LIGHTING
become evident in coming months in all forms of
media. Key personnel in the organisation have
undergone intensive media training and are well-
equipped to take our positive message to the
community. Our staff will advocate for a sensible
regulatory approach that not only reflects
community expectations and promotes consumer
safety, but one that reflects the commercial
realities facing our industry.
One example of poor regulation was the decision
in 2014 by the Australian Building Code Board to
permit the use of photo luminescent exit signs.
Photo luminescent products can be thought of
those that ‘glow in the dark’. Lighting Council
Australia continues to lobby for a change to the
decision which puts Australia out of step with much
of the international community, most notably, the
EU and US. These signs raise a considerable risk of
non-compliant installation, which in turn raises the
risk of confusion amongst building users during an
evacuation. Confusion at these critical times can
mean the difference between life and death.
Governments at all levels interested in energy
productivity should be looking to lighting.
Independent research has demonstrated
that the avera ge household in Australia using
lighting equipment that would have been
considered standard only a decade ago can
recoup the investment costs of new generation
LED technology within only 8 months. There are
very few areas of investment, whether public or
private, where such significant energy efficiency
gains can be realised within such a short amount
of time. The reason for this short repayment
period is that there have been staggering
advances in ability of manufacturers to obtain
an equivalent light output from a lighting unit
at a fraction of the power consumption of older
generation halogen and incandescent products.
As energy costs continue to rise, consumers and
policy-makers will increasingly become aware
of the potential of lighting as a major source of
saving through energy conservation.
A major event on lighting controls is planned
for next year at which time it is hoped to bring
together all elements in the lighting and controls
sector together with allied organisations. We
aim to make this event the leader in the smart
lighting and smart controls field in the Australia-
Pacific region in the coming years. Local
and international speakers will be invited to
present on the exciting new ideas in the lighting
industry, with a particular emphasis on how new
technologies can facilitate savings in energy
consumption, and provide better lighting for
human health and wellbeing.
Environmental issues
The lighting industry takes its collective responsibility
as good corporate citizens very seriously and will
continue to manage and strengthen both the
FluoroCycle programme and Exitcycle programmes
to assist in limiting environmental impacts from the
industry. These programmes are industry-led and
work by helping to ensure that toxic chemicals used
in the production of lighting equipment, especially
fluorescent tubes, are properly recycled by suitable
third parties upon disposal. Lighting Council Australia
has received a very positive response from the
industry and the community, with 300 organisations
signing a commitment to an environmentally
responsible approach to managing waste. At the
time that the scheme commenced in July 2010,
the estimated recycling rate of mercury-containing
lamps was only 5 per cent. An independent report
last year calculated that the recycling rate was over
25 per cent. Lighting Council Australia is very proud
of its achievements in this field.
Technical advice
One of the traditional areas in which the Lighting
Council has operated has been in the provision
of technical advice on lighting and related issues.
The role has also included active participation
in the developments of standards through the
various committees of Standards Australia.
A review has recently been conducted conducted to
ensure that representation on those committees is
at the highest order to ensure sound contemporary
input on behalf of the industry continues to occur.
The Lighting Council also services four industry sub-
groups—comprising mainly technical specialists—
who review issues in such areas as Emergency
lighting, Smart Controls, Street Lighting and Lamps.
Recommendations from these groups are brought
forward to the Board of the Lighting Council and
help inform and influence policy determinations on
a range of regulatory matters.
Our industry body has a strong base of expertise
and technical knowledge which, coupled with
an ambitious strategy to diversify and look for
new opportunities in a period of significant
disruption, will see lighting-based solutions
given a higher profile amongst political decision
makers and the community. We will continue
to work with other industries, public bodies,
and governments of all persuasions to ensure
that an industry that has already existed for 150
years will continue to have a bright future.
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