On February 1, COAG Energy Ministers made a commitment to lift energy ratings for new homes to 6.5 or 7 stars.

The changes are due to come into effect in the National Construction Code in 2022. They are outlined in the Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings, a national plan towards zero-energy (and carbon) ready buildings passed by the Ministers on February 1.

Donna Luckman, CEO of Renew, said the organisation was pleased with the decision:

“This a good step on the road to improving the energy efficiency of new Australian homes and renovations to a level fit for the 21st century,” Ms Luckman said. “We are also heartened that COAG is committed to a process of reviewing the standards for existing homes.”

The change has come after months of campaigning by Renew and other consumer organisations calling for a long-overdue lift of the 6-star building standard.

Energy prices have been rising rapidly and the need to address climate change has become more urgent, but our energy performance standards have been standing still.

Stronger energy standards in the Code could cut household energy bills by hundreds of dollars a year and cumulative emissions in Australia by millions of tonnes in coming decades, also relieving pressure on the nation’s ageing energy infrastructure.

“While happy with COAG’s commitment, we realise there is still a long way to go,” Ms Luckman said.

“Renew will continue to work with governments and advocate for increased home energy efficiency in coming years as technology improves and practises change.”

Have you ever wondered why some houses are warm in winter when the heater isn’t on? Or how the same house stays cool in summer, without the need for an air-conditioner? The design of your home, from the building materials and layout, to the positioning of windows and shading, affect how well the home responds to the climate where it is located, how comfortable the home is to live in, and the amount of money you spend on heating and cooling.

All new Australian homes, or those undergoing major renovations, must meet minimum state and territory energy efficiency requirements based on the National Construction Code. The most common way to meet these requirements is by getting a home energy rating done using the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). NatHERS software tools provide homes with a star rating out of ten based on how energy efficient they are—the more stars, the more energy efficient and the more money you save on energy bills.

Using software based on scientific research by the CSIRO, NatHERS estimates how much energy your home will need for heating and cooling by looking at: the layout of the home; the construction of its roof, walls, windows and floor; the orientation of windows and shading to the sun's path and local breezes; and how well these suit the local climate.

A zero star rating means the building shell does practically nothing to reduce the discomfort of hot or cold weather. A six star rating indicates good, but not outstanding, thermal performance, and a 10 star rated home is unlikely to need much, or any, mechanical cooling or heating (from appliances).

Different star ratings: The NatHERS star rating system refers to your home’s construction and design features, and is different to the star rating of appliances. Your fridge, dishwasher, air-conditioner and other household appliances are rated under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS), and are not measured as part of the NatHERS star rating.

How to improve the energy efficiency of your home

A well-designed home should be comfortable all year round and reduce your reliance on mechanical heating and cooling. Passive design, which works with the local climate rather than against it, is one of the most effective and cheapest ways to achieve this.

Passive solar heating takes advantage of the sunlight during the day to warm your home in winter. North-facing windows allow the heat from the sun into the home, while materials with a high thermal mass absorb the heat and release it within your home at night. Good insulation and draught sealing will then prevent warm air from escaping.

During the summer months, passive solar cooling will help save on energy costs. Effective shading— such as eaves, pergolas, external blinds or vegetation—can block up to 90 per cent of heat from direct sunlight entering the home. Locating windows on opposite sides of the home and on the sides that capture the common direction of breezes, helps with cross ventilation and cooling the home without the need for air-conditioners. While insulation and appropriate thermal mass for your climate are also essential for keeping your home cool.

Did you know, if your roof or ceiling isn’t insulated you could lose up to 45 per cent of your heating and cooling energy via your roof, while good insulation can save up to 40 per cent in heating and cooling bills.

Even the type of windows you have affect the energy efficiency of your home. They can be a major source of unwanted heat gain (up to 87 per cent) or heat loss (up to 40 per cent).

When choosing windows, you should consider your climate (temperature, humidity, amount of sunshine), building layout and the orientation, size and shading of the windows, and the different types of glass and frames. For example, people living in hot climates may choose tinted glass or low-solar-transmittance/gain (low-e) glass to reduce solar heat gain and locate windows to the south to avoid the sun entering the home, while people in cool climates may choose windows with double or triple glazing, or high-solar-transmittance/gain (also called low-e) glass and face windows north, to allow more heat in.

