Energy Efficiency Reports
EcoForm has over 15 years’ experience providing energy efficiency reports to Builders, Architects, Owner Builders and everyone in between. From a small renovation through to a large multi storey commercial development, EcoForm has the experience and capability to provide you with the right advise and cost-effective energy efficiency solutions.
Energy efficiency reports are essential to prove that your home or commercial building project meets national standards. At EcoForm, we model your building using professional energy rating software to provide a comprehensive report.
Energy Efficiency Reports
EcoForm has over 15 years’ experience providing energy efficiency reports to Builders, Architects, Owner Builders and everyone in between. From a small renovation through to a large multi storey commercial development, EcoForm has the experience and capability to provide you with the right advise and cost-effective energy efficiency solutions.
Energy efficiency reports are essential to prove that your home or commercial building project meets national standards. At EcoForm, we model your building using professional energy rating software to provide a comprehensive report.
What Does An Energy Rating Involve?
At EcoForm, we look at the house’s fabric, how much heat and cold it lets in, and how much heat and cold it allows to escape. We look at the construction and how much insulation there is in the roof, ceiling, walls, and floor, and importantly, what type of glass there is and how much.
We then work out how much energy is required to:
- keep the occupants at a comfortable temperature
- heat this house (expressed as a heating load)
- cool this house (expressed as a cooling load)
These heating and cooling loads are expressed as megajoules per square metre per annum (or MJ/m² pa.) If the megajoules calculated are less than required, your house passes. The fewer megajoules of energy your house uses, the higher the star rating of the house.
If your house doesn’t pass, we will advise you on how to change the insulation or windows in your house to reduce the energy used and pass the requirements. Once that is done, we issue you a certificate, and you’re on your way to building.
Need more information about energy efficiency when building? Get in touch with the friendly EcoForm team.
Residential Energy Efficiency Reports
6 Star Certifications
(NatHERS)
One pathway for proving that your house or building project has met the minimum energy efficient home design standard is to gain a 6 star rating (the minimum energy efficient star rating) using House Energy Rating Software (HERS).
This sophisticated software analyses your building plans and assesses the heating and cooling loads required to keep your future house at a comfortable temperature.
It takes into account the full building fabric – roof, ceiling, walls, windows and floors – and the heat and cold that can pass through these elements.
The energy rating depends on:
- The layout of the homeThe construction of its roof, walls, windows and floor
- The orientation of windows and shading to the sun’s path and local breezes
- How well the above factors suit the local climate
- Sealing – Vented downlights and gas vents will significantly affect an energy rating
- Colours of material – Dark colours are better in cold climates and light colours are better in warmer climates
- Floor coverings – Tiles show a performance gain in areas where there are high heating loads or where there are full height windows allowing solar
Zero stars means the building shell does practically nothing to reduce the discomfort of hot or cold weather, while occupants of a 10 star home are unlikely to need any artificial cooling or heating.
We can also give you advice on how to increase your energy rating in order to achieve a high star rating – whether that be a change in insulation or house orientation.
Performance Solutions
EcoForm can work with you to tailor a performance solution for BCA energy efficiency compliance. This alternative gives you flexibility to meet energy efficiency compliance and good energy efficient home design by combining different methods to show that your project can meet the performance requirements of the BCA.
A Performance Solution is a minimum performance standard, giving builders, architects and designers the freedom to design buildings that meet (or exceed) specifications while also being cost effective. Using a Performance Solution, a star rating is not given but rather the building complies with the energy efficient home design requirements of the BCA.
A Performance Solution cannot be labelled as 6 stars but can be more cost effective to construct compared to 6 stars.
A Performance Solution Method is the most effective method for energy efficiency compliance for alterations and additions, large houses, houses with elevated floors, houses with upside down living or houses with unusual design features.
In general, it can help reduce your build costs, while still achieving energy compliance. As this requires more time to complete, the assessment cost is higher, however, the outcome achieved is much more cost effective in the building stage.
What Does An Energy Rating Involve?
At EcoForm, we look at the house’s fabric, how much heat and cold it lets in, and how much heat and cold it allows to escape. We look at the construction and how much insulation there is in the roof, ceiling, walls, and floor, and importantly, what type of glass there is and how much.
We then work out how much energy is required to:
- keep the occupants at a comfortable temperature
- heat this house (expressed as a heating load)
- cool this house (expressed as a cooling load)
These heating and cooling loads are expressed as megajoules per square metre per annum (or MJ/m² pa.) If the megajoules calculated are less than required, your house passes. The fewer megajoules of energy your house uses, the higher the star rating of the house.
If your house doesn’t pass, we will advise you on how to change the insulation or windows in your house to reduce the energy used and pass the requirements. Once that is done, we issue you a certificate, and you’re on your way to building.
Need more information about energy efficiency when building? Get in touch with the friendly EcoForm team.
Residential Energy Efficiency Reports
6 Star Certifications (NatHERS)
One pathway for proving that your house or building project has met the minimum energy efficient home design standard is to gain a 6 star rating (the minimum energy efficient star rating) using House Energy Rating Software (HERS).
This sophisticated software analyses your building plans and assesses the heating and cooling loads required to keep your future house at a comfortable temperature.
It takes into account the full building fabric – roof, ceiling, walls, windows and floors – and the heat and cold that can pass through these elements.
