Victorian Planning & ESD Assessment
Clear guidance on the Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard and its role in Victorian planning applications.
For architects, developers, planners and project teams preparing BESS assessments and supporting sustainability evidence for residential, non-residential and mixed-use developments.
Send Your Project DocumentsIn Brief
BESS, or the Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard, is an online assessment tool used to evaluate sustainable design measures for new developments at the Victorian planning permit stage. The tool applies project-specific credits and benchmarks to produce a structured sustainability score and BESS report.
A BESS assessment may be requested by a Victorian council as part of a planning application. The resulting report can support a Sustainable Design Assessment or Sustainability Management Plan, but it does not replace the broader written ESD response where a separate SDA or SMP is required.
Within the current BESS Buildings framework, credits are organised across Management, Integrated Water Management, Operational Energy, Indoor Environment Quality, Transport, Waste & Resource Recovery, Urban Ecology and Innovation. Some credits rely on information or results from separate technical assessments, which remain distinct from the BESS assessment itself.
BESS is used for Victorian planning applications where the relevant council requires sustainability information or a planning-stage ESD assessment.
It assesses applicable sustainability credits and benchmarks according to the development type, scale and information entered into the tool.
It produces a standardised BESS report that records the project inputs, applicable credits, category results and overall assessment score.
Knowledge Navigation
Follow the BESS assessment pathway from Victorian planning requirements and project eligibility through to applicable credits, supporting evidence and the final BESS report.
Planning Pathway
Understand when a BESS assessment may be requested, how council requirements vary and where the assessment fits within a Victorian planning application.
Assessment Scope
Identify the BESS pathway relevant to the proposal and how the required inputs change across building and subdivision assessment scopes.
Assessment Structure
Explore how applicable BESS credits are organised, assessed and combined into category results and an overall project score.
Project Evidence
See which drawings, project commitments and separate technical results may be needed to substantiate the applicable BESS credits.
Victorian Planning Context
BESS is purpose-built for the planning permit stage, providing councils and project teams with a consistent way to assess and document the sustainability measures proposed for a new development.
In many Victorian municipalities, planning permit applicants are required to demonstrate how environmentally sustainable design has been addressed. The applicable requirement may depend on the council, development type, project scale and relevant local planning policy. Smaller developments may require a Sustainable Design Assessment, while larger or more complex proposals may require a Sustainability Management Plan.
A BESS assessment converts project information and nominated sustainability measures into a standardised report. This allows the relevant council to review the applicable credits, category results, supporting evidence and overall BESS score as part of its assessment of the planning application.
The BESS report may support a Sustainable Design Assessment or Sustainability Management Plan. Where a separate SDA or SMP is required, however, that document remains the broader written ESD response. BESS provides the structured assessment output rather than replacing the project-specific planning report.
Preparing the assessment before planning documents are finalised can reveal missing information, unsupported credits or commitments that have not yet been reflected in the drawings. This gives the project team an opportunity to align the BESS inputs and supporting documentation before the application is lodged with council.
The trigger for a BESS assessment, SDA or SMP is determined through the relevant council planning framework. Requirements should therefore be confirmed for the specific site and proposal.
The completed BESS report records the assessment results, but it must still be included within the planning documentation and lodged through the process accepted by the relevant council.
Assessment Scope
The appropriate BESS pathway depends on whether the planning application is assessing a proposed building development or the earlier creation of lots and subdivision infrastructure.
Development Applications
BESS Buildings applies where the planning proposal includes buildings or dwellings on a lot. This can include houses, townhouses, apartment buildings, commercial developments, industrial developments and mixed-use projects.
It remains the relevant pathway where a building development may be subdivided later, provided the current planning application includes the proposed buildings rather than only the creation of lots.
Subdivision Applications
BESS Subdivisions applies to residential subdivision applications where lots and associated infrastructure are proposed before the design or construction of individual buildings on those lots.
The assessment considers subdivision-scale standards and produces an output aligned with the drawings, strategies and supporting documents prepared for the subdivision application.
A townhouse, apartment, commercial or mixed-use proposal will generally be assessed through BESS Buildings because the planning application includes the proposed built form. A greenfield or larger infill subdivision may instead use BESS Subdivisions where the application concerns the creation of lots, streets and associated subdivision infrastructure before any on-lot development is designed.
