A new government proposal will turn off the lights on one of Australia’s few remaining viable manufacturing industries, according to the Lighting Council of Australia (LCA).
The peak industry body has joined forces with other industry groups to oppose proposed changes to the National Construction Code (NCC).
LCA membership is made up of companies that provide nearly 5,000 manufacturing jobs across the country, with thousands of downstream jobs reliant on the survival of the industry.
LCA acting CEO, David Crossley, said its members manufacture high-quality, bespoke lighting fixtures for lighting installations across Australia.
“We’ve seen too many manufacturing companies driven to the wall and we’ve seen that once we lose manufacturing jobs, they are gone for good. Government needs to step in and halt this proposal before it is too late.,” he said.
The NCC regulates the design and construction of new buildings and redevelopments across the country. Under the proposal, which is slated to take effect in July 2019, existing allowances for decorative lighting will be significantly reduced.
The specific change refers to Section J6 of the National Construction Code.
LCA national marketing and environment manager, Roman Gowor, said the 2019 draft substantially changes the treatment of lighting compared to the 2016 Code.
He said that under the 2016 Code, there was a single general allowance that was sufficient for general and decorative lighting.
“The 2019 draft increases the complexity of the NCC by now separating general and decorative lighting,” Gowor said.
The proposed general lighting allowance will be reduced by 50-80% (compared with the 2016 NCC) and also includes a separate sliding scale allowance of 0.4% – 15% (based on the 2016 NCC figures) for decorative lighting depending on the type and size of the building.
“I’d also highlight that decorative lighting is the language used in the Code but it is somewhat of a misnomer," he said.
“Decorative lighting” refers to essentially all non-general/non-task lighting, and is probably better thought of as architectural lighting.
“The restrictions under the new Code would affect indirect, accent and cove lighting, as well as wall brackets, pendants, uplights and floor or table lamps,” he added.
Gower said the reductions in overall allowances will impact on the decorative lighting market, increase the complexity of design work and result in bland buildings and spaces.
“Bureaucrats in the Commonwealth Government have put forward a revised NCC that dramatically cuts the scope for architectural and decorative lighting in commercial buildings. Get ready for a return to bland, Soviet-style buildings,” he said.
“The Code will affect all new builds and redevelopments across Australia. In addition to costing jobs, this proposal will dramatically reduce the ability of designers to make buildings anything but drab and sterile.”
The concerns of lighting manufacturers and suppliers are echoed by lighting designers and engineers. The manufacture, design and engineering of decorative lighting supports a further 2,500 jobs across Australia and $400 million worth of economic activity annually.
Illuminating Engineering Society (ANZ) president, Trent Dutton, said the proposal will have a significant impact on industry and it's all negative.
“We have seen very little technical data to support the proposal and we suspect that limited assessment has been made of the economic impact of the change on our industry,” Dutton said.
He is also concerned about the impact it will have on his own company Rubidium Light, a lighting design and engineering company headquartered in Brisbane.
“Government intervention could end up making all of the places where we like to live, work and play, become dull, uninspiring and unproductive,” Dutton said.
“Australia’s lighting engineering and design sector has some of the most talented people in the world.
“Governments should be cultivating this industry, not jeopardising its future.”
Under the new proposal, the vast majority of previously-allowable decorative lighting will be subject to additional compliance requirements.
“Decorative lighting refers to much of the lighting that makes buildings’ exteriors and interiors attractive, interesting, warm and inviting,” he said.
“These changes in practice mean that much of the decorative lighting that gives character to buildings, like hotel foyers, shopping centre displays and car showrooms may simply disappear from 2019 onwards.”
Crossley said he expects a lot of the design work will now be put in the 'too hard basket'. He said Australian design will regress to an ugly emphasis on function over form.
Worst of all, Crossley said the proposed restrictions were only put to industry by the federal government at the tail end of a two year consultation period.
“This is a sucker punch to an industry that should be the darling of government,” Crossley said.
“We create manufacturing jobs, reduce energy consumption for households and businesses, and we innovate and develop cutting edge products in Australia.
“We’re calling on the responsible Ministers to intervene and prevent this disastrous proposal from being enacted.”