CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)

Unit 5009A – Identify Services Layout & Connection Methods for MR Construction Projects
LIGHTING IN BUILDINGS
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15. LIGHTING IN BUILDINGS

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DAYLIGHTING IN BUILDINGS

It is difficult to overestimate the significance of daylight, and of sunlight, in the

character of a building and in the lives of the people who use it. There are, of course,
some building types, such as cinemas, theatres or nightclubs, where being cut off from
the world outside is an essential part of the experience.

In others, department stores or museums for example, daylight may be excluded from
large areas of the building so as to give full play to carefully designed display lighting.
But most interiors which are to be occupied by people, as opposed to goods or
machinery, need plenty of light, and until the middle years of last century the limits of
natural lighting were critical determinants in the plan of a building and in the design of
its external envelope.

The arrival of fluorescent lighting and cheap energy made possible the multi-storey,
deep-plan building where the ratio of usable floor area to external envelope was taken
to its maximum. And with the deep plan came mechanical ventilation, followed by
sealed windows and full air-conditioning.

On expensive sites in dense, noisy and polluted urban areas the logic of this approach
was particularly compelling. Daylight, in these circumstances, was no longer a critical
design element – external walls might have some windows, no windows or, in the case
of curtain walls, be all windows.

But this phase was to be short-lived. The energy crises of the 1970s together with
recognition of the damage we are causing to the biosphere have been two of the factors
encouraging a return to natural light and ventilation in buildings. Another, which is
becoming increasingly significant, is the response of human beings to working in a
wholly artificial environment.

SICK BUILDING SYNDROM

There is concern about Sick Building Syndrome. Many factors – low humidity levels,
bacteria and dust particles carried through poorly maintained air-handling systems,
toxic emissions from building materials, flicker from fluorescent lamps, and daylight
deprivation – have been implicated in a range of conditions e.g. Legionnaires, disease
through asthma, Seasonal Affective Disorder, chronic headaches and rhinitis, to non-
specific malaise.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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Plainly these carry human and economic costs which one would wish to avoid, and they
can indeed be minimised by the careful design, installation and maintenance of
‘artificial’ lighting systems.

But there is growing recognition that the more direct and rewarding solution may lie in
a renewed emphasis on natural light and ventilation.

Daylight is the light to which we are naturally adapted; it is the light against which we
measure all other kinds of light, in which we try to view things if we want to know what
they ‘really’ look like.

Historically, fine buildings have always exploited natural light and, after a brief
interlude, the skillful use of daylight is once again being seen as a critical element in the
design of buildings of high architectural quality.

The argument for daylighting in buildings therefore has three strands: –

 It provides a healthier and more enjoyable indoor climate

 It conserves the earth’s resources

 Because it saves energy, it saves money.

VISUAL COMFORT

Visual comfort is the main determinant of lighting requirements. Good lighting will
provide a suitable intensity and direction of illumination on the task area, appropriate
colour rendering, the absence of discomfort and, in addition, a satisfying variety in
lighting quality and intensity from place to place and over time.

Poor lighting can cause eyestrain, fatigue, headaches and irritability, to say nothing of
mistakes and accidents. Under the pressure of rising energy costs, and informed by
research results on human visual performance, many countries have reduced their
recommended lighting levels in recent years. It has been found, also, that where the
source of light is natural, rather than artificial, people accept a wider range of
illuminance values.

While artificial light sources with a spectral composition very close to daylight are
available, clearly, other things being equal, daylight itself is preferable.

ADVANTAGES OF WINDOWS

Apart from providing daylight, windows have other advantages. It has been shown that
where people are working for prolonged periods at one task visual fatigue is reduced by
occasionally changing focal distance – by glancing from VDU screen to the landscape
outdoors, for example. It has been found also that in schools, offices, hospital wards
and factories the absence of a view out produces psychological discomfort.
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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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One of the more subtle physiological benefits of windows is that they facilitate ‘time
orientation’, so that our metabolic rhythms are properly synchronised with the time of
day or night.

DAYLIGHT AND ENERGY

Artificial lighting is a substantial consumer of energy in non-domestic buildings. In

offices it can account for as much as 50% of electricity consumption, and if the building
has a deep plan it may use more energy than the heating does.

