This page provides in a non-official manner some summary information relevant to the non-Belgian reader.  For any official purpose, please refer to the original texts in French or Dutch.

1. Introduction

For lighting, the EPB-determination method in Belgium for non-residential buildings takes into consideration the installed lighting power and compares it to an indication of the achieved illuminances.  As the final (and mandatory) proof of compliance with the EPB-requirements is on the basis of an as-built dossier –which has to be made up upon completion (or sufficient advancement) of the works–, it is possible to use the features (product data) of the actually installed luminaires to verify the realized energy performance. The EPB-determination method allows for 2 ways to obtain this indication of the illuminance: either approximately on the basis of the flux code of the luminaire, or more accurately by means of a detailed lighting calculation. In this second instance, the calculation program that is used must be recognised beforehand by the authorities.  The conditions for recognition are described in the following paragraph (see §2). An unofficial translation of the chapter on lighting gives the full detail of the treatment of lighting in the EPB-determination method in Belgium for non-residential buildings.  See §9.4.2.3 for the principle of the detailed lighting calculation.

2. Conditions for recognition

2 conditions must be fulfilled in order for a lighting calculation program to be recognised for use in the context of the EPB-regulations in Belgium:

• All 6 test cases described in paragraph 4 ‘Proposed Experimental Test Cases’ of the technical report “CIE 171:2006: Test cases to assess the accuracy of lighting computer programs” must be satisfied:The calculated illuminances must for each point be between :
  
  
  1. The minimum values (Total Error Lower Limit – TE LL) and the maximum values (Total Error Upper Limit – TE UL) that are stipulated in Appendix A ‘Reference values and photometric files description for the CIBSE test cases’ of the technical report.
  2. The simulated mean room illuminance in the measuring plane must be between the lower limit (minimum value) and upper limit (maximum value) that are stipulated in paragraph 4 ‘Proposed Experimental Test Cases’ of the technical report.
     
     
• If for any other configuration, deviations can be proven, the program is not recognised.  Such instance will be duly motivated vis-à-vis the applicant.

In this manner, it is guaranteed that a calculation program achieves an acceptable accuracy and contains no intrinsic bugs.  A minimum quality is thus proven. Each new version must be verified again in order to ensure that no programming errors slip into the calculation tool during its further development. In principle the recognition is unlimited in time, but if a posteriori a calculation anomaly is still identified in a previously recognized program version, the recognition of that version is withdrawn. The checks are performed by an independent operator who acts on behalf of the public authorities.

3. Administrative recognition procedure

Either the developer of the program itself, or anyone else on his behalf, can apply for recognition of a calculation program.  A strict procedure must be followed which is described in detail in French and Dutch.

4. Recognised calculation programs

The following programs are recognised and have thus undergone independent third party verification of compliance with all 6 “CIE171:2006 test cases” (see §2).

Full name of the program	Version	Developer of the program	Website of the program	Applicant	Granting date of the recognition	Withdrawal date of the recognition–
–	–	–	–	–	–	–

Note 1 : As the procedure has only just become operational, no programs have been recognised as yet.
Note 2 : This list is updated as new programs are recognised or recognitions are withdrawn.