Even if you aren’t building or renovating, there are things you can do to improve the energy efficiency of your home:

Lights accounts for around 10 per cent of household electricity bills – replace inefficient halogen lighting with LEDs or compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)Replace old showerheads and taps with water efficient optionsBuy energy efficient appliances with the highest GEMS star rating you can affordSeal gaps around doors, windows and light fittings – draught proofing strips are available at your local hardware storeIn cooler climates, remove or prune plants blocking north-facing windows from sunlightReduce lawn areas – plant trees and native vegetation to absorb heat, direct breezes into the home and restore biodiversityConsider installing ceiling fans for better airflowConsider installing a rainwater tank and rooftop solar

Remember, small changes can have a big impact on your bills and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions for a better future.

As most people in the building sustainability industry, have already felt the pinch of the new BASIX thermal comfort targets and how they impact on dwellings being built across NSW.

As many clients are contacting me on how to improve their designs and making them BASIX friendly, here are some of the tips;

1. An obvious one, however cannot be omitted. Window area to wall area ratio need to be kept in check. For standard constructions used, if the walls are made off about 25% window area, generally speaking in the Sydney region, cheap glazing options can be used to obtain compliance.

2. Add thermal mass where possible. Generally speaking again, the more the thermal mass the better, so go for concrete slabs and brick internal walls. Also brick veneer constructions are performing quire well.

3. Use hard materials for floor coverings on slab on ground, especially when cooling loads are an issue. Carpets and timber floors act as an insulator and heat cannot escape to the ground.

4. Window frame color tone can be very critical, so for more economical results, try to accommodate variations in color scheme.

5. Framed constructions, generally speaking are under-performing in the Sydney region especially coupled with large window areas. This is a NO NO scenario.

6. Be open to external window shading devices, such as louvres, blinds, hoods. They all provide great protection at the right orientations and can reduce glazing requirements dramatically.

7. Depending on dwelling configuration various other parameters do apply as well, however keep in mind that the longer and more narrow the building is, the poorer it will perform. So wherever possible design as close to the square shape a possible.

Hopefully the above information is useful. For more information please do contact me at info@aenec.com.au.

Dimitri Harakidas

AENEC

ABSA Accredited Assessor

BASIX - New Homes & Apartment Buildings - NSW

All new houses and apartment buildings are required to have a BASIX certificate completed as part of development applications. The BASIX tool has three segments;

Water, Thermal Comfort and Energy.

Water efficiency - nominally a reduction of water consumption by a minimum of 40% compared to a standard house (house without any water saving measures) for new houses/townhouses and by 30% compared to a standard apartment for apartments. The water usage reduction for

apartments, sometimes is also at 40% depending on suburb, size of development, etc.

Water efficiency is primarily achieved via the use of rated water appliances (shower heads, taps, cisterns), the utilization of rainwater tanks for garden watering usage and sometimes for laundry,

and toilets as well as pools whenever applicable.

Thermal comfort - NatHERS is a national scheme although not compulsory to all states, however is compulsory in NSW. It is a scheme where dwellings are rated according to their thermal performance for summer and winter. That is achieved via the simulation of the proposed

dwelling by specialty software packages such as AccuRate, Firstrate and Bers. The way this is done is the whole geometry of the subject building, including neighboring buildings for shading, location, orientation and building constructions are inputted. All of the above are calculated thus predicting cooling and heating loads. BASIX has benchmarks for these loads mainly dependent on location and building type, however other secondary parameters are taken into consideration.

Once the software produces the predicted loads, they then are compared to BASIX benchmarks. If loads are higher than allowed, mainly construction specifications (walls types, insulation levels, window types, colours etc) are altered / optimized in order to make the dwelling comply.

Single dwellings can also be assessed via the use of the simple method, a method that can be assessed by anyone however be careful on the commitments as they will be checked by the certifier and non-compliance, will need to be addressed.

Energy efficiency - similarly to the water efficiency section, electric appliances such as water heaters, a/c, lights, and other, sometimes including solar photo-voltaic systems are specified in order to achieve 30% - 40% energy usage reduction compared to a standard dwelling. Thermal comfort section can affect the energy efficiency performance as a well, since a well performing dwelling requires little on no a/c usage, thus contributing positively to this section.

All of the above is combined in one document, the so called BASIX certificate and is used as a specification sheet for architects and builders for the building phase and as a checklist for building certifiers at the completion stage of the project in order for the Occupation Certificate to be issued.

All information outlined in the BASIX certificate and in the HSTAR universal certificate (thermal comfort section) must be reflected 100% in the building.

In other states, BASIX is not applicable and reference solely to the BCA is taken into account, however for thermal the comfort, NatHERS is the only scheme available

To address the thermal comfort section of BASIX, AENEC provide their clients a thermal simulation by using the AccuRate software and is able to provide you with complete and accurate design advice.

