Brightgreen gives us a plug

About this update

This dated news record has been reorganised for clear reading and connected to current guidance.

Publication date: July 18, 2013.

Status note: Present-tense statements, market figures, deadlines and program details in the archived record belong to its publication date. Check current official sources before making a decision.

What this article reported

Nice of the Bightgreen guys to give us a bit of plug for our app for data collection for lighting upgrade energy saving certificates . Check out Brightgreen's wide range of architectural LED downlights.

> "Wattly's rebate app simplifies VEETcom/glossary/energy-savings-scheme-ess/)The NSW Energy Savings Scheme (ESS) provides financial incentives to install, improve or replace energy savings equipment and appliances in NSW households and businesses. The ESS was established in 2009. Financial incentives are in the form of tradeable certificates, called energy savings certificates (ESCs). Generally, householders and businesses who fund energy savings activities transfer the right to create ESCs to Accredited Certificate Providers (ACPs) in return for a discount on the cost of the energy savings activity. The MWh savings from the project determines the number of ESCs that can be created. The ESS works by allowing ACPs to create and register ESCs for energy savings that are supported with appropriate evidence. ESCs are then purchased each year by mainly electricity retailers operating in NSW to meet their share of a legislated annual energy savings target. applications" - Brightgreen Blog

How to use this information now

For current use, confirm the applicable scheme rules, regulator notices, market date and reporting period. Keep historical prices or forecasts separate from present quotes and verified outcomes.

Separate source-reported facts from forecasts, targets and commentary. For a current project, retain the official source, version, effective date, assumptions and decision record in the evidence file.

What is Wattly and how does it relate to energy saving certificates?

Wattly is a data collection app developed by Northmore Gordon that simplifies the application process for energy saving certificates under schemes like Victoria's VEET (Victorian Energy Efficiency Target) and NSW's Energy Savings Scheme (ESS). The app streamlines the documentation and evidence gathering required when claiming certificates for lighting upgrades and other energy efficiency improvements. By automating data collection, Wattly reduces administrative burden for installers and certificate providers managing multiple projects, making it easier to compile the technical and operational information needed to support certificate claims.

Why would a lighting manufacturer like Brightgreen reference Northmore Gordon's app?

Brightgreen, an architectural LED downlights manufacturer, referenced Wattly because lighting upgrades are eligible activities under both VEET and ESS schemes that generate energy savings certificates. When customers install Brightgreen's LED products, they may be eligible for certificate-based financial incentives. By mentioning Wattly, Brightgreen signals to installers and customers that data collection and certificate application processes exist and can be simplified, making LED upgrades more commercially attractive and administratively manageable. This positions Brightgreen's products within the broader energy efficiency incentive ecosystem.

What is the difference between VEET and ESS, and why are both referenced in this article?

VEET (Victorian Energy Efficiency Target) operates in Victoria and creates Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) for eligible activities, while ESS (NSW Energy Savings Scheme) operates in New South Wales and creates Energy Savings Certificates (ESCs). Both are state-based schemes that incentivise energy efficiency improvements through tradeable certificates. Lighting upgrades are eligible under both schemes but have different requirements, evidence standards, and certificate calculation methods. The article references both because Wattly supports data collection for lighting projects in either jurisdiction, enabling installers and providers to navigate whichever scheme applies to their project location and circumstances.

How does Northmore Gordon's involvement in energy saving certificates relate to apps like Wattly?

We provide comprehensive energy certificate services including project registration, measurement and verification, certificate creation and trading support, and due diligence for environmental attributes. Wattly represents the practical operational side of this work—automating the evidence collection and documentation that underpins certificate eligibility. By developing tools that simplify data gathering for scheme applications, we reduce the technical and administrative barriers installers and providers face when claiming certificates. This positions the company as both a strategic advisor on certificate pathways and a provider of practical solutions that make those pathways executable at scale.

What makes lighting upgrades eligible for energy saving certificates?

