Services
Engage 7 Star Ratings early for
modelling, design advice and options
specific to your project and location
NatHERS
NatHERS, the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, is an Australian program assessing the energy efficiency of residential buildings. It provides star ratings to help homeowners and builders make more sustainable choices.
BASIX
BASIX (Building Sustainability Index) is a New South Wales, Australia initiative that mandates energy and water efficiency standards in residential developments, promoting sustainable building practices to reduce environmental impact.
Section J
Section J is an Australian building code provision that outlines energy efficiency requirements for new commercial and residential buildings, focusing on insulation, glazing, lighting, and HVAC systems to minimize energy consumption.
Tips For Achieving 7 Stars
INSULATION
- Insulate internal wall surfaces from any external thermal mass.
- Use highly breathable reflective vapour barriers in walls and add bulk insulation to rooms that are air-conditioned.
- Line open ventilated spaces with reflective foil insulation and design to remove condensation.
- Consider adaptive ventilation in roof spaces to ventilate in summer and seal in winter.
ORIENTATION / LOCATION
- Orientate the building for exposure to cooling breezes and design for cross-ventilation.
- Locate sleeping spaces in lower levels.
COLOURS
- Reduce cooling load with lighter coloured roof, walls and window frames.
- Increase heating load with darker coloured roof, walls and window frames.
VENTILATION
- Consider narrow floor plans and design openings to encourage movement of breezes through and with the building (egsmall openings on windward side and large openings on leeward side).
- Include ceiling fans in all living and sleeping spaces.
- (high –level windows and ceiling or roof space vents).
- Use low or no thermal mass in sleeping spaces to prevent radiant heat at bed-time.
SHADING
- Provide screened and shaded outdoor living areas.
- Shade east and west facades year-round.
- Shade south-facing walls north of the tropic of Capricorn.
LIGHTING
- Provide electrical plan to reduce default ceiling penetration modelling.
- Consider whether your design can delete downlights that aren’t IC4 rated, roof windows and skylights and replace these with other lighting options that allow for continuous ceiling insulation.
GLAZING
- Obtain a quotation and model custom glazing as opposed to generic glazing.
- Avoid excessive glazing and/or use low U-value glazing with low solar heat gain co-efficient (SHGC).
- Use 100% operable windows such as louvre or casement.