Lighting Controls & Energy Codes in Canada (NECB, SB-10)

Short answer

Canadian energy codes limit lighting power and require automatic controls. Under the NECB (and Ontario’s SB-10, which references ASHRAE 90.1 and the NECB), most commercial interior spaces need automatic shut-off (scheduled or occupancy-based), local manual control, and daylight-responsive controls where daylight areas are large enough, with exemptions for spaces such as 24-hour operations and patient care. The exact requirements depend on the code edition the project’s jurisdiction has adopted, so confirm it first.

Key takeaways

First confirm which code and edition applies to the project.

Lighting power limits (LPD) and controls are separate requirements; meet both.

Automatic shut-off, local control and daylight controls are the common core.

Every fixture’s dimming protocol must match the controls specified.

Show controls as their own lines in quotes and submittals.

Step 1: confirm the code and edition

Energy requirements for lighting come from the code the project’s jurisdiction has adopted, at the edition in force on the permit date:

National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings (NECB), adopted with or without changes by many provinces. The 2020 edition updated lighting power densities to reflect more efficient products.
Ontario: the Building Code’s Supplementary Standard SB-10, which references ASHRAE 90.1 and the NECB, with Ontario-specific changes, including revised lighting power density tables. Check the edition in force for the permit.
Some municipalities add green standards on top (for example, the Toronto Green Standard).

Everything below is general. Check the requirements in the edition that applies.

Step 2: meet both limits, power and controls

Requirement	What it limits	How lighting meets it
Lighting power density	Installed watts per m² by space or building type	Efficient fixtures, right light levels
Automatic shut-off	Lights left on in unoccupied spaces	Occupancy sensors, time scheduling, signals from building systems
Local manual control	Lack of control in the space	Wall controls in each space
Daylight-responsive control	Electric light where daylight is available	Photosensors dimming or switching daylight zones
Exterior controls	Exterior lights on in daylight or at night when not needed	Photocells, astronomical time clocks

Codes list exemptions, such as spaces requiring 24-hour operation, patient care areas, and spaces where automatic shut-off would endanger safety or security.

Step 3: check the package, fixture by fixture

Controls only work if the fixtures can respond to them. For every type:

Dimming protocol matches the control system: 0-10V, DALI, phase or wireless.
Driver supports the dimming range the design calls for. See LED driver sizing.
Daylight zones are wired separately from the rest of the room.
Integrated sensors, if specified, are on the right fixtures and in the right quantity.
Emergency fixtures are coordinated with the control system so egress lighting is never switched off.

Step 4: show controls as their own lines

The most common gap in lighting quotes and submittals is controls: sensors, power packs, interfaces and wall stations missing or bundled vaguely. List them as separate lines with quantities and cut sheets so the reviewer can check them. Our submittal checklist includes a controls section.

Controls and incentives

In existing buildings, controls can also earn incentives. In Ontario, network lighting controls are an eligible Save on Energy Retrofit measure. See Ontario lighting incentives.

How SuppLux helps

List controls as their own lines and check every fixture’s dimming protocol against the control system. Send the fixture schedule and SuppLux’s AI matches every line to verified products, with the best alternative shown first, then turns the matched set into a quote and submittal package. Send a schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Which energy code applies to my project in Ontario?

Ontario’s Building Code sets energy efficiency through Supplementary Standard SB-10, which references ASHRAE 90.1 and the NECB with Ontario changes. The applicable edition depends on the Building Code in force on the permit date.

Are occupancy sensors required in offices?

Automatic shut-off is required in most spaces. Occupancy sensors are the common way to meet it in enclosed offices, meeting rooms and classrooms; scheduling may be allowed in some spaces. Check the code edition that applies.

Do I need daylight dimming?

Codes require daylight-responsive controls where daylight areas exceed set thresholds, for example under skylights or near large windows. The thresholds and methods vary by edition.

What is lighting power density (LPD)?

The installed lighting power divided by floor area (W/m²), limited by space type or building type. Efficient LED fixtures make LPD easier to meet; controls requirements still apply.

Lighting controls in Canadian energy codes: what the package must include