BERS Energy Rating
6 Star Energy Rating Requirement for Houses and Townhouses
New houses and townhouses and major renovations to these buildings must achieve a minimum 6-star energy equivalence rating.
This requirement was implemented via the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and the Queensland Development Code (QDC) Mandatory Part (MP) 4.1 – Sustainable buildings.
A 6-star house or townhouse is not only more comfortable to live in, it can also provide you with ongoing savings on energy bills because it uses less energy for artificial cooling and heating.
How to achieve the 6-star energy equivalence rating
There are many ways to ensure your new house, townhouse or major renovation meets the new 6-star requirement, such as:
- northern orientation of living rooms
- natural ventilation through windows and doorways
- shading with wider eaves and awnings
- increased insulation in roof space and walls
- treated glazing
- light coloured roofs and walls
- ceiling fans in living areas and bedrooms
- well-designed outdoor living areas.
It is important to consider the climatic conditions of the area in which a home is to be built or renovated so that the design can provide maximum comfort for occupants while minimising energy running costs. Find design tips for your climate zone here.
Optional credits
The inclusion of an outdoor living area is rewarded with up to a 1-star credit towards an energy equivalence rating for homes.
A half-star credit applies to a fully-covered outdoor living area that is connected to an indoor living area of a new house or renovation and is:
- at least 12 square metres in size
- a minimum dimension of 2.5 m in all directions
- covered by an impervious roof with an insulation R-value of at least 1.5
- has two or more sides open or is capable of being opened.
A full star credit is available when an outdoor living area as outlined above is fitted with at least one ceiling fan.
A new credit of 1-star is also available for houses and townhouses that include a photovoltaic (solar) energy system with a minimum of 1 kilowatt capacity.
Please note: When the above optional credits are used, a minimum ‘baseline’ energy equivalence rating of 4.5 – 5-stars must be achieved, depending on the climate zone.
Costs for the homeowner
It is anticipated that the increase to 6-star will result in an increase in building costs of as little as 1.25 per cent on average. This will be dependent on the design, size and location of the building. Any costs are expected to be offset by ongoing savings on household energy bills by a reduction in the need for artificial heating and cooling.
The 6-star requirement for houses and townhouses came into effect on 1 May 2010. Prior to this, houses and townhouses were required to achieve a minimum 5-star energy equivalence rating from 1 March 2009 and a 3.5 - 4 star rating (depending on the climate zone) prior to 1 March 2009.
For more information on sustainable housing, please visit www.sustainable-homes.org.au/04_resources