During the summer months excess heat generated by artificial lighting may entail the
consumption of further energy for mechanical cooling. Modelling studies of an identical,
well designed and well controlled 54 m2 office indicated that artificial lighting accounted
for about 35% of total lighting, heating and cooling costs over the year.

The substitution of daylight for artificial light can be expected to produce savings in the
range 30 - 70%, provided that use of the artificial lighting installation is well controlled.

In hospitals 20% - 30% of electricity use may be attributed to lighting; in factories

typically 15%; in schools 10% - 15%.

COSTS

Daylight in buildings is not always free. Even a conventional window costs more than a
blank wall, and buildings with a higher ratio of wall to floor area (necessary if most
spaces are to be within reach of daylight) are more expensive to construct than those
which are compact.

Sophisticated daylighting devices are still relatively costly, although technological

advances and larger scale production are making them increasingly viable. But many
daylighting design decisions, if made early in the design process, involve no additional
expenditure whatever.

Because daylighting is closely linked with artificial lighting, heating and cooling,
ventilation, and general building costs, achieving cost-effectiveness will usually involve
estimating the capital and running costs of several design alternatives.

Payback periods will depend on local energy prices. In addition to direct savings due to
lower capital and running costs for artificial lighting systems and the reduction or
elimination of air-conditioning, other areas from which benefits can be expected include: –
 Improved employee health and
 Reduced absenteeism,
 Increased building value and rentability, and
 A “green” corporate image.
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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
Unit 5009A – Identify Services Layout & Connection Methods for MR Construction Projects
LIGHTING IN BUILDINGS
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DAYLIGHTING DESIGN

One of the attractions of using artificial light in factories, offices and other work-related
buildings has always been its stability and its predictability.

Daylight is always variable and frequently unpredictable. It is these very characteristics

which account for people likes for daylight and for the sparkle that daylight brings to
the interior of a building, but which also make it challenging to work with.

We want sunshine and daylight, but we don’t like glare, downdrafts, loss of privacy,
ultra-violet damage and severe temperature swings.

The lighting, heating and ventilation of buildings (natural or artificial), are interdependent.
Together they have profound consequences for the form a building will take.

Too much glazing, the wrong kind of glazing, or glazing in the wrong place will produce
heat losses or heat gains which may have to be countered by artificial heating or cooling.

Too little glazing usually means too much artificial lighting - and sometimes artificial
cooling as well.

Daylight design should form part of a considered strategy for the building as a whole.

Good daylight design controls and exploits the available light, maximising its
advantages and minimising its disadvantages.

Most of the critical decisions are made during the early design stages.

ROOFLIGHTS

Because the sky is generally brighter at its zenith than near the horizon, horizontal
rooflights admit more daylight per square metre of glazed area than do vertical
windows – a horizontal rooflight is proportionately three times more effective as a
source of daylight than a vertical window.

They cast their light over a space in a more uniform way, and they are less likely to be
obstructed either internally or externally. Direct sunlight from horizontal openings can
be diffused by translucent glazing, and glare controlled by baffle systems.

Very beautiful effects can be created by fitting angled reflectors below horizontal
rooflights or locating the rooflight beside a wall, so that ceilings or walls are washed
with light.

A disadvantage of horizontal rooflights is that, compared to vertical windows, they

collect more light and heat in summer than in winter - usually the opposite of what is
desired.
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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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For this reason vertical or near-vertical rooflights - clerestories, sawtooth or roof

monitors – are often preferred for lighting single-storey deep spaces.

They can be oriented to North, South, East or West as circumstances demand, and
screened with conventional devices.

The duration and quality of daylight can be enhanced by placing light-catching scoops
on the roof outside the glazing, and the distribution of reflected light into the space
below controlled by rooflight geometry.

Vertical or near-vertical
rooflights

Clerestory Windows

Modular Rooflight

Sawtooth Rooflight
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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
Unit 5009A – Identify Services Layout & Connection Methods for MR Construction Projects
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Roof Monitors

ATRIA (ATRIUMS)

In architecture, an atrium is a large open air or

skylight covered space surrounded by a building.
Atria were a common feature in Ancient Roman
dwellings, providing light and ventilation to the
interior.

The daylight performance of an atrium is

complex, and depends on its orientation and
geometry, the character of its wall and floor
surfaces, and the nature of its roof and glazing.
The proportions of the atrium determine the
amount of direct daylight reaching the floor -
wide, shallow, square atria perform better in this
respect than do deep, narrow, rectangular ones.
The design of the atrium walls significantly
affects the distribution of light once it has
entered the atrium.

