Australia is a developed country. And like any other developed country, Australia also has a social responsibility towards the planet.
With only 0.33% of the world population, Australia is rated as one of the highest greenhouse gas emitters per capita globally.
The construction sector contributes to 18.1% of the country's carbon footprint. In the construction sector, the largest contribution of carbon footprints is due to electricity usage, water and waste management, and materials used in the building.
Therefore to address this arising concern of greenhouse gas production, the Australian government introduced compliance standards and ratings to regulate the energy utilization within the building.
An energy-complaint building, whether residential or commercial, will operate using energy-efficient measures, leading to lower operational costs and reduced ecological impact.
What is an Energy Rating System?
An energy rating system involves a rating index or scale used for measuring and signifying the energy efficiency of a building.
Therefore, a building with a higher energy rating will require less energy to operate, have reduced electricity bills, and offer a healthy indoor environment for the occupants.
NatHERS rating, NABERS Star Rating, and BCA section J report are the three energy star evaluations used in Australia to understand the energy efficiency of a particular construction. While NatHERS caters to the residential sector, the NABERS rating and Section J report is designed for commercial development.
Different Energy Rating System In Australia
NatHERS Certificate
- Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) certification is the most common approach to meet and demonstrate the minimum energy-efficiency requirements of the NCC (National Construction Code).
- NatHERS certificate is applicable for residential buildings. It is an integral part of the thermal section of the BASIX certificate.
- Energy assessors utilize the NatHERS rating scale to understand the amount of artificial heating and cooling your residential project will require to stay comfortable throughout the year. The findings are converted to an energy star rating between 0 and 10 stars, where 0 is the least energy-efficient and 10 marks the leading industry standard.
NABERS Energy Rating
The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (commonly known as NABERS) is an initiative by the Australian government to evaluate the environmental quality of development (both residential apartments and commercial buildings).
The NABERS energy rating scale consists of 1 to 6 stars, which measures greenhouse gas production and the energy consumption of a building during operation.
It considers the following:
- The climatic zone under which the development operates
- The building and office space usage hours
- The service level that the building provides to its occupants
- The energy source or providing operational power.
- The size and occupancy of the building
BCA Section J
- BCA Section J report highlights the energy efficiency standards of the Part J report.
- It encompasses the energy efficiency requirements for buildings belonging to Classes 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9 for non-residential commercial buildings.
- This is defined by Section J (or Part J) of NCC (National Construction Code), also known as the Building Code of Australia (BCA) defines the energy efficiency requirements.
- Section J can be assessed using the DtS method or the alternative JV3 assessment.
- Residential developments not covered under Class 1-2 are also covered by Section J.
Benefits Of Energy Rating System
- Reduced greenhouse gas production, thus less impact on the environment.
- Reduced energy requirements lead to significant savings in energy bills.
- Healthier living environment
- Less stress on the fast-depleting non-renewable sources of energy
- Higher market value due to less operational costs and a better indoor environment.
- High-value tenants and purchasers
- Leading recognition as a revered project owner in the real estate industry.
- Energy rating systems support and propagate sustainable design to help you build a profitable yet sustainable future for generations to come.