Lighting upgrades, particularly conversions from older inefficient technologies to LED systems, reduce electricity consumption and therefore qualify for energy savings certificates under both VEET and ESS schemes. These upgrades have documented baseline energy use (the original lighting system), a measurable intervention (LED installation), and quantifiable savings that can be calculated using standardised methods. VEET and ESS both recognize prescribed lighting activities where eligibility is based on equipment specifications and installation requirements. The schemes create a financial pathway where the energy savings generated can be converted into tradeable certificates, providing upfront or ongoing incentive value to offset upgrade costs.

What practical support does Northmore Gordon provide to installers claiming energy saving certificates?

We offer certificate support services covering project nomination, evidence gathering, activity-specific technical assessment, and compliance with scheme requirements. For lighting projects specifically, this includes confirming equipment eligibility, baseline documentation, measurement responsibility clarification, and preparation of evidence files. We also provide guidance on choosing between prescribed and project-based activities, understanding scheme-specific calculation methods, and managing the timing and commercial aspects of certificate creation and sale. By combining technical expertise with practical tools like Wattly, we help installers navigate complex scheme requirements and convert completed work into realized certificate value efficiently.

How should an installer decide whether to pursue VEET or ESS certificates for a lighting project?

The decision depends primarily on the project location: VEET applies in Victoria, ESS in New South Wales. However, eligibility and financial return also vary by specific activity and equipment. An installer should first establish the site's jurisdiction and document existing lighting specifications and energy use. Then review the current prescribed activities and calculation methods under the applicable scheme—both are updated regularly, so historical projects cannot determine today's eligibility. For complex projects, commissioning a preliminary assessment from a qualified provider like we clarify which scheme offers the best pathway, what evidence is required, and when to establish baselines. This front-end clarity prevents costly rework after installation.

What role does energy data and measurement play in lighting efficiency certificates?

Energy data establishes the baseline electricity consumption of the existing lighting system and, after upgrade, the consumption of the new LED installation. Accurate measurement is essential because savings are calculated as the difference between pre- and post-project consumption under comparable conditions. Scheme requirements specify data quality, collection intervals, and adjustment factors for variables like operating hours or facility changes. Metering and monitoring infrastructure—planning which should occur before installation—ensures the data needed for both internal performance verification and scheme compliance can be reliably captured. Our metering guidance and tools like Wattly support systematic data collection, reducing disputes about savings and ensuring certificates can be issued without evidence gaps.

What does it mean that Brightgreen's mention of Wattly 'simplifies' VEET and ESS applications?

Certificate applications under VEET and ESS require substantial documentation: equipment specifications, installation dates, baseline energy records, measurement data, site details, and compliance evidence. Manually compiling and organizing this information across multiple projects is time-consuming and error-prone. By automating data collection and structuring it for certificate application, Wattly reduces administrative friction—installers and providers spend less time gathering and formatting evidence and more time on technical and commercial decisions. This simplification is commercially valuable because it lowers the soft cost of pursuing certificates, making smaller projects economically viable and reducing the total project timeline. For Brightgreen, highlighting Wattly signals that choosing their LED products does not mean facing burdensome paperwork barriers to claiming incentives.

How does the energy efficiency certificate landscape affect purchasing decisions for LED products like Brightgreen's?

The availability of VEET and ESS certificates fundamentally changes the economic case for LED upgrades. Instead of relying solely on operating cost savings from reduced electricity consumption, customers can access upfront financial support through certificates, shortening payback periods and making projects viable that might not be justified by energy savings alone. However, certificate eligibility, quantity, and value depend on meeting specific scheme requirements—equipment type, installation standards, baseline documentation, and measurement quality. Manufacturers like Brightgreen benefit from this because their products become eligible inputs for incentivized upgrades. Customers benefit because lower net cost accelerates adoption. Installers benefit because certificate value can be marketed alongside operating savings, strengthening the investment case. We enable this by providing the technical and practical infrastructure that connects eligible products to viable certificate pathways.

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