HERS - State by State

New South Wales

Department of Planning
www.basix.nsw.gov.au/information/index.jsp

What is an Accredited Assessor? BASIX definition

Accredited Assessor means a person accredited by the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors(ABSA) or by another organisation accredited by the Department of Planning under the Thermal Comfort Protocol, to issue Assessor Certificates. The role of an Assessor is controlled by the Thermal Comfort Protocol. Department of Planning accredits organisations to then accredit Assessors to conduct simulations for persons wishing to use the Simulation method. The Assessor will simulate your dwelling's thermal performance and provide you with a Certificate.  Changes to the design and/or construction may be necessary to lower the loads to be less that the Maximum Loads as calculated by BASIX.  

What is an Assessor Certificate? BASIX definition

Assessor Certificate means a certificate issued by an Accredited Assessor in accordance with the Thermal Comfort Protocol. The certificate contains the following information which you will need to complete the Thermal Comfort section using the Simulation method.

Western Australia

Sustainable Energy Development Office
http://www.clean.energy.wa.gov.au and search for NatHERS

As part of the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency, signed by all members of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), the Building Code of Australia (BCA) 2010 edition will include requirements to deliver 6-Star energy performance in all new houses (BCA Classes 1, 2, 4  & 10) and significantly increase the energy efficiency of commercial buildings, subject to a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS). 

In Western Australia, the Building Commission will ... analyse what the new requirements will mean for the community and industry in Western Australia in 2010. 

Victoria

Sustainability Victoria
www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/www/html/1491-energy-rating-with-firstrate.asp

http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/www/html/2035-5-star-homes.asp

HERs must be prepared by persons accredited in the use of the rating tool. Residential thermal performance assessors require separate accreditation for each rating tool they use – this includes the second generation rating tools. For instance, to use second generation software, residential thermal performance assessors must seek accreditation.

Organisations such as Association of Building Sustainability Assessors and Sustainability Victoria provide the accreditation, a list of accredited assessors and the specific energy rating tools they are accredited to use is listed on their websites.

The assessor will need provide a certificate and report and will need to stamp the plans accordingly. In the event that your design does not meet the required minimum standard, the assessor may suggest some alternatives to improve the performance of the design.

Queensland

Building Codes Queensland
www.dip.qld.gov.au/plumbing-building/index.php

News flash 355 http://www.dip.qld.gov.au/resources/newsletter/newsflash-355.pdf

In accordance with the Queensland Development Code Mandatory Part 4.1—Sustainable Buildings, only software that meets the requirements of the ABCB Protocol for House Energy Rating Software for Residential Buildings, Version 2006.1, commonly referred to as 2nd generation software (i.e. currently BERS Pro, AccuRate or FirstRate5 , can be used to demonstrate compliance with the energy efficiency requirements of the BCA.

A list of accredited 2nd generation NatHERS software tools can be found at www.nathers.gov.au/software/accreditation.html

Certifiers assessing building applications should be satisfied that the software being used complies with the appropriate protocol. Upon completion of the building, certifiers must be satisfied that the building has been constructed to the approved thermal design specifications used to obtain the original building approval.

Assessor accrediting organisations protocol and software user accreditation

To foster consistent and reliable assessments the NatHERS administrator (in the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts) has developed a protocol for the approval and operation of organisations that accredit users of NatHERS software for regulatory purposes. Assessor accrediting organisations that comply with the new ‘NatHERS protocol for assessor accrediting organisations’ are in turn accredited by the NatHERS administrator.

Under sections 17 and 18 of the Building Regulation 2006, certifiers must decide whether a person is competent to assist with design or specifications. In this context certifiers may wish to consider whether an assessor has been accredited by an approved assessor accrediting organisation for using energy rating software to meet the energy efficiency requirements of the BCA.

Being accredited by an approved assessor accrediting organisation ensure that assessors:

• are qualified and have received appropriate training in the use of the software simulation and building thermal performance theory

• agree to operate under a professional Code of Conduct that is approved under a national framework

• hold adequate professional indemnity insurance to indemnify themselves for their role as an accredited assessor

• have access to technical support and continuing professional development training

• are quality assured for their for assessor practice.

A list of all assessor accrediting organisations can be found at: www.nathers.gov.au. Currently, the Association for Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA) is the only available accrediting organisation (www.absa.net.au). Other organisations may apply to become an accrediting organisation under the NatHERS protocol for assessor accrediting organisations.

South Australia

Planning SA
www.planning.sa.gov.au

http://www.planning.sa.gov.au/index.cfm?objectid=1F05999B-96B8-CC2B-691B6F3A96013410

Increased energy efficiency requirements for all new dwellings built in South Australia will come into effect from Wednesday 1 September 2010.

The new ‘6-star’ energy efficiency requirement – which also applies to alterations or additions to existing homes – replaces the previous 5-star energy efficiency requirement which had been in place since 2006. 

Northern Territory

Department of Infrastructure, Planning and the Environment

http://www.nt.gov.au/lands/building/energy/index.shtml
 

New Energy Efficiency Requirements in NT

The NorthernTerritory Government recently announced new energy efficiency requirements for residential buildings in the Northern Territory which will commence on 1 May 2010. The provisions will require new houses to achieve a 5 Star Energy Efficiency Rating, and new flats and caretaker accommodation (Class 2 and 4 buildings) to achieve a 3.5 Star Rating. For more information, visit the Energy Efficiency page of Building Advisory Services Branch, Department of Lands and Planning.

Australian Capital Territory

ACT Planning and Land Authority
http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/topics/design_build/siting/energy_ratings

Use of EER for sale of new residential property

The new ACT House Energy Rating Scheme Guidelines allow for rating and other energy efficiency information to be used for disclosure in some circumstances so that people who want to sell a property don't have to both obtain an energy rating (as required under the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003 and demonstrate compliance with the energy efficiency requirements of the BCA.

For example a seller might have had an energy efficiency rating done on second generation tools to demonstrate compliance with the BCA and can use this rating for the sale of the premises.

These provisions only relate to incomplete premises being sold off the plan or newly completed premises that have not yet been occupied.

Tasmania

Workplace Standards Tasmania

http://www.wst.tas.gov.au/industries/building/bca/5_star_energy

From 1 January 2010 new energy efficiency requirements for the construction or alteration of houses apply in Tasmania. The provisions in the Building Code of Australia (BCA) will require that new work meets BCA 2009 requirements equivalent to 5 Stars under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme. Four star standards have applied in Tasmania since 2003. Tasmania is one of the last states to adopt the 5 Stars.

Source:http://www.absa.net.au