AS/NZS pathway lighting standards update

AS/NZS pathway lighting standards update.

Australian and New Zealand lighting standards that cover minor roads, public spaces, cycleway & pathways and  car parks (AS/NZS 1158 3.1 2020) were updated in February 2020.

All these categories fall under Pedestrian (P), as the lighting is intended for the pedestrian rather than the vehicle. This is on the basis that vehicles have their own light source. The main aspects the lighting standards needed updating for:

  • Now mainstream solid state light sources
  • Dimming and adaptive lighting control technology
  • Glare control and minimisation
  • Reduction in upward waste light.
  • To make the user feel safer.

For the pathway and cycle-way lighting, a large objective was to make users feel safe by deterring crime, and reducing the perceived risk of crime.  A lot of the AS/NZS 1158 3.1 2020 updates are to accommodate LED technology as it is now by far the the most popular lighting source for pathways. The previous update to these lighting standards was in 2005 prior to the commercialisation of Light Emitting Diode (LED ) lighting sources. The key changes are:

  • adding a lighting requirement for 5m on either side of the pathway to be lit to 50% of the level of the pathway itself (The exceptions to this are when the pathway runs adjacent to a boundary (fence/hedge/wall), or  the appropriate authority can make exceptions for reasons such as if it is an area that is sensitive to light pollution (eg: the light will disturb the wildlife).
  • Introducing a vertical illuminance component to the lower subcategories. (The exception to this is if the light source is lower than 1.5m high, such as lighting bollards).
  • Reducing glare allowances.

These updates are extremely relevant for commercial outdoor solar lighting, as solar is very effective for Pedestrian category lighting that require lower wattages such as  minor roads, car parks, pathways and cycleways, car parks, open spaces, jetties, marinas and pontoons, and flag lighting for remote intersections (road and rail). This includes temporary and permanent applications. With the correct planning and selection of proven and quality product, solar lighting provides exceptional lighting outcomes, with high reliability, and often will cost less upfront as no trenching and cabling is required.  With the ongoing power savings cost, this can make the total lifecycle cost of solar somewhat less than traditional 240v lighting.