GLAZING

A conventional window, single-glazed with clear float glass will transmit approximately
85% of the light that falls upon it.

Double or triple glazing will reduce light transmission to 70% and 60% respectively.
Where lighting requirements demand larger areas of glass than would be thermally
satisfactory, specially treated glass can be used to control heat losses or gains.

The early tinted glasses reduced solar heat gain to some degree but also cut down
daylight transmission and distorted the colour of the landscape outside.

Heat absorbing glasses do not reduce daylight transmission to quite the same degree,
but reduce heat gain by only 10% because a large percentage of the heat absorbed is
reradiated into the interior.
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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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Reflective glass blocks solar radiation effectively (reflectance’s up to 50% are

available) but, like tinted glass, it blocks light as well as heat, and it continues to do so
in winter when heat gain and daylight may be beneficial.

Selective ‘low-e’ double glazing, with a heat loss equivalent to that of triple glazing,
has a light transmission factor of approximately 80%.

CHROMOGENIC GLASSES

Current developments include the responsive chromogenic glasses.

Electrochromic glass changes its optical absorption properties

and becomes dark or cloudy in response to an externally
applied electric field. The cost of the glass is very high and, at
present, the life of a unit is too short for practical use in the
building industry.

Thermochromic glass switches between a heat-

transmitting and a heat-reflecting state at selected
temperature thresholds. The thermochromic glass
simply uses heat from direct sunlight to tint the
windows when necessary. The more direct and
intense the sunlight is on the glass the darker it will
become. This allows the windows to drastically
reduce the heat load coming into the building.

Photochromic glass darkens and lightens in

response to changes in light intensity. Material costs
of both are high and durability at this time is
uncertain. The action of all of these coated glasses is
selective blocking of radiation.

Photochromic lenses are optical lenses that darken

on exposure to specific types of light of sufficient
intensity, most commonly ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
In the absence of activating light the lenses return to
their clear state. Photochromic lenses may be made
of glass, polycarbonate, or another plastic.

Prismatic glass (or plastic) controls transmitted light by refraction and can be used to
redirect or to exclude sunlight. The direction of incoming daylight is changed as it
passes through an array of triangular wedges whose geometry can be designed for
particular conditions and orientations.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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Prismatic glass is translucent rather than transparent, so

cannot be used where a view outdoors is required.

In several recent applications it has been used to reduce

glare. Normally a prismatic refracting panel consists of two
sheets with their prismatic faces facing each other to
protect them from dust accumulation. Prismatic sheets
can also be used within double-glazed units.

While the sheets themselves are inexpensive to

manufacture, the overall construction cost is higher than
for conventional glazing.

Glass block, because of the grid configuration of the mortar

joints, will have some shading effect under high angle sun
light transmission factors tend to be low, they can cause
glare problems and, of course, they obscure the view
outdoors.

Polycarbonate Sheeting -Polycarbonate will never shatter and can withstand storms,
snow, stray volleyballs, etc. To be specific: polycarbonate has an impact resistance 200
times better than glass. And while it is a much stronger material, polycarbonate is
actually lighter than glass for easy manoeuvring and installation.

Polycarbonate Sheeting benefits include: –

 High thermal insulation

 Lightweight and impact resistant

 High light transmission

 Excellent structural durability

 Weather and UV resistance

 Blocks virtually all UV radiation

 Easy to handle and install

 High fire performance rating.

Polycarbonate sheeting is the perfect alternative to glass for both commercial and
domestic structures such as pergolas, walkways, facades, skylights etc.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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HELIOSTATS

Sunlight is collected by heliostats (mirrors controlled by a

tracking device), concentrated by means of mirrors or
lenses, and then directed to the core of the building
through shafts or through acrylic rods or fibre-optic
cables.

Because they depend on direct sunlight, and are relatively

expensive to install, they will be cost-effective only in
regions where blue skies and clean air can be guaranteed
for much of the year.

LIGHTPIPES AND LIGHTDUCTS

Lightducts and lightpipes are among the more

mechanically complex daylighting devices.

