NatHERS coming soon to existing homes

The expansion of NatHERS to existing homes is an important development, as it will provide an Australia-wide measurement system for the energy performance of all homes – not just new ones.

Stage 1 will take place in mid-2025, with the release of a first-generation tool and assessment method, alongside governance documents, policies and procedures. There will also be accreditation of a limited pool of trained assessors.

A period of scale-up and learning-by-doing will follow to help refine processes, tools and communications. During this period, accreditation and training will progressively be made available to target groups. These include current energy assessors, such as NatHERS for new homes assessors, Scorecard assessors (operating in Victoria) and ACT Energy Efficiency Rating assessors.

In late 2025, a pilot of the Home Energy Ratings Disclosure Framework in NSW will also be conducted. This will include developing and testing training content and resources for real estate agents, testing and refining content and resources for consumers, and evaluating the experiences of individuals involved in sales and lease processes. The pilot is being conducted in close collaboration with the real estate sector.

The pilot, and other initiatives that use NatHERS for existing homes, will inform further refinement ahead of Stage 2.

Stage 2 is expected to begin in mid-2026 with the launch of an update to NatHERS for existing homes. It will consist of a second-generation tool, assessment method and processes. This will provide more assessments to Australians and will open accreditation to all interested assessors.

Updates will be posted on the NatHERS website.

Image by Martin David on Unsplash

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