that has failed gives no sign of it under normal power, so the code fixes the test interval and the Owner's record is the only evidence that the egress lighting works; the monthly test proves the transfer and the lamps, and the annual test proves the battery. {note}
−## Acceptance testing confirms that the system delivers its rated duration and illumination as installed, not merely as specified, since installation errors and weak batteries are not visible under normal power. {note}
+### The test method furnished shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−## The Contractor shall perform a full 90-minute discharge test of every emergency luminaire, exit sign, and emergency system after installation and shall record the results.
+```datasheet
+label: Emergency Lighting Test Method
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Manual testing with written records"
+ - "Self-testing and self-diagnostic equipment listed to UL 924"
+ - "Self-testing equipment with computer-based monitoring and automatic records"
+default: "Self-testing and self-diagnostic equipment listed to UL 924"
+```
−## During the acceptance discharge test, the illumination along the egress path shall be field-verified to meet the required end-of-duration levels and the uniformity limit.
+### Manual testing sends a person to every device monthly with a stopwatch and annually for the full duration, and the record is only as complete as that person's rounds; self-testing equipment performs the same tests on its own schedule and shows the result at the device; computer-based monitoring adds the record and the remote alarm, so a failed device is reported instead of discovered. NFPA 101 Section 7.9.3 recognizes all three and requires the record in each case. {note}
−## The transfer of generator-fed and inverter-fed systems shall be tested to confirm transfer within the specified interval and continuous illumination of bridged points.
+### Where self-testing equipment is furnished, it shall be listed to UL 924 for self-testing and self-diagnostic operation, shall perform the monthly and annual tests automatically, shall stagger the annual discharge of adjacent devices so that the path is not left without emergency illumination during the test, and shall indicate a failed test at the device.
−## Any luminaire, sign, or system that fails to sustain the full 90-minute duration or to meet the required illumination shall be repaired or replaced and retested.
+### Where manual testing is furnished, every unit and sign shall carry a test switch reachable from the floor or from a ladder, and the operation and maintenance data shall include the test log form.
+## Monitoring Interface {toc}
+
+### The systems to which emergency lighting test and trouble status is reported shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Acceptance test duration
+label: Emergency Lighting Monitoring Destination
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "Local indication at the device only"
+ - "Building automation system"
+ - "Fire alarm control panel, as a supervisory signal"
+ - "Dedicated emergency lighting monitoring system"
+ - "Networked lighting control system"
+```
+
+### The monitoring protocol shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Emergency Lighting Monitoring Protocol
type: select
−unit: minutes
options:
− - 90
− - 120
− - 180
−default: 90
−note: Match to the specified equipment duration rating.
+ - "Dry contacts"
+ - "BACnet MS/TP"
+ - "BACnet/IP"
+ - "Modbus RTU"
+ - "Modbus TCP"
+ - "DALI-2 emergency control"
+ - "Wireless mesh, manufacturer's protocol"
+ - "Wired bus, manufacturer's protocol"
```
−# Installation {toc}
+### A self-testing device that reports only at itself is a device whose failure is seen by whoever happens to look at it, which for a unit above a stair door is no one; the protocol follows from the monitoring platform the project has, so the field carries no default, and dry contacts are listed so that a device reporting through a contact closure alone is recorded as such. {note}
−## Emergency luminaires shall be located and aimed to achieve the photometric layout, with lamp heads adjusted in the field to eliminate dark pockets along the egress path. [[drawing: emergency luminaire locations on the lighting plan]]
+### Where the monitoring destination includes the fire alarm control panel, the interface shall be a supervisory signal and not an alarm, shall be supervised for open and ground, and shall be coordinated with [[sync/fire-alarm-systems]].
−## Exit signs shall be installed so that no point in the exit access is more than the code-permitted travel distance from a visible sign, and so that a sign is visible from every required direction of approach.
+### Where the monitoring destination includes the building automation system, the point list shall be coordinated with [[sync/building-automation-system]] and shall report at least the device identity, the test result, the trouble condition, and the date of the last successful annual discharge.
−## Emergency wiring shall be installed in raceways, boxes, and panels kept entirely separate from normal wiring per NEC 700.10.
