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Wisconsin Commercial Building Code Updates to Become More Energy Efficient


San Jose, Calif., April 24, 2018 – On May 1, 2018, the new Wisconsin Commercial Building Code will take effect, with updated building codes on energy standards and lighting controls. Wisconsin Commercial Building Codes represent a significant change in energy standards for the state and will affect all building plans submitted on or after the effective date.

Harold Jepsen, Vice President of Standards and Industry, Building Control Systems at Legrand, has outlined the biggest changes in the upcoming code change:
  • ​​​​​​​ All commercial buildings, regardless of size, must now comply with automatic lighting shut off control. Either time-switch scheduled controls or occupancy sensors can be used to automatically shut off lighting throughout the buildings.
  • Dedicated, independent control, separate from the general lighting, is now required for special application lighting such as display, accent, case, under-shelf, and under-cabinet as well as lighting for sale or education purposes.
  • Hotel and motel guest room lights must now automatically turn off when the guests leave the room. This can be accomplished by either turning off the lighting within 20 minutes of occupants leaving the space or use of a captive key system.
  • Building façade and landscape lighting (used to illuminate the architectural features of the building and its grounds) must automatically shut off between dawn and dusk as well as shut off in sync with a facility’s opening and closing hours. It must also have independent controls from all other exterior lighting.
  • Other exterior lighting (used in parking lots, site, driveways, and walkways) must automatically turn off when adequate daylight is available. The controls must also reduce lighting output by at least 30 percent, either by time schedule or during any time when activity is not detected in the area.


The revised energy standard will continue to drive more energy efficient building construction through more energy efficient designs, construction, and products.

Wisconsin Commercial Building Codes are uniformly adopted statewide for all local jurisdictions to follow. The state has jumped two model energy code cycles with the update and is welcoming the first commercial energy efficiency code update in more than six years.

For more information about the latest energy codes including the 2018 Wisconsin Commercial Building Code, please visit: www.legrand.us/codesolutions.

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About Wattstopper
Wattstopper, a product line of Legrand, offers the most comprehensive line of simple, scalable, and flexible energy-efficient lighting controls and solutions for commercial and residential applications. The Wattstopper range of products, programs, and services has been helping customers save energy, meet green initiatives, and comply with energy codes for more than 30 years. legrand.us/wattstopper

About Legrand and Legrand, North and Central America
Legrand is a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for use in commercial, industrial, and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. Innovation for a steady flow of new products with high added value is a prime vector for growth, including, in particular, connected devices stemming from Legrand’s global Eliot (Electricity and IoT) program. Legrand reported sales of $6.2 billion(USD) in 2017. Legrand has a strong presence in North and Central America, with a portfolio of well-known market brands and product lines that includes AFCO Systems, C2G, Cablofil, Chief, Da-Lite, Electrorack, Finelite, Luxul, Middle Atlantic Products, Milestone AV, Nuvo, OCL, On-Q, Ortronics, Pass & Seymour, Pinnacle, Projecta, QMotion, Quiktron, Raritan, Sanus, Server Technology, Solarfective, Vaddio, Vantage, Wattstopper, and Wiremold. Legrand is listed on Euronext Paris and is a component stock of indexes including the CAC40, FTSE4Good, MSCI World, ASPI, Corporate Oekom Rating, and DJSI (ISIN code FR0010307819) www.legrand.us.

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Media contact:
Mary Placido,Legrand Building Control Systems
415-218-3627
​​​​​​​mary.placido@legrand.us