Linear light fixtures of varying lengths that also include segments with emergency lights (and correct emergency lighting calcs in elumtools)

[HVAC-Novice]

I use elumtools for the lighting (inc. emergency lighting) calculations. For regular fixtures I scheduel the exact type and model  (i.e. a 4'strip light) and the plans show which is an emergency fixture (black dot). Elumtool also only uses those emergency fixtures for the emergency lighting calculations. Elumtool uses shared parameters for emergency fixture yes/no and the % dimming. 

I use the "type Comment" parameter to filter out what goes into a schedule. 

But now I have a larger project with linear fixtures. I talked to the manufacturer and reviewed old plans and what they want and is typically done is they want to have the full row length scheduled. So the plans show a 30' row, and the schedule also shows a 30' fixture and they figure out how long the segments will be. So far so good and if it wasn't for emergency fixtures, this would be easy.

But the problem is emergency lighting. If my 30' row has a 4' emergency lighting segment in the middle, I would need a 4'fixture that is the emergency fixture (to show where it is, and for elumtool to simulate emergency lighting)

But if I place a 4' fixture, and 13' fixtures on each end (to get my 30' row), the schedule will not show a 30'fixture. 

If I make the whole 30' fixture to be an emergency fixture, that would unnecessarily increase emergency power load. 

So the problem is created by the fact that for emergency lighting calcs, I need to place actually single fixture segments. But for scheduling I need to pretend the entire row is one fixture. If someone uses a3rd party software, this may not be an issue. 

My only idea so far is to:

- place a 30' fixture and that will be scheduled (not emeregncy)

- Place a 4' emergency fixture on that row. that fixture will have the "Type Comment "set to something else, so it doesn't get scheduled. 

That way I hope to schedule the way the factory wants it, but also have my correct lighting calcs. Some possible problems with this:

- still requires the rep or factory to look at plans to find the emergency fixture segments (this seems to be common practice, though)

- If I place fixture on fixture, one fixture could block the light from the other. 

I had another idea to nest an emergency fixture inside a fixture. But this opens another can of worms and complexity. and it would be flexible enough to allow a 30'ro to have two 4'emergency light segments at the end, or only one in the middle, OR the emergency light segment could be 6'. I doubt this idea is really practical. 

How do I solve this best? 

[HVAC-Novice]

I solved it and attached the linear fixture family. I ended up doing what my original idea was. I create a 30'fixture. that one also gets scheduled. I then place an emergency fixture on the same place. that EM fixture is not scheduled (I included "EM" in the type mark and filter it out of the schedule based on that)

The EM type Load Classification are set to a different load classification that is NOT assigned to spaces. this avoids adding them to the space lighting power density.

While creating new types I decided to simplify life and not include the length in the model number and schedule the length from the shared parameter instead. 

For Elum Tools I had to do some other specific things. If I wouldn't have done that, the emergency light fixture would add more light to the space. They use the "Emergency Luminaire" yes/no parameter to determine if a fixture is used for emergency light calculations. They only can use an instance parameter (I asked their support). So I created an EMERGENCY LIGHTING and EMERGENCY LIGHTING PERMENANT parameter to drive that instance parameter with an "if" function. That way those emergency types always are emergency fixtures, but I also can make the other fixtures be be emergency fixtures per instance (like a 3'fixture in a hallway).

Another problem I had to solve for Elum Tools is to turn off hat emergency fixture for regular lighting. They use the "Switch On" parameter for that. I have to ensure a permeant emergency fixture (the one si use in a long row) is turned off,  but a regular fixture (that is fully used and doesn't get a segment, like a 3'fixture in a hallway) still is an emergency fixture, but also contributes to regular lighting. i also used an "if" function for that. 

I tested it under different scenarios and it behaves as expected. Lighting power density is correct, regular lighting is correct, and so is emergency lighting. 

I realize half of this wall of text won't make sense if you use a different lighting software. But making it work correctly for the Lighting calculations (regular light, and emergency lighting) is what made it a challenge.