Energy-efficient back-up lamps may be fixed at the

head of the shaft to substitute for sunlight during
infrequent overcast conditions. The recent
development of thermo-hydraulic tracking systems
powered by solar cells should improve the economic
viability of these devices.

LIGHTSHELVES AND REFLECTORS

The lightshelf, a flat or curved element placed

at the window opening above eye level,
redirects incoming light onto the ceiling and
simultaneously provides shading for the area of
the room close to the window.

The underside of the shelf can also redirect light

from a high-reflectance exterior ground surface
onto the floor inside the room. A lightshelf is most
efficient when it is external, causes minimal
obstruction to the window area, has specular
reflective surfaces, and is combined with a ceiling
of high reflectance. Interior shelves have not been
found to be as effective - they obstruct daylight
entering the room while providing little
compensating benefit.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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Adjustable louvres with a specular finish on the upper surfaces of their blades can be
angled to redirect sunlight or diffuse light in the same manner. They are more
responsive than lightshelves and, if completely retractable, cause no obstruction to
daylight on overcast days.

SHADING

The type, size and positioning of any shading

device will depend on climate, building use, and
the source of the light to be excluded - high- or
low-angle direct sunlight, diffuse sky light, or
perhaps reflected light from paving on the street
outside.

Exterior shading devices are the most effective in

reducing heat gains. Interior shades protect a
room’s occupants against the immediate effects of
direct sunlight and against glare, but once infra-
red radiation has penetrated the glazing most of it
is trapped in the room and must be dissipated by
ventilation or mechanical cooling.

Interior shading - which may be inside the room or contained within glazing units -
tends to be cheaper, more easily adjustable, and can be used for privacy, to control
glare, and to avoid the black-hole effect of windows after dark.

Internal shading is almost always adjustable or

retractable, and is typically in the form of roller or
venetian blinds or curtains. It is easily adjusted and
maintained, and sometimes can provide night-time
blockout. It is also generally cheaper and is particularly
effective at controlling diffuse and reflected light, the
major causes of glare. Curtains and blinds can
moderate brightness, and venetians and louvers can
redirect the light.

Exterior shades tend to be more expensive to install and to

maintain, and to have greater impact on the aesthetic
character of an elevation.

Fixed shading has disadvantages - it screens sunlight

from some angles only and obstructs daylight that would
be welcome on overcast days.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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Adjustable shades avoid these problems, but in non-

domestic buildings movement must be planned. If the
climate is such that adjustment is infrequent, simple
manual adjustment or individual motorized controls
may be adequate even for exterior shades. Control of
interior shades is frequently left to the occupants, but
this may not produce the best use of the system and
some degree of automation may be cost effective.

A louvered overhang allows free air-movement

across the facade - essential in hot climates - and
can also shed snow. Overhangs are of little use,
and fixed vertical fins, if they are to be really
effective, exclude a great deal of daylight and
obstruct the view. Rotating vertical fins can screen
sunlight while preserving views from some
positions within the room, but still reduce daylight
penetration.

Retractable and adjustable external screens

or glare and can be controlled by louvres, which
redirect the light, or curtains and blinds which
moderate the level of brightness without
excluding all light. The traditional exterior
louvered or slatted blinds and shutters provide
an excellent solution to the combined problems
of direct sunlight, diffuse light, heat gain and
ventilation in hot, sunny climates and, because
they are openable, they provide no obstruction
to light or views in cool or sunless weather.

Deciduous trees or vines can be used to screen

the sun in summer and filter light in winter, and
planting can sometimes solve the problem of
reflected light from neighbouring structures or
ground finishes.

Interior blinds have the advantage that they can be left open for much of the time and
drawn only when the sun-angle demands, but heat gain will remain a problem,
particularly on West-facing facades.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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LIGHTING IN BUILDINGS
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Where possible, fixed shading devices should be fitted to

the upper portion of windows only, leaving the lower part
clear of obstructions.

Physical models or sun path diagrams can be used to

predict the performance of shading devices, as can
Horizontal Shading and Vertical Fin Analysis.

PRINCIPLES, STANDARDS & PRACTICE OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING

The criteria for basic illumination of a working environment have traditionally been the
quantity and uniformity of light reaching the area; however, these are not necessarily
sufficient to satisfy workplace needs.

