If you are in the process of putting up a new structure in Australia or are renovating an existing 0building, chances are that you have already encountered the term 6-star rating. But what does it mean? How significant is it? How do you achieve it? In this article, we give you a blow-by-blow account of a 6-star energy rating, and why you need it. Read on to learn more.
What is 6-star energy rating?
Simply put, a 6-star energy rating indicates a house’s thermal performance. It shows the amount of energy required for a comfortable temperature to be maintained in the home. The rating is administered by the HERS (the Home Energy Rating System) and a higher HERS figure shows that your home’s indoor temperature is comfortable and thus requires the least amount of energy. The less the amount of energy your home requires to cool and heat, the higher the rating will be.
The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme is the body tasked with rating a home’s energy efficiency, and it uses design as well as other factors. HERS has software that is used to estimate the potential energy use of your home. The importance of this rating is to help people know the amount of energy their homes will need for the purposes of heating and cooling. In turn, this allows them to make intelligent choices and save money on their energy bills. In the majority states of Australia, the minimum requirement before you can be given a building permit is the 6-star energy rating by NATHERs.
Why 6-Star Energy Rating?
The main use of the House Energy Rating Scheme is to have contractors and homeowners build houses that are more environment-friendly and which consume less energy for heating and cooling purposes. The body wants people to build comfortable houses that also comply with different building regulations. Although the 6-star rating has been popularized, the truth is that the HERs assess homes on a 0-10 scale. If a house has a 10-star rating, it means that it won’t require artificial cooling or heating throughout the year. On the other hand, a home with a rating of zero would require a lot of energy to feel comfortable.
Just to throw some perspective into this, the 1990’s homes had an average of 0 ratings and didn’t have most modern features or ceiling insulations as do most homes today. When a home is rated 6-star, it is deemed to be generally economic to manage or run, and the 6-star rating is generally considered the minimum requirement throughout the country. However, there are some situations where a 5.0 or 5.5 ratings could mean compliance, but this only applies in very specific areas that have unique circumstances.
What is assessed for a 6-star rated home?
To achieve a 6-star energy rating, there are several factors that will need to be taken into account. Basing on your plan, a qualified assessor will model your home using the NATHERs software and tell you whether it is energy efficient or otherwise. The software will give you a rough idea of your home’s energy rating by calculating the amount of energy the house will require to maintain comfortable temperature ranges. Some of the things that will be considered are:
How can you achieve the 6-star rating?
The first thing you need to do to make your house 6-star energy rating compliant is to hire a qualified assessor to evaluate your house plan for you as well as all other necessary documents. It is imperative that the assessor you choose has proper training and certification to give you accurate results and to ensure that your plans get approved. At the moment, only two bodies have been approved by NATHERs to provide accreditation to independent businesses and these are the Building Designers Association of Victoria or BDAV that is based in Melbourne, and the Sydney-based ABSA (Australian Building Sustainability Association).