The assessment pathway should be confirmed against the actual planning scope and the requirements of the relevant Victorian council. Where an application combines unusual staging, subdivision and development components, early scope review can help prevent the wrong project type or evidence pathway being used.
Assessment Structure
A BESS assessment is built from project-specific credits organised into sustainability categories. The applicable credits and their contribution to the score depend on the development type and information entered into the tool.
Each applicable credit contributes to a category score, while each category carries a weighting towards the overall BESS project score. Some credits are automatically calculated from project inputs, while others require confirmation, numerical information or supporting evidence.
The current BESS Buildings framework is organised across eight categories. These categories provide the assessment structure, but they do not replace the separate technical calculations or reports that may be needed to support individual credits.
Considers how sustainability commitments, construction practices and relevant project information are documented and managed.
Addresses potable water use, stormwater treatment, water reuse and other applicable water-management credits.
Assesses applicable building fabric, services, appliances, energy consumption, greenhouse emissions and energy-source commitments.
Considers daylight, ventilation and other indoor environmental measures relevant to the proposed spaces.
Reviews measures that support lower-impact travel, including bicycle facilities, electric vehicle readiness and reduced private-vehicle dependence.
Considers waste storage, collection, recycling and resource-recovery provisions relevant to the development.
Addresses landscaping, vegetation, biodiversity and other measures that contribute to the ecological performance of the site.
Allows eligible projects to seek recognition for environmental or social outcomes that extend beyond the standard BESS credits.
Understanding the Result
To pass BESS, a project must achieve an overall score of at least 50%, meet each applicable minimum category score and achieve the mandatory credits relevant to the project. An overall score of 70% or higher is identified within BESS as Excellence.
A high overall percentage does not compensate for a failed mandatory credit or minimum category requirement. The assessment therefore needs to be reviewed at project, category and credit level rather than by relying on the headline score alone. The next section explains the project information and supporting evidence used to substantiate those results.
Project Evidence
A BESS assessment must be supported by project information that is consistent with the planning drawings, schedules, nominated commitments and any separate technical assessments relied upon by the applicable credits.
The evidence required for a BESS assessment is project-specific. As the development type, buildings, dwellings or non-residential spaces are entered into the tool, BESS identifies the credits that apply and the information needed to substantiate the selected responses.
Some commitments can be verified directly through drawing references or plan annotations. Other credits require separate calculations, reports, schedules or consultant inputs. These documents support the BESS result but remain distinct assessments in their own right.
Drawing Evidence
Depending on the credits pursued, planning drawings may need to identify relevant building areas, bicycle facilities, landscaping, rainwater infrastructure, renewable-energy systems, waste facilities or other nominated sustainability measures.
Drawing references should clearly connect each BESS commitment to the location where it is represented in the submitted documentation.
Supporting Documentation
Other credits may require schedules, specifications, preliminary ratings, modelling results or specialist reports. The exact requirement depends on the project type, assessment pathway and response entered for the credit.
Relevant page references and consistent project assumptions help council reviewers trace the evidence used to support the published BESS report.
Planning drawings, elevations, sections and site information
Development type, building uses, floor areas and dwelling profiles
Building fabric, glazing, services and appliance assumptions
Water fixtures, rainwater collection and reuse commitments
Landscape, transport, waste and urban ecology information
Results from any separate technical assessments relied upon
Separate Technical Evidence
For residential developments, preliminary NatHERS assessment results may be used to support applicable operational-energy credits. The NatHERS modelling remains a separate thermal-performance assessment rather than a calculation completed by BESS.
Integrated water management credits may rely on a separate STORM assessment, MUSIC modelling, drainage information or broader water-sensitive urban design documentation. BESS records the relevant result or commitment but does not replace the underlying stormwater or WSUD work.
Other projects may require energy modelling, daylight or ventilation calculations, landscape documentation, waste information or specialist evidence. Only the assessments relevant to the applicable credits and council requirements should be included in the project scope.
Assessment Process
A BESS assessment progresses from confirming the planning requirement and project scope through to completing the applicable credits, checking the evidence and generating the report for council submission.
The first step is to review the proposal, relevant council requirements and planning application scope. This establishes whether BESS is required, whether the project should use BESS Buildings or BESS Subdivisions, and whether a separate SDA or SMP must accompany the assessment.
