News
7 Stars as standard?
Energy efficiency: NCC 2022 and beyond
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has been directed by the Building Ministers’ Forum (BMF) to investigate possible changes to the National Construction Code (NCC) energy efficiency provisions, with an emphasis on residential buildings in NCC 2022. This work is to be carried out in consideration of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council’s Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings (the
Trajectory) (coagenergycouncil.gov.au). The Trajectory proposes incremental changes to the NCC to reduce the operational energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions of buildings.
To commence this process, the ABCB has produced this scoping study for public consultation. The study outlines a possible approach and scope for this project, with a particular focus on the 2022 version of the NCC (NCC 2022).
For residential buildings (houses and apartments), the ABCB is proposing to developed two sets of NCC provisions (or options), which it will test through regulation impact analysis to determine the appropriate option for adoption in NCC 2022. The two options are as follows:
• Option 1 involves a set of provisions which would result in residential buildings having a level of thermal comfort equivalent to 7 stars NatHERS and net zero annual energy use for the regulated building services, i.e. space conditioning, heated water systems, lighting and pool and spa pumps.
• Option 2 involves a set of provisions which would result in residential buildings having a level of thermal comfort equivalent to 7 stars NatHERS and a moderate amount of annual energy use for the regulated building services.
The two options will enable a ‘whole-of-house’ approach to be used to achieve compliance. In particular, compliance through Verification Methods (or whole-of-house tools) will allow some trading between the energy efficiency of building services, and allow limited offsetting with on-site renewable energy.