Glare, for instance, may result in discomfort and

possibly affect vision. The balance of brightness of
internal surfaces tends to determine the character of
the internal environment. This balance should ensure
that the interior is bright and cheerful, rather than dark
and gloomy. Whilst it is beyond the scope of this unit to
equip you for detailed lighting design, it is nevertheless
important that you have a broad understanding of the
role, effects, terminology and range of artificial lighting

The principal functions of artificial lighting in buildings are to assist: –

 Task achievement: to provide enough light for people to perform specific

activities

 Movement: to provide enough light for people to move about a building easily
and safely

 Display: to enhance the features of a building, according to its character and

purpose.

ACTS AND REGULATIONS FOR ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING

Performance required in respect of artificial lighting is covered in Clause FP4.2 of the

Building Code of Australia. The methods and extent of artificial lighting are covered in
Clause F4.4, and must also comply with the relevant provisions of AS 1680 Interior
Lighting, which contains more specific material relating to Australian conditions.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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The following also deal with artificial lighting: –

 AS1680.2–Interior lighting – Recommendations for specific tasks and interiors,

values for maintenance illumination of specified tasks, activities and interiors to
suit their specific needs.

 AS 1680.1–Interior lighting: General principles and recommendations, provides

guidance on light-loss factors

Providing illumination in excess of these specific recommendations will usually waste

energy, and should be avoided. As well, extra cooling capacity (with further energy
consumption) will be required to remove additional heat generated by excessive
luminaires.

ENERGY CONSERVATION AND COST

Lighting installations require considered design that should take into account the
conservation of non-sustainable natural resources (such as fossil fuels) used in energy
production. As part of this approach, designers should ensure that the level of
illumination is not excessive, that switching arrangements permit the switching off of
unnecessary lighting and that the illumination is provided efficiently and effectively: in
other words, if it is fit for the intended purpose, and whether it fulfils the task expected
of it.

A lighting design which uses the least number of lamps, (even energy-efficient lamps)
will be more energy efficient. This will result in lower ongoing operating costs and will
usually have a lower initial cost as well.

Whilst detailed lighting-design is beyond the scope of this unit, it is nevertheless useful
for you to have a basic understanding of the design process, what is involved and how
it can affect the construction, maintenance and operation of a building.

Clause 10.7 of AS 1680.1 (Energy-effective lighting) provides more information on

some of the areas that we have briefly mentioned.

BUILDING LIFE-CYCLE COSTING

NSW Public Works' Building Energy Manual provides an excellent discussion on aspects
of life cycle costing for buildings. For comparative lighting systems it will be necessary
to investigate operating, maintenance, repair and replacement costs: –

 Operating costs include the cost of energy for the luminaires. As part of this
total assessment additional secondary costs' such as excessive-heat removal by
air-conditioning from the building will need to be assessed–after all, this
contributes to the overall cost of running the building.
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 Maintenance tasks consist of cleaning and lamp replacement. These costs will
depend on the frequency of maintenance and required luminaire type, design
and location, and will require individual assessment.

 Repair and replacement costs include the replacement of the lighting system
at the end of its cost-effective life.

ARTIFICIAL-LIGHTING METHODS

In order to meet specific lighting objectives, the following lighting methods may be used
singly or combined: –

 General lighting: provides uniform and often diffuse

illumination throughout a building space. Such lighting
is useful for ordinary activities and tasks, and for
reducing the relative illumination of surroundings when
local lighting is applied to a work area.

 Local or functional lighting: provides high

level of illumination in a relatively small area in
which a task (e.g. writing, reading, surgery,
operation of tools) is to be performed.

 Accent lighting: a specialised form of local lighting, the objective being to

create focal points for observers by emphasising objects on display.

 Decorative lighting: utilises colour, or

patterns of light and shadow, to attract
attention, hold interest, produce visual
excitement or a relaxed atmosphere, or
create aesthetic effects. Various
classifications of decorative lighting include
indirect and semi-direct.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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LIGHTING IN MEDIUM RISE CONSTRUCTION

It is valuable to provide the correct light intensity and color spectrum for each task or
environment. Otherwise, energy not only could be wasted but over-illumination can lead
to adverse health and psychological effects.

Specification of illumination requirements is the basic concept of deciding how much

illumination is required for a given task. Clearly, much less light is required to illuminate
a hallway or bathroom compared to that needed for a word processing work station.
Analysis of lighting quality particularly emphasizes use of natural lighting, but also
considers spectral content if artificial light is to be used. Not only will greater reliance on
natural light reduce energy consumption, but will favorably impact human health and
performance.