The project address, council, site details, development type and relevant building, dwelling or non-residential profiles are entered into BESS. These inputs configure the assessment questions and determine which categories and credits apply to the proposal.
Project data and sustainability commitments are entered against the applicable credits. The score updates as the assessment progresses, allowing the project to be reviewed against the overall threshold, minimum category scores and any mandatory credit requirements.
The selected credit responses are checked against the supporting evidence and planning documentation. Drawing references, reports, schedules and calculations should consistently substantiate the commitments recorded in BESS.
The draft report is reviewed for incomplete inputs, unsupported credits and unmet minimum requirements. The final report records the project profile, category and credit results, evidence requirements and detailed information entered into the assessment.
For BESS Buildings, the completed project version is published to create a read-only report revision for submission. If the assessment changes later, an updated version can be prepared and republished. Publishing the report does not itself lodge the planning application; the report must still be submitted to council with the required planning documentation.
Current Subdivision Process
The BESS Subdivisions reporting process currently differs from BESS Buildings. Until report publishing is introduced for the subdivisions tool, the completed assessment is printed to PDF as a draft and submitted with the subdivision planning documentation.
Regardless of the pathway, the report should reflect the same project version as the drawings and supporting material lodged with council. The next section identifies common BESS assessment issues that can delay finalisation or lead to further information requests.
Assessment Output
The BESS report provides a structured record of the project information, assessment responses, supporting evidence and results entered into the tool.
The report allows the project team and council assessor to review more than the overall percentage alone. It shows how the project has been configured, which credits apply, whether minimum requirements have been achieved and what evidence is relied upon to support the assessment.
Because the report reflects the information entered into BESS, it should be checked against the current planning drawings, schedules and technical documents before it is included in the submission package.
Report Overview
The front page summarises the project details, overall BESS score, category results and whether the applicable minimum requirements have been achieved.
Project Profiles
The report records the building, dwelling and non-residential profiles used to configure the assessment and determine which credits are relevant to the development.
Evidence Requirements
The supporting evidence section identifies information that should be shown on the planning drawings and the separate reports, schedules or calculations required for particular credit responses.
Assessment Detail
The credit summary shows the relevant credits, weightings and results. The detailed breakdown records the project data, calculator inputs and individual responses used to determine those results.
Report Finalisation
When a BESS Buildings project version is published, that version becomes read-only and is assigned a revision number. This provides a fixed assessment record that can be submitted to council with the corresponding planning documentation.
If the project changes, the working assessment can be updated and republished as a new revision. The report included with the planning application should therefore correspond with the same project version as the drawings and supporting evidence.
Assessment Review
Most BESS assessment issues arise when the project inputs, nominated credits and supporting documents do not describe the same development or planning-stage commitments.
A BESS report may achieve the required score while still containing incomplete evidence, inconsistent assumptions or an unmet mandatory requirement. Reviewing the assessment at credit level before submission can reduce the likelihood of council requesting clarification or revised documentation.
The assessment should also be checked whenever the planning design changes. Alterations to floor areas, dwelling numbers, building uses, landscaping, water systems, services or other project commitments may affect the applicable credits and published result.
Project Setup
Incorrect building uses, floor areas, dwelling profiles or assessment pathways can change which BESS credits apply. The project setup should reflect the actual planning proposal before the score is relied upon.
Document Consistency
A commitment entered into BESS should be traceable to the submitted plans, schedules or supporting documents. Conflicting quantities, system sizes or design assumptions can weaken the assessment evidence.
Credit Evidence
Some credits require drawing annotations, calculations, reports or defined specifications. Selecting a response without the required supporting evidence may lead to the credit being questioned during council review.
Assessment Result
Reaching the overall BESS threshold is not sufficient where a mandatory credit or applicable minimum category score has not been achieved. The detailed assessment result must be reviewed alongside the headline percentage.
Planning Documentation
A BESS report does not automatically replace a council-required Sustainable Design Assessment or Sustainability Management Plan. The required planning documentation should be confirmed for the specific council and project scale.
Revision Control
When the design changes after the initial assessment, the BESS project and associated evidence may need to be updated. The report submitted to council should correspond with the same drawing and documentation revision.