+### The test and monitoring provisions shall satisfy NEC 700.3, and the record produced shall be in a form the Authority Having Jurisdiction accepts as the written record NFPA 101 requires.
−## Unit equipment shall be mounted at a height and location that keeps the charge indicator and test means accessible.
+# Electrical Installation {toc}
−## Photoluminescent exit signs and path markings shall be installed only where the ambient charging illumination meets the listed requirement during occupied hours.
+## Wiring Independence {toc}
−## Coordination {toc}
+### Emergency system wiring, including the branch circuits from a central inverter and from an emergency panelboard, shall be kept entirely independent of all other wiring in accordance with NEC 700.10, in separate raceways, cables, boxes, cabinets, and panelboards, except as NEC 700.10 permits within transfer equipment, within a luminaire supplied from both sources, and within a common junction box at a unit equipment or an exit sign.
−### Emergency luminaire and exit sign locations shall be coordinated with the architectural reflected ceiling plan, structure, and mechanical and fire-suppression equipment to maintain required illumination and visibility.
+### Boxes, enclosures, and raceways containing emergency circuits shall be permanently marked as components of the emergency system in accordance with NEC 700.10 and [[sync/electrical-identification]].
−### The emergency lighting monitoring interface shall be coordinated with the building automation and fire alarm installers so the supervised output is terminated and verified.
+### A fault on a normal circuit that shares a box or a raceway with an emergency circuit can take the emergency circuit down with it, which is the failure the separation exists to prevent, and it is the item an inspector opens boxes to check. {note}
+### The emergency panelboards shall be identified as emergency panelboards in the field, and their designations shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the panel schedules]].
+
+### A surge protective device shall be installed on each emergency system switchboard and panelboard where the adopted edition of NFPA 70 Article 700 requires it, and the device shall be selected under [[sync/surge-protective-devices]].
+
+## Connection of Unit Equipment and Battery Packs {toc}
+
+### Unit equipment and emergency battery packs shall be supplied from the same branch circuit that serves the normal lighting in the area they serve, connected ahead of every local switch, dimmer, occupancy sensor, and control relay, in accordance with NEC 700.12.
+
+### The branch circuit supplying unit equipment shall be controlled by no device other than its branch-circuit overcurrent device.
+
+### Unit equipment connected to a branch circuit other than the one lighting its area transfers when its own circuit trips and stays dark when the area's lighting circuit trips, which is the reverse of what the occupant needs; the code ties the unit to the lighting it replaces so that any event that darkens the area also starts the unit. {note}
+
+### Where a unit or a pack is supplied through a cord and plug, the receptacle shall be on the required branch circuit, shall be within the reach the listing permits, and shall be provided with a listed retaining means so that the plug cannot be removed by casual contact.
+
+## Mounting and Aiming {toc}
+
+### Emergency luminaires and unit equipment shall be mounted at the locations and heights indicated on [[drawing: the electrical lighting plans]], and the lamp heads shall be aimed in the field to the photometric layout and adjusted to remove any dark pocket the layout did not predict.
+
+### Unit equipment shall be mounted so that its charge indicator is visible and its test switch is reachable from the floor or from a step ladder, and shall not be mounted above a ceiling or inside a cabinet.
+
+### Exit signs shall be mounted so that a sign is visible from every direction of egress travel it serves, at the positions indicated on the exit sign schedule, and so that no point in the exit access is farther from a visible sign than the rated viewing distance.
+
+### Exit signs and emergency luminaires shall be mounted clear of ducts, pipes, cable trays, sprinkler piping, signage, and other obstructions to the sightline, and the Contractor shall coordinate their positions with the architectural reflected ceiling plans and with the other trades before rough-in.
+
+### The mounting of emergency luminaires and exit signs shall comply with [[sync/lighting-fixtures]] for the support, the seismic bracing of pendant and suspended devices, and the attachment to the ceiling system.
