Logo
Prev
search
addthis
Rotate
Help
Next
Contents
All Pages
Browse Issues
Subscribe
Home
'
Lighting : LIGHTING Feb-Mar 2018
Contents
28 LIGHTING MAGAZINE | February/March 2018 Explaining developments in Section J6 for NCC 2019 INTRODUCTION This paper discusses the draft recommendations for Section J6 of Volume One of the National Construction Code (NCC)1, which is concerned with providing efficient artificial light. The recommendations are based on analysis which confirms that maturing technology such as LEDs bring substantial opportunities for lighting to reduce energy use. We discuss how concerns around the recommendations raised by the lighting industry so far have been addressed in the updated draft, and the means by which ongoing concerns may be raised and supported by evidence from the lighting community. THE NCC, THE BCA, SECTION J AND SECTION J6 Section J of the NCC (National Construction Code) sets the rules for the energy efficiency for all building services. The NCC is imbedded in law. When designing and constructing buildings in Australia compliance is mandatory. The Code is divided into four volumes with Volumes 1 and 2 forming the BCA (Building Codes of Australia): Volume 1 provides requirements for building classes 2 through 9 and Volume 2 provides requirements for building classes 1 and 10. Section J is in Volume 1 and Section J6 covers artificial lighting. The NCC provides three methods for complying with energy efficiency requirements. The first and most flexible is the performance method. A simulation is built of a reference building – the building services energy consumption of the reference building is based on the Deemed to Satisfy clauses within Section J, which will achieve an efficient building and provide a baseline for the building design team to work with. Once designed, the proposed building design is simulated and the total energy use of the building is checked against the reference building to ensure that it meets the code. The second method for complying with NCC energy efficiency requirements is by complying directly with the Deemed to Satisfy clauses in Section J. In effect, using the reference building as your design. The Deemed to Satisfy clauses for artificial lighting are principally comprised within a series of tables. The third method is a combination of the first two. Section J uses both the terms lighting power density (LPD) and illumination power density (IPD). It defines lighting power density (LPD) as using the lamp wattage, and is used typically for residential building calculations (Volume 2) but illumination power density (IPD) is based on the full luminaire wattage, including lamp + control gear and is used typically for commercial building calculations (Volume 1). Section J6 of the Specifications provides minimum requirements for the specification of lighting controls equipment which are to be included in lighting specifications and buildings by law. It is here that we find the details about placement of controls equipment, size requirements of lighting control zones and minimum requirements for sensor run on times and sensitivity. The Specifications are quite well hidden – they aren’t in the Table of Contents. They are between Section J8 and the State and Territory appendices. Within Section J6, Table J6.2a provides maximum IPD requirements for a list of commercial building interior space types and the recommended illuminances in AS/NZS1680.2 for those spaces types. A corresponding table in Section J6 of The Guide (the fourth Volume of the NCC) provides the AS/NZS1680 recommended illuminance for each space type listed in Table J6.2a and the associated efficacy (lm/W). SPECIAL TECHNICAL UPDATE By Cynthia Jolley-Rogers, Energy Action Energy Action encourages the lighting industry to participate in the development of NCC2019 Section J6 to safeguard lighting quality and energy efficiency into our future. – Ivan SlavIch, cEO, EnErgy actIOn MPSC_LIGHTING_AD_A4.indd 1 12/07/2017 2:25 pm
Links
Archive
LIGHTING December 17-January 18
LIGHTING Apr-May 2018
Navigation
Previous Page
Next Page
