Eco Certificates

Australia’s construction landscape has increasingly focused on sustainability, with frameworks like the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) leading the charge. At the core of ensuring compliance with these sustainability standards are BASIX consultants , experts who guide projects from initial design to final approval.  If you’re planning a new build or major renovation in New South Wales (NSW), here’s everything you need to know about BASIX consultants, their roles, and related sustainability certifications like the BASIX Certificate and NABERS Rating. Who Are BASIX Consultants? BASIX consultants are sustainability professionals specialising in NSW’s mandatory BASIX compliance requirements. Their primary role is to ensure residential developments meet strict sustainability targets for water, energy efficiency, and thermal comfort.  They utilise advanced modelling techniques and tools to optimise building designs, ensuring regulatory compliance and cost-effective, eco-friend...

Achieving a 6-star NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) energy rating is an excellent goal for those building or renovating homes in Australia. A 6-star rating indicates that your home design is energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, helping to minimise your energy utilisation, reduce your carbon footprint, and enhance overall comfort.  Here, we’ll dive into practical design tips to help you achieve this rating, with insights into how each element contributes to a higher Home Energy Rating NatHERS score and secures a NatHERS certificate for your new home. How to Improve Your NatHERS Rating? Prioritise Orientation and Layout Orientation is one of the most critical factors influencing your Home Energy Rating NatHERS. Proper orientation allows for the efficient use of natural sunlight, minimising the need for artificial heating and cooling.  In Australia, orienting your living spaces to face the north helps maximise sunlight during winter and limits heat in sum...

In Australia, there is a growing emphasis on ensuring the construction of a sustainable home owing to emerging trends such as new building regulations like NatHERS. For instance, a home that achieves a 7-star NatHERS rating is considered quite energy-efficient, with ten being the highest earned.  In this post, we shall elaborate on what a 7-star rating is, when it matters and why you need it for your new house. What is NatHERS and How Does it Work?   Australia has joined the green revolution. They are aiming to make houses eco-friendly, whereby the heating and cooling costs you incur are minimized. How do they evaluate the quality of a house? They have a standard rating system for houses, which is known as NatHERS, just as you have one for appliances. More stars mean less energy consumption. What aspect makes a house energy-efficient? NatHERS assessment considers several factors such as the geographic orientation of the house, its elevation, its roofs and walls, windows, and...

In the Australian construction industry, the JV3 Verification Method is considered an important component, especially in the assessment of complex commercial buildings' energy efficiency. The JV3 Modelling defined under the National Construction Code (NCC) is considered more flexible than the Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS) requirements.  In this blog, we'll try to understand what the JV3 Verification Method is, how it works, and why it is important in modern-day building design. What is the JV3 Verification Method? In contrast to the rigid provisions of the DTS, the JV3 modeling has a more liberal approach about energy efficiency. It allows designers to develop various options to achieve energy targets. Building energy consumption analysis in JV3 uses an NCC-accredited computer program to estimate the energy consumption of a building. This is done against an energy-efficient building that satisfies the minimum energy requirements under the DtS model.  A proposed building complies wi...

  Do you want to increase the NABERS rating of your building? But even after trying several times, you’re unable to achieve the desired NABERS rating? We’re here to help you! A higher NABERS water rating or energy star rating can help you gain significant environmental benefits, cost savings, and better property marketability.  Here are ways in which you can enhance your NABERS ratings. How do you increase your building’s NABERS Rating? Do an Energy Audit Before making any changes, conduct a comprehensive energy audit to identify where your building loses energy.  This should include:  Reviewing HVAC systems  Checking the lighting systems  Understanding the mechanical condition of equipment consuming energy in large quantities.  The first step of NABERS rating improvement involves understanding the energy profile of your building. Upgrade Lighting Systems Lighting typically consumes much of the total electricity within a building. So replacing them w...

In a world where the concept of environmental sustainability is no longer an option but rather a necessity, in what way are we able to measure how well we are doing? What does it take to make sure that our buildings, where we live, work and play, have maximum energy efficiency? These questions can be answered by NABERS energy rating. This is an acronym for National Australian Built Environment Rating System which has the potential of changing the landscape on how we look at energy conservation. If you desire reducing your carbon footprint and creating a sustainable future then NABERS rating should be in your mind. In this article, we’ll discuss why this rating system matters much and how it adds value to your building and the environment. What is the NABERS Rating? Through the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS), the environmental performance of buildings and tenancies can be judged. Such a process gives an idea of to what extent a building or space affects th...

  A commercial building that maintains a perfect climate year-round while consuming minimal energy always has high market demand. Therefore when you focus on energy-efficiency you automatically have a competitive edge in the market.  Nevertheless, apart from market demand, the NCC BCA Section J requires commercial buildings to meet certain energy efficiency requirements.  In fact, developers and builders must not just adhere to them but also aid in boosting a greener future. So what does Section J involve?  Today, we are going to look at what Section J is all about and how you can ensure that you’re in line with the requirements. What is NCC BCA Section J? The National Construction Code (NCC) 2022’s Section J is an essential part of the building rules of Australia. Formally referred to as BCA Section J, this section focuses on energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings and some residential structures. NCC BCA Section J helps to ensure that all new comme...