+
+# Acceptance Testing {toc}
+
+## A discharge test on the installed equipment is what proves the duration and the illumination as built, because a weak battery, an unmatched driver, a unit in an unheated space, and a remote head added beyond the listing are each invisible under normal power. {note}
+
+## After installation is complete and the batteries have been charged for not less than 24 hours, the Contractor shall perform a discharge test of every unit equipment, emergency battery pack, battery-equipped exit sign, and central inverter for the duration indicated in the datasheet, and shall record the result for each device.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Acceptance Discharge Test Duration
+type: range
+unit: minutes
+derived: "the emergency duration selected under this standard"
+options:
+ min: 90
+ max: 240
+ setpoints: [90, 120, 180, 240]
+default: derived
+```
+
+## During the acceptance discharge test, the illumination along the path of egress travel shall be measured at the floor at the end of the duration with a calibrated illuminance meter, at not fewer than the points the acceptance test procedure identifies, and the measured values shall satisfy the end-of-duration levels and the uniformity limit required by this standard.
+
+## The transfer of every generator-fed and inverter-fed emergency lighting circuit shall be tested by interrupting the normal source, and the time from interruption to restored illumination shall be measured and recorded together with the continuity of illumination at every bridged location.
+
+## The control override of every switched or dimmed egress luminaire shall be tested by interrupting the normal source with the luminaire switched off and with it dimmed, and the luminaire shall go to full emergency output in each case.
+
+## Every exit sign shall be inspected for legend, letter color, faces, chevron direction, mounting, and visibility from each direction of approach it serves, and every photoluminescent sign and path marking shall be checked for the ambient charging illumination its listing requires.
+
+## A device that fails to sustain the full duration, a path that fails to meet the required illumination, or a circuit that fails to transfer within 10 seconds shall be corrected and retested, and the cost of the correction and of every repeated test shall be borne by the Contractor.
+
+## The acceptance test shall be witnessed by the Owner's representative where the datasheet requires witnessing.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Acceptance Test Witnessing
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "Witnessed by the Owner's representative"
+ - "Recorded by the Contractor without witnessing"
+default: "Recorded by the Contractor without witnessing"
+```
+
+## Where the emergency lighting is served by a generator, the acceptance test shall be scheduled with the generator and transfer switch field tests required under [[sync/generators]] and [[sync/automatic-transfer-switches]], so that the chain from source failure to restored illumination is verified as one system under [[sync/emergency-and-standby-power]] and [[sync/commissioning]].
+
# Delivery, Storage, and Handling {toc}
−## Batteries lose capacity and can be damaged by prolonged storage at temperature extremes or in a discharged state, so storage conditions are controlled. {note}
+## Equipment shall be delivered in the manufacturer's packaging with the listing marks intact, and shall be inspected for damage at receipt.
−## Equipment shall be delivered in the manufacturer's original packaging with listing marks intact.
+## Battery-containing equipment shall be stored in a dry space within the manufacturer's published storage temperature range, and shall not be stored in a space that freezes or that exceeds the storage temperature the battery chemistry permits.
−## Battery-containing equipment shall be stored in a dry, conditioned space within the manufacturer's storage temperature range.
+## Battery-containing equipment shall be installed and its battery placed on charge within the shelf interval the manufacturer publishes for the chemistry, and equipment stored beyond that interval shall have its battery capacity verified by a discharge test or its battery replaced before acceptance.
−## Batteries shall be charged on installation per the manufacturer's commissioning instructions, and equipment stored beyond the manufacturer's permitted shelf interval shall have batteries verified or replaced before acceptance.
+## A battery that sits discharged loses capacity it does not recover, and a lead-acid battery left uncharged for a season can fail the acceptance test on a unit that has never been energized. {note}
−# Warranty {toc}
+## Lithium iron phosphate batteries shall be shipped, stored, and handled in accordance with the hazardous materials regulations that apply to them, and damaged lithium batteries shall be quarantined and returned to the manufacturer rather than installed.
−## Emergency lighting equipment shall carry the manufacturer's full warranty for the luminaire, sign, or inverter for a minimum of 5 years from Substantial Completion.
+## Self-luminous signs shall be received, inventoried, and stored in accordance with the general license conditions under 10 CFR Part 32, and a damaged self-luminous sign shall be returned to the manufacturer and shall not be discarded.
−## Batteries shall carry a warranty for a minimum of 5 years, prorated as permitted by the manufacturer, from Substantial Completion.
