Mark Vender
Building ministers have agreed to the final changes to the 2022 edition of the National Construction Code (NCC), including a minimum 7-star NatHERS rating for new homes.
New homes will also have a new annual energy-use budget applicable to major appliances such as space conditioning, hot water, lighting, pool and spa pumps, offset by any onsite renewable energy generation.
The changes come as welcome news to the many industry organisations that advocated for lifting the standards. The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) says this will help reduce energy demand and emissions while also reducing energy costs for home owners and renters.
“These reforms will deliver cost-effective energy-efficiency upgrades that will improve the comfort and health of occupants throughout the year,” says ABCB Chair Glenys Beauchamp. “With lower energy use, we’ll also see lower new household energy bills and lower emissions.
“NCC 2022 will provide many practical solutions to reduce household energy use, especially during peak demand periods.
“Coupled with the benefits of onsite renewables, these new homes will also support the transformation and reliability of the energy grid.”
The changes are expected to achieve more than 14.1 million tonnes in carbon abatement.
The ABCB plans to release a preview of the new energy efficiency and condensation requirements on September 1, 2022. This will be available to download from ncc.abcb.gov.au
Building Ministers agreed to publish NCC 2022 on October 1, 2022. The states and territories will bring the majority of NCC 2022 into full effect from May 1, 2023, to give industry time to learn and adapt to the new requirements.
For some new requirements, including energy efficiency and condensation mitigation, there will be a transition period until October 1, 2023. These provisions of NCC 2022 will be considered voluntary until then.
More information is available at the ABCB website.
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