The energy rating depends on:
- The layout of the homeThe construction of its roof, walls, windows and floor
- The orientation of windows and shading to the sun’s path and local breezes
- How well the above factors suit the local climate
- Sealing – Vented downlights and gas vents will significantly affect an energy rating
- Colours of material – Dark colours are better in cold climates and light colours are better in warmer climates
- Floor coverings – Tiles show a performance gain in areas where there are high heating loads or where there are full height windows allowing solar
Zero stars means the building shell does practically nothing to reduce the discomfort of hot or cold weather, while occupants of a 10 star home are unlikely to need any artificial cooling or heating.
We can also give you advice on how to increase your energy rating in order to achieve a high star rating – whether that be a change in insulation or house orientation.
Performance Solutions
EcoForm can work with you to tailor a performance solution for BCA energy efficiency compliance. This alternative gives you flexibility to meet energy efficiency compliance and good energy efficient home design by combining different methods to show that your project can meet the performance requirements of the BCA.
A Performance Solution is a minimum performance standard, giving builders, architects and designers the freedom to design buildings that meet (or exceed) specifications while also being cost effective. Using a Performance Solution, a star rating is not given but rather the building complies with the energy efficient home design requirements of the BCA.
A Performance Solution cannot be labelled as 6 stars but can be more cost effective to construct compared to 6 stars.
A Performance Solution Method is the most effective method for energy efficiency compliance for alterations and additions, large houses, houses with elevated floors, houses with upside down living or houses with unusual design features.
In general, it can help reduce your build costs, while still achieving energy compliance. As this requires more time to complete, the assessment cost is higher, however, the outcome achieved is much more cost effective in the building stage.
Need Expert Advice On Energy Efficiency
Or Bushfire Planning?
Talk to one of our team to find out how EcoForm can help with
your next project.
Need Expert Advice On
Energy Efficiency
Or Bushfire Planning?
Talk to one of our team to find out how EcoForm can help with
your next project.
Elemental Provisions
The elemental provisions, or Deemed To Satisfy as it used to be called, provides the least flexible way to achieve compliance of energy efficient home design elements but can still be useful in some circumstances, particularly lightweight constructions.
The elemental provisions dictate the insulation or performance levels you need to comply with for each energy efficient home design element.
For example, a floor will have to have a certain R value, as well as the walls and so on. You cannot increase the R value in the walls to compensate for less insulation in the floor. Each individual component must comply. This often makes it difficult to comply with this method.
As always, energy efficient home design will be easier with EcoForm and we will find the correct assessment method for your project.
BASIX Assessment
A BASIX assessment is required as part of the planning process and is needed before plans are lodged to the council. The BASIX assessment measures your proposed development for sustainability against BASIX targets that are based on the NSW home benchmark average. Once your design has complied with BASIX a BASIX certificate can be printed and attached to your development application for submission to the council.
If your proposed design does not comply with BASIX due to conflicts with heritage controls or because it uses a new technology not recognised by BASIX, an alternate assessment can be requested.
EcoForm is an accredited assessor which means we can take advantage of the simulation method which gives you more flexibility in the design of your BASIX, handy if you want to make use of a greater amount of glazing or non standard design features.
You get your designer to alter the plans to meet the minimum requirements, or if you wish we can mark up the plans for you after the changes have been approved by you. We issue the final certification along with light and water calculations required. That’s it. You will have your energy efficiency documentation.
Elemental Provisions
The elemental provisions, or Deemed To Satisfy as it used to be called, provides the least flexible way to achieve compliance of energy efficient home design elements but can still be useful in some circumstances, particularly lightweight constructions.
The elemental provisions dictate the insulation or performance levels you need to comply with for each energy efficient home design element.
For example, a floor will have to have a certain R value, as well as the walls and so on. You cannot increase the R value in the walls to compensate for less insulation in the floor. Each individual component must comply. This often makes it difficult to comply with this method.
As always, energy efficient home design will be easier with EcoForm and we will find the correct assessment method for your project.
BASIX Assessment
A BASIX assessment is required as part of the planning process and is needed before plans are lodged to the council. The BASIX assessment measures your proposed development for sustainability against BASIX targets that are based on the NSW home benchmark average. Once your design has complied with BASIX a BASIX certificate can be printed and attached to your development application for submission to the council.
If your proposed design does not comply with BASIX due to conflicts with heritage controls or because it uses a new technology not recognised by BASIX, an alternate assessment can be requested.
EcoForm is an accredited assessor which means we can take advantage of the simulation method which gives you more flexibility in the design of your BASIX, handy if you want to make use of a greater amount of glazing or non standard design features.
You get your designer to alter the plans to meet the minimum requirements, or if you wish we can mark up the plans for you after the changes have been approved by you. We issue the final certification along with light and water calculations required. That’s it. You will have your energy efficiency documentation.
Contact The EcoForm
Team Today
Contact The EcoForm
Team Today
Why Choose EcoForm For Home Energy Efficiency Reports
When you work with EcoForm, you are partnering with experts in sustainability, energy efficiency and bushfire risk management. We are more than consultants; we are part of your team. We guarantee to give you the most up-to-date advice, personal service and competitive pricing, just as if you had access to in-house energy efficiency and bushfire specialists.
Email your plans to admin@ecoform.com.au for a quote, or call 1300 372 846
