Energy Efficiency made easy

What are the energy efficiency standards I need to know when building a new home?

If you’re building a new home in Australia, there are various national and state-specific energy efficiency requirements you need to meet.

These energy efficiency standards and regulations are designed to:

  • Reduce energy consumption
  • Lower greenhouse gas emissions
  • Improve the sustainability of buildings
  • Ensure homes are comfortable and cost-effective to keep warm or cold at different times of the year.

It’s important to note that while windows are a key part of any home’s energy efficiency performance, they are one of many aspects of the home that contribute to your overall rating. Other important contributors include building orientation and layout, insulation, air sealing, building materials, and more.

These are the energy efficiency standards, requirements and regulations you should be aware of when building new homes in Australia.

The National Construction Code (NCC)

The National Construction Code is the primary set of technical standards for the design and construction of buildings across Australia.

The National Construction Code outlines energy efficiency performance requirements in various sections, with provisions that relate to energy efficiency for all classes of buildings.

Some of the key aspects of the NCC’s energy efficiency standards include:

  • Building envelope: with requirements for thermal insulation, glazing, insulation, and building sealing to improve energy efficiency by reducing both heat loss and gain.
  • Lighting: with standards for energy efficient lighting systems.
  • Heating and cooling: with regulations for the energy efficiency of heating, cooling, and ventilation systems.
  • Ventilation and air infiltration: with guidelines to control air leakage and ensure adequate ventilation to maintain indoor air quality while minimising energy use.

The NCC is updated regularly to reflect changes in building and sustainability practices.

You can find more information and view the National Construction Code here.

Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) is administered by the Australian Government on behalf of all Australian states and territories. It provides energy ratings for new dwellings, which helps create energy efficient and resilient homes for the future that cost less to run.

NatHERS accredits tools that are used to rate the energy efficiency performance of homes.

There are two primary NatHERS ratings systems for builders to be aware of.

1. The star rating system: the star-rating system measures the thermal performance of residential buildings on a star scale, from 0 to 10 stars. Higher star ratings indicate better thermal performance and a reduced need for artificial heating and cooling.

The higher a home’s star rating, the better it contributes to a greener future through emissions reduction. Star ratings consider a home’s design, orientation, construction materials, and local climate. The new NCC 2022 residential energy efficiency standards mean all new homes must have a minimum 7-star rating.

It is important to note that the design of the entire house must be considered, rather than simply adding windows at the end.

2. The Whole-of-Home rating: the Whole-of-Home rating provides an easy-to-understand score out of 100. This score relates to the efficiency of the appliances used in new homes. It includes all major energy use and generation within the home, including hot water, heating and cooling systems, pool and spa equipment, lighting and plug in appliances, and solar energy generated on site or batter storage.

The new NCC 2022 residential energy efficiency standards mean all new homes must have a Whole-of-Home rating of 60 or higher.

In their simplest forms, each of these rating systems is designed to ensure that builders construct homes that are energy efficient, and then use the most energy efficient appliances within those homes.

State-specific overlays or specifications

While every state and territory in Australia aligns with the requirements set out by the NCC (which include alignment with both of NatHERS’ rating systems), there may be additional guidelines, overlays or requirements in addition to the standardised national requirements.

Need some expert guidance with energy efficiency?

If you’re looking for assistance with energy efficiency, A&L makes things easy.

While energy efficiency can be complicated, we keep it simple and let our proven track record do the talking. We have decades-long relationships with some of Australia and Victoria’s largest and most well-regarded builders.

“Henley Homes partners with A&L due to the trust established over our 30-year working relationship. When there are significant code changes, we know we can trust A&L to provide sound advice and good value to keep us market competitive. The range they have, as well as the advice on which products suit which application to achieve 7-stars and beyond makes implementation very easy.” – Henley Homes representative.

“I would say that the window specification is the most important part of an energy efficiency assessment. A&L does their due diligence and they’re in front of the pack, because they will proactively take real designs on behalf of their builders, give them to us, we’ll do the analysis and the calculations, and provide real, credible answers for how certain windows contribute to energy efficiency.” – Brian Haines, Director of Energy Lab

If you’re looking for expert technical insights that make energy efficiency simple, get in contact with our team today.