<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001144215-08-000002
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080106
<FILING-DATE>20080108
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080108
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>ACUITY BRANDS INC
<CIK>0001144215
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5160
<IRS-NUMBER>582632672
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0831
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1170 PEACHTREE STREET, NE
<STREET2>SUITE 2400
<CITY>ATLANTA
<STATE>GA
<ZIP>30309-7676
<PHONE>404-853-1400
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1170 PEACHTREE STREET, NE
<STREET2>SUITE 2400
<CITY>ATLANTA
<STATE>GA
<ZIP>30309-7676
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>L&C SPINCO INC
<DATE-CHANGED>20010629
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MURPHY KENYON W
<CIK>0001183394
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-16583
<FILM-NUMBER>08518811
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O AUITY BRANDS INC
<STREET2>1170 PEACHTREE STREET NE STE 2400
<CITY>ATLANTA
<STATE>GA
<ZIP>30309-7649
<PHONE>4048531400
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-01-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001144215</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ACUITY BRANDS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AYI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001183394</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MURPHY KENYON W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ACUITY BRANDS, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1170 PEACHTREE STREET, NESUITE 2400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30309</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, CAO and General Counsel</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-01-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2008-01-06</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1111</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>42.02</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>31476</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The transaction(s) being reported relate(s) to the vesting of restricted stock held by the reporting person.
The 15 Shares previously reported as indirect holdings by the Reporting Persion on behalf of his sons are no longer included because his sons no longer live with the Reporting Person</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The total direct shares owned following the reported transactions include 15,178 time-vesting restricted shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kenyon W. Murphy</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-01-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
