When would I require a BASIX Certificate?

The BASIX certificate is the Building Sustainability Index certificate that is issued by the Department of Planning and is the part of the development application process. It applies to all new residential dwellings in New South Wales (NSW). Also, if you are making any additions or alterations in the dwelling, you need to obtain the BASIX Certificate

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Most of the builders who have not obtained the certificate in the past might have a question that when would I require a BASIX certificate. In this post, we will discuss it.

There are total of three types of residential developments which include:

Single Dwellings

Single dwellings include bungalows, cottages, secondary dwellings, single houses on one lot and one part of a semi-detached home. Now, the important question is the components of sustainable design that are assessed by the authorities which are water usage, greenhouse gas emissions and thermal comfort.

Multi dwellings

Multi dwellings include dual-occupancy dwellings, townhouses, row houses, terraces, residential flat buildings, villas, two houses on one lot, multi-unit developments with low-rise and high-rise buildings, hostels, lodging houses, hotels, guest houses, shop top houses and a new principal and secondary dwelling. 

Here too, the sustainability assessment components are water, energy and thermal comfort. However, the assessment tool also covers larger residential developments such as for car parks, shared gardens, common theatres and others where more water and energy is consumed compared to single dwellings.

Alterations and additions

If you want to make some alterations and additions to your existing dwelling worth $50,000 or more, you will require to obtain the BASIX Certificate. Even if your development is exempt from BASIX, you need to obtain the certificate to take precedence over your local council’s dwelling sustainability requirements. It includes making a swimming pool or outdoor spa with water capacity higher than 40,000 litres.

How to obtain a BASIX certificate?

The process is very simple and yet people struggle hard to obtain one. All you need to do is to read all the guidelines or instructions given on the Department of Planning’s website and you will get a fair idea about almost all the details including the fees, refunds and other crucial information. However, you can also hire a professional for the job if you don’t have enough time to go through all the process. An expert BASIX certificate professional will do all the paperwork and other efforts to get you one.

Conclusion:

The process of getting the BASIX certificate is simple and quick. However, you still need to prepare yourself with all the information available on a public domain. It will help you to save your time and prepare at your best to get a certificate with ease and comfort.