AENEC also specialises in multi-unit BASIX certifications for apartment buildings and having assessed many multi-unit projects we have an extensive knowledge of the process.

For our multi-unit fee schedule, please contact us.

BASIX New Targets

As BASIX new targets have been rolled out since July the 1st 2017, the nature of our work has changes quite a lot, as demands have increase significantly.

The new BASIX targets mainly affect the thermal comfort section as BASIX heating and cooling loads parameters have been altered significantly.

What this means. Pre-July 1st 2017, in climate zone 56 for example (coastal Sydney) heating load limits on average were 51 MJ/m2.annum and cooling load limits were 45 MJ/m2.annum.

Currently, under the new BASIX thermal comfort targets, in the same climate zone, heating load limits on average are 40 MJ/m2.annum and cooling load limits were 26 MJ/m2.annum.

What does this mean for the new developments?

Basically, the building must be able to perform better both in summer and winter in order to meet minimum requirementsWindow areas may need to be reduced in comparison the old standardsWindow specifications may need to be increased and sometimes significantly to meet new standardsHigher levels of insulation may need to be addedHigher thermal mass can be consideredHigher build costs all upBetter homes to live inMuch lower running cost of the buildingsMore environmentally friendly buildings

What is currently a hindrance, and what we as assessors have asked the regulators, is to allow us to model ceiling fans as they play a very important role in keeping the dwelling cool in summer. They also allow for lower window specifications overall, hence keeping costs to lower levels, however in NSW, currently we do not have this option available to us.

If you are about to start designing your new project, look for;

Orientation and sun exposure are two very important factors, so where possible use them ti benefit your outcomesBuild as close to the square shape as possible. Long and narrow buildings tend to suffer either in summer or winter and in some cases throughout the yearLimit as much as possible glazing areasUtilize openable windows rather than fixed where possibleKeep an open mind for colour tone scheme as they play an important role too

We hope that this short article has been useful and if you like ti find out more, you can contact us as info@aenec.com.au

As of July 1st 2017 energy targets increase and more importantly, thermal comfort heating and cooling caps stringency increases.

How does this affect you?

Impact on projects from July 1, 2017

- New projects started from July 1, 2017 onwards,

- Projects in progress with no certificate generated,

- Revision of certificates issued before July 1, 2017 that have not been lodges with the consent authority.

Revisions and transition period

Old targets and caps apply to;

- Revision of certificates that have been validly lodged with consent authority (council or PCA), or for which a valid consent applies,

- Transition period for certificates issued between April 1st and June 30th, 2017; these can be lodged with consent authorities after July the 1st, provided the certificate is no older than 3 months from date of issue.

Impacts on Projects

Apart from the changes to the energy target, various data sets, including occupancy rates, greenhouse intensity and solar hot water efficiency (STCs) will be updated, hence minor score changes will be the result.

Achieving the new target

The means of achieving the new targets will vary from project to project, however typically to:

-achieve a 6 star thermal comfort score (that will entail higher glazing specifications in most cases as well as increased insulation levels and possibly thermal mass)

-select a higher energy efficiency hot water system and a higher WELS rated showerhead(s).

AENEC is committed to facilitate a smoother transition to the new standards, so please for any questions email us at: info@aenec.com.au

On 3rd November 2016, NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman announced a

new strategic plan that sets out priority investment areas and potential actions

using $500 million of new funding from the $1.4 billion Climate Change Fund over

the next five years to transition to a net zero emissions future by 2050, including

measures to:

Increasing BASIX targets for new homes as off July 2017Provide ratings for homes at the point of sale (initially voluntary in 2018 and thenrequired by 2020)Improve energy standards for new commercial buildings by advocating for newstandardsUpgrade social housing by reviewing and expanding the Home Energy Action programInvestigate the introduction of energy standards for common areas in apartmentbuildingsInvestigate the introduction of energy standards for retail tenanciesImprove energy performance of tenanted homes

The above show that the industry is becoming more involved in the move towards environmental improvements.

We will keep you posted.

The BASIX system assesses both of the above and when calculations are done, provides with the overall energy consumption score of the dwelling. Very interesting though is the huge difference of the results when all else being equal and the only difference in the calculation is the selection of the hot water system.

Studies have shown that on an average household, 30% of the energy consumed is for the hot water needs. Obviously, it would make sense to use the most efficient system, right?

