What are the energy efficiency requirements I need to know when building a home in Victoria?

If you’re building a home in Victoria, you need to comply with a range of mandatory standards and regulations.

In addition to the national requirements for energy efficiency, there are also some other things to note throughout this article that may be helpful.

Aligning with the national requirements

The new National Construction Code 2022 residential energy efficiency standards mean all new homes in Victoria must have: a minimum 7-star rating. It also stipulates that all new homes must have a Whole-of-Home rating of 60 or higher.

These standards became mandatory in Victoria as of 1 May 2024. They both relate to all aspects of a home’s design and build, including building envelope, orientation, plan, and internal systems and appliances, like heating, cooling, and hot water systems.

You can read more details about Victoria’s alignment to the national requirements via these government-approved resources:

• Sustainability Victoria – ‘Seeing 7-stars: new home energy efficiency standards explained.’
• Energy Victoria – including additional information on Solar Victoria’s Solar Homes rebate program.

What do ‘energy efficient’ windows look like in Victoria?

While Victoria aligns with the national requirements for energy efficiency—and has no additional, state-specific regulations—the most performant window solutions will vary depending on the design of your home, but also your location within the state.

The NCC deems Victoria a ‘heating climate’. This means the most effective window solutions for energy efficiency are designed to prevent heat escaping from your home. Energy efficiency is all about retaining warmth.

This means you want to let the sun’s heat in naturally, then ‘trap’ it within the home to minimise your reliance on electric heating where possible. As a result, in Victoria, you want your windows to have:

• A low U-value (this number corresponds to better insulation from the window)
• A high Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, also known as an SHGC value (the higher the SHGC value, the better your windows will capture heat from the sun’s rays).

Looking for more information about energy efficient windows in Victoria?

If you’re looking for more information or expert technical insights to help with energy efficient windows you can:

• Learn more about energy efficiency in Australia, with detailed information on how it relates to windows and doors.
• Contact our team today, to speak with experienced specialists who can answer questions, assist with energy ratings, and work towards ensuring you’re compliant with all requirements relating to windows and doors.