Introduction

Although good design has been hallmark of iconic buildings and places for hundreds of years, the skills and knowledge are still very niche. Without appropriate tools to connect the community to this knowledge, a market transformation where sustainable housing is the norm, not the exception, will be unnecessarily long and arduous.

Energy efficiency simulation is more efficient and can facilitate innovation because a software rating provides the means of treating the building holistically and enables designs to be fine-tuned so that the under-performing elements are assisted by over-performing elements.

Effectively, energy efficiency simulation tools are decision support tools that identify and quantify problems, and allow designers to fix them.

Aim

To improve the sustainability of Australian houses through the use of transparent simulation tools and software that are rigorously tested, regularly updated and developed by legal and accountable entities.

Principles

• Simulation algorithms and assumptions must be transparent and easily understood by consumers: no black boxes that magically produce numbers
• Software tools must have common and repeatable outputs greater than the current benchmarking indicator of MJ/m2, ie MJ per house or Co2-e per house, per annum
• The building design process must facilitate innovation rather than encourage ‘one-size fits all’ construction
• All tools must be based on the best available science
• There is not ‘one perfect tool’ to design or diagnose all buildings: building sustainability professionals must choose the right tool for the right job

Framework

• Regular technical review, validation and update of NatHERS software  to ensure public confidence in outputs and ability of software to improve the sustainability of Australian houses
• Greater use of the National Protocol for Assessor Accreditation Organisations to ensure assessor error does not produce different outputs
• Approval from an appropriate body that all software meet the standards described in the ABCB Protocol for House Energy Software
• Mandating the use of simulation software by removing the elemental (DTS) compliance method
• Rationalising the different number and types of building sustainability ratings (ie Green Star, NABERS, NatHERs, BASIX) in the market to a minimum, and communicating the differences and applications clearly to consumers, builders and designers

Action

• Mandating the use of simulation software by removing the elemental (DTS) compliance method (including DIY & Rapid methods in BASIX)
• Alignment of BASIX thermal performance requirements with national standards (currently 6 star)
• Increased support for builders to learn and integrate building simulation into their house design process

Key Messages

• "To measure the current state of home efficiency, households need the right tool for the right job in the right hands"
• "Proper tools help us to identify and quantify problems"
• "There are far too many ifs and buts without simulation tools"
• "Quality tools provide standardisation of measurement"
• "No black boxes that magically produce numbers"
• "Quality tools help us to gather data and understand better our built environment"

Related articles

• For information on how to interpret ABSA's policies and statements refer to Introduction to Policy Handbook

Related policy statements and submissions

• Resdiential Building Mandatory Disclosure submission

Related Media Releases

• Residential Building Mandatory Disclosure
• BASIX needs to be built on