New studies have shown that the performance of students is influenced by the time and
duration of daylight in their regular schedules. Designing school facilities to incorporate
the right types of light at the right time of day for the right duration may improve
student performance and well-being.

Similarly, designing lighting systems that maximize the right amount of light at the
appropriate time of day for the elderly may help relieve symptoms of Alzheimer's
disease.

ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING FOR SERVICE SITUATION

The BCA has requirements for natural lighting and in Class 2, 3 and Class 9 buildings.
The other classes of building may use artificial lighting and this lighting must comply
with AS/NZS 1680 Interior lighting - Safe Movement. Specific requirements for
emergency and/or artificial lighting in all classes of buildings other than Class 10
buildings are also stipulated in the BCA.

LIGHTING FOR EGRESS (EMERGENCY LIGHTING)

Specific lighting is required to ensure the safe evacuation of

occupants in an emergency. Such lighting is referred to as
emergency lighting and is required when the artificial lighting in
a building fails in an emergency. Sufficient lighting must be
provided to minimise the risk of panic, illuminate the safe route
to an emergency exit and otherwise assist in the orderly and
safe evacuation of the building.

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The level of lighting required is based on the use of the building, the floor area of the
building and the distance of travel to an exit. The internal parts of a sole-occupancy unit
in a Class 2, 3 or 9c building or Class 4 part of a building are exempt from the
requirement.

Emergency lighting systems required by the BCA must comply with AS2293.1
Emergency escape lighting and exit signs for buildings: System design, installation and
operation.

BCA Class(s) Requirement

General classes It is possible that more than one emergency lighting system may apply
to a building.
Emergency lighting is required in every:
 fire-isolated stairway
 fire-isolated passageway
 fire-isolated ramp
 required non fire-isolated stairway.

Every storey of a Class Emergency lighting is required in:

5 to 9 building where  every passageway, corridor or hallway forming a path of
the floor area is over travel to an exit.
300m2 as follows
 any room larger than 100m2 which does not open to a corridor
or other space containing emergency lighting or a road or
open space.
 any room larger than 300m2.

Class 2, 3 and Class 4 Must have emergency lighting in every passageway, corridor or hallway
parts of buildings if the distance of travel from the door leading from a sole-occupancy
unit is greater than 6m to -
 a fire-isolated exit.
 an external stairway used in lieu of a fire-isolated stairway.
 an external balcony leading to a fire-isolated exit.
 a road or open space.
This requirement reflects the likelihood that the building will be
occupied at night, when the occupants will most likely be asleep.

Sole-occupancy unit of Emergency lighting is required to be installed if –

a Class 5, Class 6 or  the area of the unit is larger than 300m2; and
Class 9 building
 the exit from the unit does not open to the specified areas or
spaces which are likely to have adequate natural lighting.
This requirement reflects the likelihood that such buildings are used by
large numbers of the public who do not have any knowledge of the
building or its exits.

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 CPC50210 – Certificate IV in Building & Construction (Building)
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Every publicly Emergency lighting is required to be installed if –

accessible room or  the area of the storey is 300m2 or greater.
space in a Class 6 or
Class 9b building  any point on the floor is more than 20m from the specified
doorways.
 egress requires a vertical rise of 1.5m.
 egress requires any vertical rise, if insufficient light is not
admitted from outside the building.
 the storey provides a path of travel from another storey
required to have emergency lighting. In this case, once a
person enters an area with emergency lighting, then that
lighting must be maintained throughout the remainder of the
egress path.
Specific areas of Class Require emergency lighting because such buildings are used by
9a buildings patients who may require assistance to evacuate

Class 9c aged care Emergency lighting is also required to be installed throughout

buildings, excluding
within the sole-
occupancy buildings

A concession is granted for specific buildings which have lower levels of lighting as part
of their normal operation.

These include: –

 Theatres or cinemas when performances are in

progress (with the exception of aisle lighting
required by clause H.11 of the BCA)

 Museums, galleries or the like where sensitive

displays require low lighting levels.

 Discotheques and nightclubs where, to create an

ambience, low lighting levels are used.

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prepared by B. Nikulski 15.17