Also, we should expand our perspective and consider the reasons for sustainability and in turn reasons for regulatory schemes such as BASIX so to ensure the least possible impact on the environment by our actions, right?

As an industry expert, I was always puzzled by the fact that GAS systems actually receive so many ‘brownie’ points when it comes to the assessment of the energy performance of dwellings. It also puzzles me on how it also penalizes ELECTRIC hot water installations.

But it is cheaper to run gas, isn’t it?

Maybe it is in terms of dollars, however how does it stack up when it comes to environmental impact overall?

Of course, we live in a country where mainstream politicians are still arguing whether coal is better for the economy and there is no climate change due to our actions, so my arguments maybe a bit difficult to come through, nevertheless here it is.

Let’s compare an electric system that energy comes from coal – probably not ideal as science tells us.

Then an electric system that energy comes from the sun and/or wind and/or another RENEWABLE source.

Finally let’s compare a gas system that energy comes from ‘natural’ gas that fracking methodology has been used, chemicals on ground, polluting aquifers, and then emitting CO2 when it is burning to produce heat plus it is NOT a renewable energy source.

So how a GAS system is possibly a system which receives so much credit with BASIX?

BASIX is a fantastic system, however in my view should definitely look at the various parameters and a BASIX certificate is a result of the consideration of the WHOLE life cycle of each installation.

Thank you for reading!

Further to Part 2 of this series of blogs, the following considerations for higher energy efficiency and ease of compliance with BASIX and BCA are applicable to most cases.

Shading. Awnings, eaves, louvers, blinds are all types of shading applied to walls and windows. Eaves play a significant role in the passive thermal comfort of dwellings and are protecting walls and windows from the sun in winter as the angle of the sun is more vertical compare to winter, while the sun is able to penetrate windows and heat up / hence providing a building with free energy. Typically gutters are part of the eave system and the overall width of the eaves can play a significant role in the overall performance of the building, conversely depending on where in Australia the building is located and is reflected in the overall NatHERS rating. Awnings and eaves are generally fixed in their projection once installed.

Louvres or louvers, blinds etc form part of glazing shading devices and generally are adjustable. Their benefit is that they can be implemented depending on weather conditions. In certain cases, councils do not allow these devices in situations when facades are heritage listed.

Commitments in the BASIXthermal comfort section always require for shadings to be specified.

Colors. The color of external walls and roof can play a significant role also. Roof as it is the most exposed element of the building in the sun, generally affects the NatHERS performance of the dwelling depending on its color shade.

Dark colored window frames generally decrease heating loads and increase cooling loads, and Light colored window frames, generally do the opposite, so that is a very important factor to be considered.

Light fittings. Most recessed light fittings have a massive negative effect on the performance of a building. In many cases the insulation performance can be downgraded by 50% if recessed light fittings are used, so fittings which allow insulation to be installed safely around of above them should be fitted.

Of course LED lights are by far the best, as they require little energy to run, they do not emit much heat, and are not prone to sparks, they have 1000's of hours of life span and do not contain dangerous chemicals such as fluorescent bulbs do.

always prefers low energy use light fittings and should always be considered.

Thank you for reading. You can subscribeto our page for more useful information.

Further to Part 1 of this series of blogs, the following considerations for higher energy efficiency and ease of compliance with BASIX and BCA are applicable to most cases.

Insulation.

Another key aspect is the insulation. Generally speaking ceiling insulation followed by wall insulation are the key factors for improving energy efficiency (excluding windows) for most dwellings. Although builders do not like to use wall insulation as it makes their work more complicated especially for cavity brick walls, I cannot stress enough the importance of this step.

Ceiling insulation is typically the easiest form if insulation to be installed, however it is very important to make sure that ceiling penetrations are secured and do not pose a fire hazard, so both proper installation of insulation is required and correct light fittings must be purchased.

In some climate zones insulating the concrete slab on ground is beneficial and in other situations it is not. Expert advise is required from a building energy efficiency consultant.

Thermal mass.

That is another component which plays a big role in the overall performance of buildings. There are also different ways to apply thermal mass.

Generally speaking thicker slabs enhance temperature stability of the dwelling and that also applies to masonry internal walls. Star rating may not be greatly altered via the increase of thermal mass, however more thermal mass means more temperature stability. Having said that, that isn't always good as an uninsulated high thermal mass wall for instance could provide adverse effects both in summer and in winter if proper design considerations are not implemented.

Once again expert advise is required from a building energy efficiency consultant.

Thank you for reading; more to follow.

