"Code minimum" is quality.
Architect generally selects them by appearance and sole sources their selection.
…and because they saved money and time by letting the lighting rep do the layout, photometrics and fixture spec, and maybe even got a kickback too.
I had 1 job where the fixture package was $3 million; the ones that the Contractor was directed not to touch in any way during the VE exercise was $2.6 million.
I had a job where specified package came in at $3M and I sold the owner on one for $1.6M and bought a lot less than that; it gets fun with the fixture reps get greedy.
