7-Star NatHERS Rating Explained: New Energy Standards for Australian Homes from 2023
What Is NatHERS - and Why Is Everyone Talking About It? Picture this - you are about to build your dream home in Australia. Then someone mentions you need a NatHERS rating. You nod along, not entirely sure what that means. That is more common than you think. NatHERS , short for the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, is the official Australian government framework used to measure home energy rating . It assigns a star rating - from 0 to 10 - based on how well a home's design controls temperature naturally. The higher the stars, the less your home leans on heating and cooling systems. From 1 May 2023, a major shift happened. The National Construction Code raised the bar - all new residential builds now require a minimum NatHERS rating of 7 stars. That is a full two-star jump from the old 6-star requirement. Not only that, but the update also introduced a home performance rating for whole-of-home energy use - covering things like hot water systems, lighting, and appliances. B...