Builders & Renovations FAQs

What Are Modern Home Standards

The modern home standards published in the National Construction Code (NCC 2022) outline new modern home standards coming into effect over the next few years. The Queensland Government has adopted these standards making it a legal requirement for all new homes in Queensland. These standards have been broken up into two sections; accessibility and residential energy efficiency. So what are they and what do you need to do?

New Residential Accessibility Standards

Under section 4.5 of the Queensland Development Code, as of 1 October 2023, it has become mandatory that all new homes meet the following criteria when built.

• Wider internal doors and corridors
• Minimum 1 step-free entry
• Minimum 1 step-free access into a bathroom and shower
• An accessible toilet
• Reinforced walls in the bathroom and toilet

These changes aim to make Queensland homes more inclusive and accessible for the broader community. They will also make it easier and cheaper to retrofit handrails in bathrooms and toilets and make the home more accessible for everyone no matter their mobility levels. These changes will also save all homeowners up to $20,000 in costs to retrofit these systems.

New Residential Efficiency Standards

Alongside the accessibility standards update the Queensland Government is rolling out updated energy efficiency regulations for all new homes as of 1 May 2024. These new regulations are broken up into:

• A new 7 out of 10 star minimum rating for the external shell of your home and,
• A new whole home energy budget.

So what do these new regulations mean for your home?

7-Star Energy Rating

The 7-star rating refers to the NatHERS framework developed by the CSIRO and Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to produce a star rating for your home out of ten. This rating takes into consideration the construction materials, orientation and climate of the area your home is built. NatHERS provides some tips to help get your home to the 7-star benchmark.

1. Start a Dialogue with a NatHERS assessor early: NatHERS assessors have a deep understanding of the NatHERS system to help get your home the highest rating possible during the design process. This will reduce problems that may arise later in the design process due to compliance issues once a design has been finalised.
2. Perfect your Orientation: Correct orientation is the key to maximising your star rating.
3. Correct Glazing: By using an efficient glazing system you can minimise energy loss through your windows and maximise the star rating of your home
4. Maximise use of Zoning: zoning using interior doors and walls allows for a more accurate NatHers score to be applied. It also will allow for more efficient use of mechanical climate control.
5. Efficient use of Insulation: Maximising the r-value of your insulation systems (inwall insulation, cladding materials etc.) will improve the efficiency of mechanical and passive climate control.
6. Use Fans: Ceiling fans are a great energy-efficient way to cool your home and increase your star rating when compared to air conditioning systems.
7. Smart Colour Choice: By selecting external colours with high heat reflectivity such as white and other pastels are a great choice for rooves and external walls as they will reflect solar heat keeping your home cool.
8. Efficient Lighting: LED lighting and other efficient lights as well as minimising roof penetrations to maximise roof insulation.

Taking these tips into consideration when designing your home will aid in meeting the new efficiency star benchmarks. The NatHERS also will award a bonus star to a home with an outdoor living area that meets the following criteria:

1. The floor area of more than 12m²
2. Minimum dimension of 2.5m in all directions
3. Impervious roof with at least a 1.5 R-value of its insulation
4. 2 or more sides that are open or can be opened easily
5. And is fitted with at least one ceiling fan with a rotation diameter of 900mm and a speed controller

Whole Home Energy Budget

NatHERS also produces a whole home energy budget that takes into consideration all the electrical appliances used in your home and any on-site energy generators (solar system etc). The scale is from 0-100 with 0 being the worst and 100 being the most efficient. It uses the energy efficiency (or amount of energy needed to run appliances) and is calculated with the following formula:

• Thermal Shell + Heating and Cooling Appliances + Hot Water + Lighting + Pool/Spa Equipment - On-site Energy Generation (ie the amount of energy a solar system produces) = Whole Home Energy Rating (score out of 100)

The higher the rating out of 100 the lower your electricity bill will be and the smaller your environmental footprint.

What are the Benefits of the New Energy Efficiency Regulations?

The new energy efficiency regulations are estimated to save new homes up to $185 per year in electricity bills. They are also set to reduce Queensland's emissions by 4.63 million tonnes and provide a net benefit of $506 million. And if you were thinking of building a detached dwelling to rent out they will provide a net benefit of up to $2,696 over the life of that dwelling.

How Should You Navigate These New Regulations?

Symcorp Design and Build are experts with all things building in Queensland and New South Wales and can advise you on how these affect your new home. Our team will work with you to navigate the entire home construction process from design to handing over the keys we are your, Brisbane, Logan, Redland, Tweed Coast and Gold Coast home-building experts. Don't wait Contact our team today to make your dream home a reality.