Before submission, the BESS report should be reviewed against the planning drawings, relevant schedules and every supporting document referenced by the assessment. Credit responses should be specific, verifiable and consistent across the submission package.
This review does not guarantee that council will not request further information, but it can resolve common inconsistencies before the planning application enters formal assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
A BESS assessment uses the Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard to evaluate sustainability measures proposed for a new development at the Victorian planning permit stage. It records the applicable credits, category results, supporting evidence and overall assessment outcome in a standardised BESS report.
BESS stands for Built Environment Sustainability Scorecard. It is an online assessment framework developed for use within the Victorian planning system.
A BESS assessment may be required where a Victorian council requests planning-stage sustainability information for a proposed development. The trigger can depend on the municipality, local planning policy, development type, project scale and whether an SDA or SMP is also required.
No. BESS requirements are not identical across every council or development. The relevant planning scheme, council guidance and project scope should be reviewed before confirming the required sustainability documentation.
A BESS Buildings project must achieve an overall score of at least 50%, satisfy every applicable minimum category score and achieve the mandatory credits relevant to the project. Reaching 50% overall does not compensate for an unmet mandatory credit or category requirement.
BESS identifies an overall project score of 70% or higher as Excellence. The applicable mandatory credits and minimum category requirements must still be met.
BESS Buildings includes Management, Integrated Water Management, Operational Energy, Indoor Environment Quality, Transport, Waste & Resource Recovery, Urban Ecology and Innovation. The credits that apply within these categories depend on the type and scale of the development.
BESS Buildings is used where a planning application includes proposed houses, townhouses, apartments, commercial buildings, industrial buildings or mixed-use development. BESS Subdivisions is designed for residential subdivision applications where lots and supporting infrastructure are assessed before individual buildings are proposed.
Not necessarily. A BESS report can support a Sustainable Design Assessment or Sustainability Management Plan, but it does not replace the broader written ESD response where council requires a separate SDA or SMP.
No. BESS is a Victorian planning-stage sustainability assessment. NatHERS assesses residential thermal performance, while BASIX is a New South Wales sustainability requirement. Results from a separate NatHERS assessment may support particular BESS credits, but the assessments remain distinct.
BESS includes integrated water management credits, but it does not replace the separate modelling or documentation used to substantiate them. A project may require a STORM assessment, MUSIC modelling or broader WSUD documentation, depending on the proposal and council requirements.
Yes. BESS Buildings can be used for houses, townhouses, apartment buildings, commercial developments, industrial developments and mixed-use proposals. The project profile determines which credits and evidence requirements apply.
Typical inputs include town planning drawings, elevations, sections, site and landscape information, building-use and floor-area data, construction assumptions, services information and the results of any relevant thermal-performance, stormwater or other technical assessments. The exact evidence depends on the credits applicable to the project.
Yes. Relevant changes to floor areas, building uses, dwelling numbers, services, water systems, landscaping or other nominated commitments should be reflected in the assessment. A revised BESS Buildings version can be checked and republished so the report corresponds with the documentation submitted to council.
Certified Energy can review the project scope and council requirements, prepare the applicable BESS assessment, coordinate the required project inputs and identify whether an SDA, SMP or separate supporting technical assessment may also be needed.
Related Knowledge
A BESS report provides the structured sustainability assessment. Related services address the written ESD response and the separate stormwater or water-sensitive design evidence that may support a Victorian planning application.
Written ESD Response
Understand the project-specific planning reports used to document sustainability commitments, supporting evidence and the broader ESD response required by council.
Explore SMP & SDA Reports →
Stormwater Evidence
Review the quantitative stormwater assessment used to test runoff treatment measures and support applicable integrated water management credits.
Explore STORM Assessment →
Water-Sensitive Design
Explore the broader planning and design response for stormwater treatment, reuse, permeability and landscape-integrated water management.
Explore WSUD →
Project Review
Send the available planning drawings, council correspondence and existing sustainability information for an initial project review. Certified Energy can assess the likely BESS requirement, confirm the relevant assessment pathway and identify the information needed to prepare the report.
The review can also clarify whether the planning submission is likely to require a separate Sustainable Design Assessment, Sustainability Management Plan or supporting technical evidence alongside the BESS assessment.
Last reviewed: June 2026. This page is maintained by Certified Energy as part of its Residential Performance Knowledge Hub.
