3. Standards, codes and regulations

When designing lighting systems, there are some specific standards and codes that must be taken into account.  These provide useful advice and guidance as well as specifying any mandatory requirements.

Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) already apply to certain pieces of equipment in the lighting industry. This ensures that when these items are manufactured they meet the performance standards.

In May of 2006 the Australian Government introduced a mandatory section for maximum energy requirements in new buildings through the Building Code of Australia. The particular reference to lighting is in Section J6 and details the maximum values of lumens per watt (lm/w) and watts per square metre (w/m2) allowable for certain building classes and tasks performed.

Building classes are listed below:

• Class 1a: single dwelling, row house, terrace house, townhouse or villa

• Class 1b: boarding house or guest house < 300m² or 12 persons

• Class 2: sole-occupancy units

• Class 3: residential, boarding house, hostel, motel, residential part of aged care, school or health care

• Class 4: caretakers dwelling

• Class 5: office

• Class 7a: carpark

• Class 7b: wholesale warehouse or storage facility

• Class 8: laboratory or factory

• Class 9a: health-care building

• Class 9b: assembly building

• Class 9c: aged care facility

• Class 10a: non-habitable private garage, shed, carport or the like

• Class 10b: swimming pool, mast, antenna, fence, retaining wall

The Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions are based on a maximum power density for different lighting tasks.

• Classes 2, 3 and 9c are Lamp Power Density (LPD) and defined as watts /m² (lamp wattage only)

• Classes 5,6,7,8, 9a & 9b are Illumination Power Density (IPD) and defined as watts /m² (lamp wattage and control gear losses included) The brief précis below from the BCA shows some of the IPD’s required:

Exterior Artificial Lighting must:

1. Be automatically switched off when daylight is available; and

2. When the total external lighting load exceeds 100 watts

1. Have an average light source efficacy of not less than 60 lumens per watt; or

2. Be controlled by a motion detector in accordance with Specification J6

3. When for decorative purposes, such as façade lighting or signage lighting, have a separate time switch

The requirements of the code do not apply to artificial lighting used for the purposes listed in J6.2 (d) i.e.

1. Emergency Lighting in accordance with part E4

2. Signage and Display lighting within cabinets and display cases

3. Safe movement in accordance with part F4.4

4. Accommodation and Residential section of a detention centre

5. Bathroom heating

6. Lighting of theatrical or musical performances

7. The permanent display and preservation of works of art or objects in a museum or gallery but not for retail

As this reference manual was being completed, the BCA had released an update for public comment to be incorporated into the 2010 release of the BCA.  This update includes requirements for class 1a single dwellings.