Case study: Office building has daylighting, energy-efficient lighting

The PGA Tour Global Home was designed with a cohesive lighting design strategy in mind

By Tim Milam and Ross Bush November 11, 2021
Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

Lighting design is a balancing act between ownership and energy consumption goals, municipal code requirements and budgetary restraints. These considerations become more intricate on commercial office developments, where occupant productivity and well-being, as well as spatial ambiance, also factor.

The Global Home of the PGA Tour offers a balanced example of cohesive lighting design strategy, energy efficiency and psychological considerations for tenants. The 187,000-square-foot, three-story building sits on a large freshwater lake in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, with a focused connection to the surrounding greenery and wetlands.

Iconography reflecting three lighting design elements and strategies featured in the PGA Tour Global Home development that helped optimize the working environment. Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

Iconography reflecting three lighting design elements and strategies featured in the PGA Tour Global Home development that helped optimize the working environment. Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

The new headquarters features an open layout design, with floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights that fill the space with natural light. According to design leader Foster + Partners, these elements of light, air and surrounding landscape enhance building occupants’ well-being. The psychological and physical benefits are attributed to the principle, biophilia, which explores humans’ innate connection and affinity toward nature.

With an eye on sustainability and its environmental footprint, the PGA Tour Global Home targeted U.S. Green Building Council LEED Gold certification for the project. The project was required to comply with the 2017 Florida Energy Conservation Code, which is modeled from the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code/2013 ASHRAE Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.

Iconography reflecting three building design elements featured in the PGA Tour Global Home that moved the development towards its sustainability goals. Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

Iconography reflecting three building design elements featured in the PGA Tour Global Home that moved the development towards its sustainability goals. Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

Because LEED compliance is tilted toward ASHRAE criteria, the team set forth to meet LEED benchmarks per the ASHRAE 90.1 path. To achieve the rigorous requirements of this path and to meet the ownership’s goals for innovation, the building’s design features include:

  • Energy recovery for all outdoor air systems.
  • Underfloor air conditioning to maximize the effectiveness of air distribution.
  • High-performing exterior glass.
  • Building facade shading via the roof structure.
Iconography reflecting three building design elements featured in the PGA Tour Global Home that moved the development towards its sustainability goals. Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

Iconography reflecting three building design elements featured in the PGA Tour Global Home that moved the development towards its sustainability goals. Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

Lighting design elements

Lighting design is the core of the building’s energy efficiency and its optimized working environment. The strategies used include:

  • Daylight-responsive dimming controls along building fenestration.
  • Fire alarm integration for emergency activation of luminaires to full brightness.
  • Zoning of lighting controls, based on group/task illumination requirements.
  • Energy reduction for enclosed offices by using occupancy sensors for 50% lighting power and switched receptacles.
  • Occupancy sensors on outdoor pole lighting that reduce to 50% lighting power during inactive periods.
Iconography reflecting three building design elements featured in the PGA Tour Global Home that moved the development towards its sustainability goals. Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

Iconography reflecting three building design elements featured in the PGA Tour Global Home that moved the development towards its sustainability goals. Courtesy: Jordan & Skala Engineers

The PGA Tour Global Home showcases lighting design as a vital consideration for developments. It seamlessly integrates tangible aspects, such as costs and codes, with intangible elements, such as morale, productivity and well-being. Owners, Developers and other architecture, engineering and construction design professionals must consider consultants who understand this importance and are highly experienced with lighting design best practices, code requirements and actionable next steps.


Author Bio: Tim Milam is a Principal with Jordan & Skala Engineers. He led the firm’s electrical discipline for more than two decades. Ross Bush is a Principal at Jordan & Skala Engineers. He brings more than 20 years of electrical design and leadership experience; he is the current leader of the firm’s electrical discipline.