Updated guidance and evidentiary requirements for building based lighting upgrades

We have identified instances where accredited persons have selected incorrect asset lifetime references in creating certificates under the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program. This update provides guidance to assist you with selecting the correct asset lifetime references for activity 34 J6 and non J6 upgrades under the program.

We have also updated evidentiary requirements for maintained emergency lighting space type for activity 34 under the program.

Guidance for selecting asset lifetime reference 'luminaire replacement'

We have identified a number of Victorian energy efficiency certificate (VEEC) creations wherein accredited persons have incorrectly selected the asset lifetime reference of 'luminaire replacement' for upgrades which involved the following:

• where the upgrade lamp ballast combination was an LED tube with an integrated driver or tube only installed into an existing luminaire.
• where the baseline lamp ballast combination was either:
  • T5 linear fluorescent  or circular fluorescent lamp with ballast, or
  • T8 or T12 linear fluorescent or circular fluorescent lamp with ballast (EEI of A or electronic with no EEI marked), or
  • T8 or T12 linear fluorescent or circular fluorescent lamp with ballast (EEI of B or above, or magnetic with no EEI marked).

We note that the correct asset lifetime reference for these upgrade activities must be either:

• 'modification' (if the legacy ballast was bypassed), or
• 'retrofit' (if the legacy ballast remained connected).

The table below outlines the correct asset lifetime references to be selected when creating certificates involving the replacement of fluorescent tubes with LED tubes.

Updates to maintained emergency lighting space type

We have recently received queries from stakeholders around our requirements for accredited persons to provide either an electric lighting design (compliant with AS 2293.1) or a document showing statutory legal requirements for safety or of the related purpose (also known as logbook) to us for upgrades of maintained emergency lighting under activity 34.

We accept that, in some circumstances, accredited persons may experience difficulties in obtaining these documents. Therefore, we have introduced the following alternative evidence for maintained emergency lighting:

• Geo-tagged photographs that clearly show the lighting control gear and battery which powered the incumbent lighting.

We believe that adoption of this flexible approach delivers the right regulatory outcome for the program, whilst minimising regulatory burden on accredited persons.

Updated program documents

We have updated our building based lighting activity guide to reflect the above changes and to provide guidance to all stakeholders to ensure compliance VEEC creation occurs.

In addition, we have made changes to the VEEC assignment form for activity 34 to include a new declaration by the installing electrician for upgrades related to maintained emergency lighting. Accredited persons must ensure their VEEC assignment form is updated for building based lighting upgrade activity installations made from 15 June 2020.

You will not be required to submit the updated VEEC assignment form to us for approval. However, you must ensure that assignment of rights by consumers occurs using the correct VEEC assignment form. Failure to use the correct VEEC assignment form may result in compliance action.

Where to get help

If you have any questions or feedback with respect to matters set out in this program update, please contact VEU Support on (03) 9032 1310 or veu@esc.vic.gov.au