What is the minimum general lighting load in VA for a 12,000-square-foot office building?

What is the minimum general lighting load in VA for a 12,000-square-foot office building?

• A. 15,600 VA
• B. 12,000 VA
• C. 19,800 VA
• D. 18,000 VA

Answer: (A)

In sizing feeders and services, you estimate the general lighting load by using a baseline wattage per square foot for the occupancy and multiply by the area. For a office space, the minimum general lighting load used in these calculations is 1.3 VA per square foot. So for 12,000 square feet, the minimum load is 12,000 × 1.3 = 15,600 VA. This is the baseline minimum; actual installations could be higher with more lighting or fixtures. If you used different per-square-foot values, you’d get other totals (12,000 VA at 1.0 VA/ft², 18,000 VA at 1.5 VA/ft², 19,800 VA at 1.65 VA/ft²).

In sizing feeders and services, you estimate the general lighting load by using a baseline wattage per square foot for the occupancy and multiply by the area. For a office space, the minimum general lighting load used in these calculations is 1.3 VA per square foot. So for 12,000 square feet, the minimum load is 12,000 × 1.3 = 15,600 VA. This is the baseline minimum; actual installations could be higher with more lighting or fixtures. If you used different per-square-foot values, you’d get other totals (12,000 VA at 1.0 VA/ft², 18,000 VA at 1.5 VA/ft², 19,800 VA at 1.65 VA/ft²).