Extract from - A Draft Plan to Save NSW Energy and Money..

Energy efficient homes There are 3 million homes in New South Wales that use around 18,500 gigawatt hours of electricity a year, or 27 per cent of total NSW use. In 2014–15, a typical NSW household paid, on average, around $1876 a year on electricity bills. Energy bills have a disproportionate impact on low-income households, where these costs can comprise a much higher share of a household’s income. This can lead to electricity disconnection or cutting back on other essentials. Many households don’t choose energy efficient options when making decisions about their home, because they don’t know about them, can’t afford them, don’t own their properties or have other priorities. These barriers can burden households with higher running costs over the lifetime of a product or dwelling. By promoting energy ratings and improving standards, we can encourage building owners to make improvements that unlock long-term energy savings. This will save households money, reduce bill stress and place downward pressure on the cost of living, particularly for vulnerable households. In July 2017, the NSW Government will implement amendments that will increase BASIX energy targets to the level recommended in the 2014 BASIX Target Review, including:  5.5 to 6 star equivalent thermal comfort performance for all building types  typically 10 per cent increase in energy targets for houses and low rise units and  typically 5 per cent increase in energy targets for mid and high rise units. This increase is estimated to drive energy savings of around 81 gigawatt hours a year in 2020, and deliver bill savings to NSW households of around $2.6 billion to 2050. The NSW Government is consulting on the following additional options that will help NSW households save energy and money.

The full document is here: https://engage.environment.nsw.gov.au/Environmental-Future-Consultation-Plan-to-Save-NSW-Energy-and-Money

Windows, windows, windows !!

Such an expensive exercise..right?

Well yes, and no depending on who you talk to and for what time frame you are talking about. Let me explain.

Windows as a component are considered expensive because they actually are. However let us put things in perspective. We are talking for components of a building that are basically part of the building envelope as a permanent fixture, just like the walls, floors, roof/ceilings. They play a very significant role in the thermal behaviour of a home, office and any type of habitable building. Effectively glass itself has the thermal properties of a piece of copper; heat moves through it like a lightning. You cannot change windows as you would go about changing the wall colour of a room.

And here comes a very interesting point. The description of a glazing unit vs its U and SHGC value/performance. So which one is more relevant?

Well, similarly to insulation and various insulation materials such as Cellulose fibre, Glass fibre, Polyester, Wool, Polystyrene, Polyurethane, Rockwool, etc all are graded based on their thermal performance with the R-value unit. So an R2.0 of any of the above will provide an R2.0 performance. Identically, U and SHGC do just that. They provide the benchmark for the thermal performance of the glazing unit irrespective of the physical form either the unit is Single, Double, Low-E, Tinted, Sliding, Awning window, Timber frame, Aluminium frame, etc.

So always look for U-value and SHGC for a glazing unit and consider these figures more than the description of the glazing system.

Since a house is built for a few decades in mind, running costs as well as the environmental impact of the building should be a major consideration and should take precedence over a granite kitchen bench-top in cases that budget is the issue. One would ask; what is the sweet spot between spending more or less for windows? Well, thermal comfort benchmarks set by the government take part of this guess work out of the equation especially at low performing designs. Another consideration is, do I want to feel the cold in the middle of the night causing me to become unwell? Do I want my home to feel comfortable without using A/C as much or at all?

If you have any questions, please do contact me.

Thank you for reading.

We live in an environment that hardly one aspect of a decision has effect only on this aspect and no other aspects at the same time. It is more than a case whether the egg or the chicken came first. What do I mean with that?

Planning

This part can either create or save you from a lot of trouble, money during construction and money during the life cycle of your project.

Planning is probably the hardest thing to do. You also need to find the right team to work with and in my view this is the pivotal part in any project.

Design considerations

Before a design is made you need to consider what you really need. There are some key aspects that need to be considered. Depending on the nature of the project sometimes all of these parameters can be assessed and adjusted accordingly and in other cases only a few due to various constraints, especially when an extension is built. There are 10 Key parameters and today Orientation will be discussed. At later blogs, the other aspects will be discussed.

Orientation of certain rooms of the house or configuration of the dwelling

The most efficient building in terms of energy efficiency is a square shaped one. This shape allows for the minimum length of external walls for any given size of building. The more the building becomes long and narrow, the worse it performs.

This condition is exaggerated when the long side of the building faces South as in winter this type of building suffers from heat losses.

Certain rooms are best located in the North and others in the South.

Orientation options are best discussed and determined with your BASIX / NatHERS / HSTAR sustainability consultant.