About this method
The Commercial Lighting Energy Savings Formula (Commercial Lighting) is used to calculate energy savings from upgrades of existing lighting, including:
- General purpose building lighting
- Lighting for roads and public spaces
- Traffic signals.
It requires that lighting upgrades meet the requirements of lighting standards, and that lighting upgrades are performed by people with appropriate training.
Fact Sheet
The ESS Commercial Lighting Fact Sheet must be provided to the Purchaser at the start of the lighting upgrade. The purpose of the Fact Sheet is to provide the Purchaser with:
- An overview of the ESS
- Key details about commercial lighting activities
- Contact details for relevant authorities.
Post Implementation Declaration
The ESS Commercial Lighting Post Implementation Declaration must be completed upon completion of the lighting upgrade. It confirms that the upgrade meets lighting quality requirements and that the purchaser is satisfied with the upgrade. The Post Implementation Declaration must be completed for each implementation and a copy of the completed form must be kept as a record for each implementation.
Evidence Manual
The Evidence Manual makes it easier to collect and retain the right information to support energy savings. It includes information about:
- The evidence required to support each parameter of a lighting upgrade, and
- How to complete the evidence pack.
Evidence Pack
The Evidence Pack is the core set of records to evidence energy savings from commercial lighting activities. On each occasion a lighting upgrade is performed (at every site) a record of the activity must be made using the associated Evidence Pack.
Please note:
- Accredited Certificate Providers are required to use this evidence pack for all upgrades implemented on or after 1 July 2014
- Accredited Certificate Providers are able to adjust the format of the evidence pack to suit their own business processes
- The 'Multiple Implementation Cover Sheet' has been replaced by the form - Implementation data sheet.
Alternative Evidence:
Proposals to collect evidence not currently included in the Evidence Manual will be considered regularly. If you wish to propose alternative evidence, please email the ESS Compliance Mailbox.
If accepted, the evidence will be published in the next regular update to the Evidence Manual, at which point you can consider the evidence approved for use.
Calculating Energy Savings
We provide a ready-to-use calculation tool. This Excel calculation tool helps you to use the Commercial Lighting Formula. This tool can be used for building lighting upgrades and lighting for roads and public spaces.
The Commercial Lighting Calculation Tool is provided to assist with energy savings calculations. It is not compatible with all systems and is provided on an unsupported basis. IPART will not be able to assist with queries or issues encountered when using the tool.
Commercial Lighting Calculation Tool - DA Version
We no longer provide a version of the Commercial Lighting Calculation Tool in relation to equation 8 of the ESS Rule. Please contact us if you intend to use equation 8 to calculate the Baseline Energy Consumption (eg, some projects involving development approval).
Additional Guidance
Alternative Benchmarks
The use of Alternative Benchmarks may be accepted in certain circumstances. These can be used in place of the requirement to use the AS/NZS 1680 standard for lighting upgrades.
We have an alternative benchmark list with previously approved benchmarks to help you understand which site types this might apply to. See the Fact Sheet for how to apply to use an alternative benchmark and what information is required to apply.
Emerging Lighting Technologies
Equipment that is classified in the ESS Rule as an emerging lighting technology needs to be accepted for use in the scheme. More information is available on the Product acceptance page.
Interactions with the Building Code of Australia (BCA)
The Fact Sheet - Building Code of Australia Flowchart below shows the process of undertaking a commercial lighting upgrade, and considering the BCA requirements.