+# Warranty {toc}
+## The manufacturer shall warrant each unit equipment, exit sign, emergency battery pack, and central inverter against defects in materials and workmanship for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
+
```datasheet
−label: Equipment warranty period
+label: Equipment Warranty Period
type: range
unit: years
−min: 1
−max: 10
−step: 1
−setpoints: [1, 5, 10]
+options:
+ min: 1
+ max: 10
+ setpoints: [1, 2, 3, 5, 10]
default: 5
```
+## The manufacturer shall warrant every battery furnished for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
+
```datasheet
−label: Battery warranty period
+label: Battery Warranty Period
type: range
unit: years
−min: 1
−max: 10
−step: 1
−setpoints: [1, 5, 10]
−default: 5
+options:
+ min: 1
+ max: 10
+ setpoints: [1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10]
```
−# Spare Parts {toc}
+## A five-year warranty on the electronics of LED emergency equipment is the manufacturer's standard offering across the market, which is why the equipment period carries a default; the battery period follows the chemistry, with a sealed lead-acid battery commonly warranted for one to three years, a nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal hydride battery for five to seven, and a lithium iron phosphate battery for five to ten, so no period is the norm and the field carries no default. {note}
−## Spare batteries are stocked because they are the wear component most likely to require replacement within the equipment's service life, and a stocked spare avoids egress equipment being out of service awaiting delivery. {note}
+## Where the contract documents state a longer warranty period than the datasheet, the longer period shall govern.
−## The Contractor shall furnish spare batteries for the emergency luminaires and exit signs in the quantity scheduled.
+## A battery warranty that is prorated shall state the proration schedule in the warranty documentation, and a full-replacement warranty shall be stated as such.
−## The Contractor shall furnish spare LED lamp heads for unit equipment where the heads are field-replaceable.
+## The Contractor shall warrant the installation, including the connection of every unit and pack ahead of local controls, the wiring separation, the aiming, and the mounting, for the project warranty period.
+## A repair or replacement performed under this warranty shall itself be warranted for a full new term equal to the original period from the date the repair is completed, or for the remainder of the original period, whichever ends later.
+
+# Spare Parts {toc}
+
+## The Contractor shall deliver spare batteries for the unit equipment, the emergency battery packs, and the battery-equipped exit signs, in the quantity indicated in the datasheet as a percentage of the installed count of each battery type, and shall obtain a signed receipt for them.
+
```datasheet
−label: Spare batteries furnished
+label: Spare Batteries Furnished
type: range
−unit: "% of installed"
−min: 0
−max: 10
−step: 1
−setpoints: [2]
−default: 2
−note: Percent of total installed battery-containing devices, furnished as attic stock.
+unit: '% of installed count of each battery type'
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 25
+ setpoints: [0, 2, 5, 10, 25]
```
+## The Contractor shall deliver spare remote lamp heads, in the quantity indicated in the datasheet as a percentage of the installed count of each head type.
+
```datasheet
−label: Spare remote lamp heads furnished
+label: Spare Remote Lamp Heads Furnished
type: range
−unit: "% of installed"
−min: 0
−max: 10
−step: 1
−setpoints: [2]
−default: 2
+unit: '% of installed count of each head type'
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 25
+ setpoints: [0, 2, 5, 10, 25]
```
+
+## A spare quantity is sized to the installed count and to the Owner's maintenance program, so no quantity is the norm and neither field carries a default; a zero records that the Owner stocks nothing and replaces on failure. {note}
+
+## The other spare parts to be furnished shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
+```datasheet
+label: Other Spare Parts to Be Furnished
+type: checkbox
+options:
+ - "One complete unit equipment of each type furnished"
+ - "One complete exit sign of each type and legend furnished"
+ - "One emergency battery pack of each type furnished"
+ - "One set of fuses for the central inverter"
+ - "One set of indicator lamps or indicators for the central inverter"
+ - "One polycarbonate guard of each type furnished"
+```
+
+## Spare parts shall be of the same manufacturer, model, and rating as the installed items, shall be delivered in their original packaging, and shall be labeled with the equipment type they serve and the date of manufacture of any battery.
+
+## Spare batteries shall be delivered within the shelf interval the manufacturer publishes for the chemistry, and the Owner's operation and maintenance data shall state the date by which each spare battery must be placed on charge or replaced.