During the 2022 Business Lighting Trade Ally Webinar on January 18, we received several questions via the chat function which we promised to compile and share with attendees. The responses provide helpful information about the 2022 Business Lighting program and we encourage all Business Lighting trade allies to review them, regardless of whether you were able to attend the webinar. 

Participant Sites 

How do you determine site pre (Initial) and post (Final) verifications? 

This year, an Initial Inspection verification is required if the incentive is $7,000 or greater or the savings are 100,000 kWh or greater.  

A Final Inspection verification is required if the incentive is $10,000 or greater or the savings are 100,000 kWh or greater.

“Ghost accounts,” where the landlord is not always the account holder, are common to commercial real estate. With W9 required up front, are there allowances given so the pre-approval is not held by W9’s that can be difficult to produce in a timely manner? 

Whoever is receiving the incentive must provide the W-9. 

If a customer has different addresses, every address is a different site, correct? 

A site uses a combination of address and occupant type and number. For example, if a site has one postal address and one occupant, this is one site. If a site has one postal address and three occupants, then this is technically three different sites. 

The 2022 Program Guide has guidelines around the definition of a site.  

Please reach out to your account manager if you have a site you’re unsure about. 

LLLC 

Daylight Harvest is not necessary to qualify for LLLC, as long as two or more of the other measures are present? 

LLLC systems must be programmed as follows:

• Task Tuning: Required with High End Trim at 80% or lower;
• Daylighting: Required where floor area is substantially illuminated by daylight (See ASHRAE 90.1-2019 for more guidance on what constitutes a daylight area);
• Occupant sensing: Required with a time delay of 10 minutes or less (Manual On encouraged where it does not endanger safety or security).

Is Lutron Vive on the approved list of lighting controls? 

LLLC luminaires or kits require a networked occupancy sensor and ambient light sensor directly integrated or embedded into the luminaire or kit during the manufacturing process. Please refer to the 190L for more information on LLLC. 

Instant Discounts 

Is there a list of participating distributors on Insider or Energy Trust’s website? 

Yes. Please check out the complete list of participating distributors on the Instant Discounts for Business Lighting webpage. 

Are products that qualify for instant discounts only awarded incentives through instant discounts or can they receive incentives through the prescriptive program instead? 

Qualified lighting equipment can receive an Energy Trust incentive through the Instant Discount offer OR the Standard offer. LED linear replacement lamps (TLED) and HID to LED screw-in lamps (HLED) can only receive an incentive through the Instant Discount offer, except for public K-12 schools and government entities. Grow lighting, refrigerated case lighting, exterior sign lighting, and controls can only receive an incentive through the Standard Offer. Please check out the 190L and 190SL for Standard incentives and Instant Discounts for Business Lighting webpage for Instant Discount incentives.  

W9 Form/Incentive Payee 

Are Energy Trust customers still required to go through an enrolled Business Lighting trade ally to receive incentives? 

Yes, Energy Trust customers are required to utilize an enrolled Business Lighting trade ally to receive incentives. Only enrolled Business Lighting trade allies can submit a lighting tool. 

The only exceptions are for K-12 Public Schools and Government Entities. See the definition for these customers in the 2022 Lighting Tool to see if your project qualifies.  

If the customer is taking the rebate, does this add to our Trade Ally Company Cap? 

The total rebate will add to the trade ally company cap, regardless of who is receiving the rebate. The Trade Ally Company Cap are the total incentives from the lighting tools submitted by the trade ally company. 

Will you be providing the W-9 with the DocuSign forms? 

We recommend the W-9 is submitted with Lighting Tool to indicate the payee. This is only necessary if the payee has not received an Energy Trust incentive previously.  

If you have questions about the 2022 Business Lighting Program, please contact your Account Manager, or you can email lighting@energytrust.org or call 1.800.326.2917.