What's Changed in AS/NZS 1158.3.1: Pedestrian Lighting Standard — Amendment 1 (2024)

Written By Justin Bennetts

If you're designing car parks, shared paths, public plazas or pedestrian precincts in Queensland, this amendment affects your design compliance. Here's what you need to know.

Background

AS/NZS 1158.3.1 is the Australian and New Zealand standard governing pedestrian area (Category P) lighting — covering local roads, shared paths, car parks, and outdoor public spaces. The 2020 edition replaced the 2005 version with significant updates to energy performance metrics and lighting subcategories. Amendment 1 was published in September/October 2024, refining and clarifying multiple technical requirements.

As electrical engineering services consultants in Brisbane, we work with this standard regularly across government infrastructure, car parks, and public realm projects. This bulletin summarises the key changes your design team needs to be across.

Key Changes in Amendment 1:2024

1. Updated Light Technical Parameter Tables

Multiple tables have been revised including Tables 2.2, 2.5, 3.1, 3.3–3.10. These cover the illuminance, uniformity, and glare requirements across pedestrian subcategories. Designers should re-verify their design assumptions against the updated values rather than relying on the base 2020 edition tables.

2. Car Park Lighting Clarifications (Table 3.7)

The amendment introduces more explicit guidance on car park compliance. Specifically:

  • Conformance to Table 3.7 is now explicitly based on an open, unoccupied car park

  • EPh (point horizontal illuminance) requirements have been clarified for each PCD area — EPh must exceed both the stated value and the average for the adjacent parking module

  • Access roadways and circulation driveways within car parks also have specific EPh requirements confirmed

This is directly relevant to car park lighting designs submitted for RPEQ sign-off — the compliance basis is now more clearly defined, reducing ambiguity during verification.

3. Revised Figures 2.1, 4.1–4.4, 4.7, 4.8

Several key design figures have been updated. This includes illuminance analysis diagrams and calculation methodology figures. Designers using the 2020 base document should ensure their lighting software and methodology aligns with the revised figures, particularly for boundary exclusion in illuminance analysis (light crossing property boundaries is now explicitly excluded from calculations).

4. Changes to Clauses Governing Installation Compliance

Clauses 3.6.1 and 3.6.2 (ongoing conformance after installation) and 3.7.1.2/3.7.1.3 (maintenance requirements) have been updated. An installation conforming at commissioning is deemed to continue conforming, provided maintenance is carried out per the updated requirements. This has implications for asset managers and facility operators, not just designers.

5. Energy Performance Indicator Refinements (Appendix F)

Appendix F (normative) — Energy Performance Indicators — has been updated at Clauses F3.2.1 and F3.2.2. The Power Density Indicator (PDI) and Annual Energy Consumption Indicator (AECI) calculation methods remain, but are refined. For government projects with energy performance reporting requirements, ensure your energy calculations are based on the updated Appendix F methodology.

What This Means for D&C Projects and Contractors

For design-and-construct contractors procuring electrical engineering services in Brisbane and across Queensland, the 2024 amendment creates a clear compliance obligation:

  • Lighting designs submitted for RPEQ sign-off must comply with the current version of the standard — AS/NZS 1158.3.1:2020 including Amendment 1 (2024)

  • Designs prepared before October 2024 under the base 2020 edition should be reviewed against the updated tables and figures

  • Car park lighting designs in particular require review against the clarified Table 3.7 compliance basis

Queensland is the only state with a mandatory RPEQ requirement (correction Victoria now has a RPEV also ) for engineering sign-off.

If your lighting design isn't certified by a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland, it doesn't comply — regardless of how well it meets the lux levels.

How Legion Engineering Can Help

Legion Engineering provides RPEQ-certified electrical engineering services to Brisbane contractors, civil consultancies, and project developers. Our services include:

•        RPEQ design certification and sign-off for Category P and Category V lighting schemes

•        Independent verification of lighting designs prepared by others

•        Lighting design for car parks, shared paths, and public realm infrastructure

•        Compliance review against AS/NZS 1158.3.1:2020/Amdt 1:2024

Justin Bennetts