Fire-resistant downlight protectors will be covered under the Government’s Home Insulation Rebate.
Approved downlight enclosures from Arrowform decrease fire risk, and can also bring bout a significant increase in energy efficiency.
In a recent communication with Arrowform, a local family-operated business that specialises in the manufacture of downlight protectors, the Department of the Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts confirmed that “downlight covers will be allowed (under the rebate), providing they are approved to the relevant Australian Standard.”
Encouraging the use of approved downlight protectors will result in fewer ceiling fires commonly caused by halogen lights. These can reach temperatures of up to 300°C and can ignite insulation, timber and other materials – including the dust and debris that typically collects in the ceiling cavity.
According to independent research, a ceiling without downlight protectors can reduce energy efficiency by up to 66%, even with freshly installed insulation. This is because insulation installers typically create a gap of 500mm x 500mm around each downlight, which is the alternative to suitable downlight protectors as allowed under the Australian Standard.
The decision will bring the Home Insulation Program into line with broader government policy on energy efficiency, and is a welcome addition to other modifications to the program aimed at greater accountability.
Arrowform’s Isolite Guard meets the highest requirement of the Australian Standard and allows the enclosed downlight to abut the insulation and any timber beams.
As well as ensuring a ceiling achieves close to 100 percent energy efficiency, Isolite Guards are specifically designed to prevent ceiling fires.