Commercial Lighting Energy Savings Formula

The purchaser must receive an ESS Commercial Lighting Fact Sheet at the start of the lighting upgrade. The purpose of the Fact Sheet is to give the purchaser:

• an overview of the ESS
• key details about commercial lighting activities
• contact details for relevant authorities.

As an ACP, you must complete an ESS Commercial Lighting Post Implementation Declaration after completing the lighting upgrade. 

This confirms that the:

• upgrade meets lighting quality requirements
• purchaser is satisfied with the upgrade.

You must complete a Post Implementation Declaration for each implementation. You must keep a copy of the completed form as a record for each implementation.

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.

The Evidence Pack is the core set of records to evidence energy savings from commercial lighting activities.  Each time you perform a lighting upgrade (at every site) you must make a record of the activity.

Please note:

• ACPs must use this evidence pack for all upgrades implemented on or after 1 July 2014
• ACPs can 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• the 'Multiple Implementation Cover Sheet' has been replaced by the form - Implementation data sheet.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

We consider proposals to collect evidence that are not in the Evidence Manual. To propose alternative evidence, please email the ESS Compliance Mailbox.

We provide a ready-to-use calculation tool. This Excel calculation tool helps you to use the Commercial Lighting Formula. Use it for building lighting upgrades and lighting for roads and public spaces.

We provide the Commercial Lighting Calculation Tool 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 don't provide a version of the Commercial Lighting Calculation Tool relating to equation 8 of the ESS Rule. Please contact us if you plan to use equation 8 to calculate the Baseline Energy Consumption. (For example, some projects involving development approval.)

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. This is 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 you need to apply.

Emerging Lighting Technologies 

Equipment 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) 

Refer to the Fact Sheet - Building Code of Australia Flowchart below. It shows the process to undertake a commercial lighting upgrade and considers the BCA requirements.