At Brownhill Homes, we are committed to keeping up with innovation and requirements to ensure the homes we build take the latest industry standards into account. This ensures our clients have the peace of mind of future proofing their home.
Studies show that Australians spend around 80 percent of their time in their homes and that as we age, time spent indoors increases. With these statistics, the World Health Organisation recommends nations strongly consider ways in which homes are positively and negatively affecting the health of their inhabitants.
Here in Australia, a new standard was set for Star Rating requirements by state and territory building ministers earlier this year where they agreed to increase the minimum energy efficiency standard for new builds from six to seven-star ratings.
Release Date And Implementation
With over one million new homes expected to be built in the next three years, the introduced changes will have a significant impact on overall thermal energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions with Australia. The new star rating will consider things such as how buildings use energy for heating and cooling systems.
In turn, these modifications to the mandatory standards required will lower the cost of energy bills for homes built under the new National Construction Code (NCC) coming into effect from 1 May 2023. There hasn’t been a significant adjustment to the NCC energy standards in almost ten years, and it is long overdue. The new code of conduct will include a transition period from its introduction up until 1 October 2023 for the building industry to have time to adapt to the revisions. One of the additional benefits to this implementation is it will likely ensure a 25 percent reduction to the thermal energy use within our homes.
Accessibility Standards Improved
Accessibility standards have also been revisited as part of this well-overdue modification of building codes. Step-free street or parking entries, accessible doorways, entry level toilets, and step-free showers, alongside reinforced bathroom walls for installation of grab rails, are all to be provided within the builds under the new NCC. This will result in a greater number of homes available to the Australian community, with accessibility features included. Numbers of properties with these features are expected to become around 50 percent of total housing stock within Australia by 2050.
Overall Benefits Increased
The World Health Organisation strongly recommends consideration for preventative strategies around household crowding, accessibility for people with functional impairments and home safety and injuries. Four years in the making, the new NCC will create a brighter future for those with special needs, the elderly and young alike – those most impacted by hazards found within the current standard of homes available to them. And data shows that moving from six to seven stars will likely decrease the average household energy bill by up to $576 a year.
A home built with careful consideration of the occupants and the environment is a home worth building. The new standards will bring quality of life to the forefront and consider the many and varied needs of the Australian community. This will create a brighter future for those on the margins, such as low-income earners, the elderly and those with special needs, to name just a few people groups who will be positively impacted by these positive changes to the NCC.
If you’re looking to build your new home and have any questions about requirements and codes, we’d love to talk with you. Contact us today to start the conversation.
