Plumbing & Building 
Sustainable housing Energy equivalence rating 6-star rated houses/townhouses
Sustainable housing Energy equivalence rating 6-star rated houses/townhouses
| 6-star energy equivalence rating requirement for houses and townhouses |
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New houses and townhouses and major renovations to these buildings (e.g. additions, alterations or re-locations) must achieve a minimum 6-star energy equivalence rating. This requirement applies to the building shell – its roof, walls, windows and floors. Homes with a higher energy rating will need less artificial cooling and heating, and so will be more comfortable to live in. They can also provide ongoing savings on energy bills because they need less energy for artificial cooling and heating. How to achieve the 6-star energy equivalence ratingThere are many design features that contribute to the thermal performance of a home, including:
It is important to consider the climate of the area the home is located in so that the design provides maximum comfort for occupants while minimising energy running costs. Find design tips for your climate zone and more information on how to design a home to reach the 6-star standard in the Design guide for 6-star energy equivalence housing. Optional credits for outdoor living areas and photovoltaic systemsOptional credits for outdoor living areas and photovoltaic (PV) solar energy systems can be used to meet the 6-star housing standard. Houses that include a photovoltaic (solar) energy system and/or outdoor living area can reduce energy use and save with ongoing costs. People with an outdoor living area tend to spend less time inside air conditioned homes and are more acclimatised to the weather. These credits reflect our Queensland lifestyle and climate, and provide:
To ensure a minimum thermal performance (to provide internal comfort) and flexible design options, a minimum baseline rating for the building shell must be achieved when using these credits. In tropical (e.g. Townsville), subtropical (e.g. Brisbane) and warm temperate (e.g. Toowoomba) climate zones, a minimum of 4½ stars is required, and a minimum of 5 stars is required in the hot arid climate zone (e.g. Charleville). Flexible design options can be used to achieve a 6-star house, for example:
Marketing homes greater than 6-starOptional credits are provided for regulatory purposes only to assist in complying with Queensland’s 6-star housing standard. The inclusion of optional credits for these design features does not extend the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) star range beyond 10 stars. A house therefore cannot be promoted as achieving greater than the 6-star standard where the additional stars are based on the inclusion of the optional credits. For example, if a house achieves a 6-star building shell rating, the inclusion of an outdoor living area with fan and a photovoltaic (solar) energy system does not increase the house rating to 8-stars. When marketing a house or townhouse above the required 6-star standard, any advertising material should not add any extra stars from the inclusion of optional credits. If an outdoor living area and/or photovoltaic (solar) energy system is included in the design, these should be promoted only as separate energy efficiency and/or lifestyle features and not be added to the star rating. For more information on the optional credits and how they can be used, refer to the QDC 4.1 Guideline. Costs for the homeownerCompliance with the 6-star housing standard will result in an increase in building costs of an average 1.25 per cent, depending on the design, size and location of the building. Any costs are expected to be off-set by ongoing savings on household energy bills by a reduced need for artificial heating and cooling. Further informationFor further information contact Building Codes Queensland. Related resources |