House energy rating assessments and advice

Our Services

House thermal performance advice

Tailored advice to evaluate your home's energy efficiency and practical solutions to help you improve your home's thermal performance, leading to more comfortable living conditions.

BASIX and NaTHERs certificates

House energy ratings utilising BASIX and NatHERS assessments complying with NSW Government standards to support development applications and complying development for new homes and significant renovations.

What are house energy rating assessments? why are they required?

The National Construction Code (NCC) sets the minimum requirements for the design, construction, and performance of buildings throughout Australia. The NCC includes provisions for energy efficiency in residential buildings. This ensures that buildings are designed and constructed to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

NatHERS

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) ratings are used to demonstrate compliance with these requirements. NatHERS provides a star rating from 0 to 10 based on the home’s thermal performance. The higher the star rating, the more energy-efficient the home is, meaning it requires less energy for heating and cooling.

From 1 October 2023 the NCC increased the thermal performance standard for residential dwelling from 5.5-6 stars to 7 stars.

BASIX

In New South Wales, the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) assessments are mandatory for all new residential buildings and significant renovations (those with values above $50,000). BASIX covers water, energy use and thermal performance. BASIX compliance is required to meet the NCC’s sustainability and energy efficiency criteria, to achieve the 7 star NatHERS requirement for residential dwellings.

How are assessments conducted

In NSW, BASIX assessments are conducted using an online tool where designers input details about the building’s design and features. With regards to the thermal performance requirements of BASIX, there a 3 methods used to conduct the assessment:

• Simplified assessment for single dwelling houses that use common construction materials and methods.

• Simulation method - detailed assessment that uses National House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) accredited software, and can simulate a larger range of construction methods and materials, more complex designs and multi-dwelling developments such as townhouses and apartments.

• Passive House standard method – This method only applies to single dwelling houses designed and constructed in accordance with the Passive House standard. You need to engage a Certified Passive House Designer to enter the building design information into the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) software.

At Renviro, we can tailor BASIX assessments using the simplified assessment method as well as simulation method.

We find that the simulation method, using NatHERs accredited thermal simulation software, allows more flexibility in the building design as it calculates heating and cooling loads for the entire dwelling, rather than mandating a minimum standard for each component.

Our Mission

Committed to enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in homes, we strive to deliver reliable assessments and advice tailored to your needs.

How NatHERS assessments improve building thermal performance before finalising plans?

NatHERS assessments are a valuable tool for optimising the thermal performance of your building design during the concept development stages. Here’s how they can help:

Early design guidance

NatHERS uses advanced software to simulate the thermal performance of your building design, considering factors like climate, orientation, and building materials. The assessment provides a star rating (from 0 to 10) that indicates the energy efficiency of your design. A higher star rating means better thermal performance and lower energy costs for heating and cooling.

Identifying improvements and cost effective solutions

Based on the NatHERS assessment, you can make informed decisions about design changes to enhance thermal performance. This might include optimising window placement, improving insulation, or selecting more energy-efficient building materials. By identifying potential issues early, you can implement cost-effective solutions that improve energy efficiency without significant additional costs during construction.

Compliance and comfort

NatHERS assessments help ensure your design meets or exceeds the energy efficiency requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC). Improved thermal performance leads to more comfortable living conditions, with stable indoor temperatures throughout the year.

Sustainability and long term savings

Better thermal performance reduces the building’s carbon footprint by lowering energy consumption. Energy-efficient designs result in lower utility bills, providing long-term financial benefits for homeowners.

By incorporating NatHERS assessments into the early stages of your building design, you can create a more energy-efficient, comfortable, and sustainable home in a cost effective manner.

Feel free to contact us if you need any more details

About Us

Our Assessor is an Environmental Engineer with 20 years multidisciplinary experience and accredited NaTHERs house energy ratings assessor.

Location

Illawarra, NSW, Australia

Get In Touch

Contact us for NATHERS and BASIX assessments or thermal efficiency advice in New South Wales.