BASIX and Whole of Home are part of the same wider shift in residential energy performance, but they are not the same thing. BASIX remains the NSW sustainability assessment pathway for residential development approvals. Whole of Home is part of the national NCC 2022 move toward assessing the energy use of the entire home, including appliances, solar and batteries.
For project teams, this means residential energy assessment is moving beyond a narrow focus on the building shell. Thermal performance is still important, but energy systems, fixed appliances, on-site renewable energy and the way the home operates are becoming more central to compliance, comfort and long-term performance.
BASIX is the NSW residential sustainability approval pathway. Whole of Home is a national NCC 2022 energy assessment concept that measures the energy use of the entire home, including appliances, solar and batteries. Whole of Home does not replace BASIX in NSW, but it helps explain the broader shift toward whole dwelling performance.
BASIX stands for Building Sustainability Index. It is the NSW sustainability assessment pathway for residential development and forms part of the development application process. BASIX covers water usage, energy usage and thermal performance for residential dwelling types in NSW.
A BASIX Certificate records the sustainability commitments for a residential project. These may include water efficient fixtures, rainwater tanks, hot water systems, heating and cooling systems, insulation, glazing, shading, ventilation, solar panels and pool or spa commitments. The certificate must align with the plans and specifications submitted for approval.
Whole of Home is a residential energy assessment concept introduced through NCC 2022. NatHERS explains that NCC 2022 introduced an annual energy use budget for new residential buildings, and that the Whole of Home rating is used to demonstrate compliance with this energy efficiency requirement. It measures the energy use of the entire home, including appliances, solar and batteries.
This is different from looking only at the thermal shell of the dwelling. The thermal performance of the building fabric remains important, but Whole of Home also considers the energy used by major systems and appliances. This reflects how people actually experience a home: comfort, hot water, heating, cooling, cooking, lighting, pool equipment, solar generation and batteries can all contribute to the overall energy picture.
They are being discussed together because residential energy compliance is changing across Australia. NCC 2022 introduced stronger energy efficiency requirements for new homes, including the shift toward 7 Star thermal performance and a Whole of Home annual energy use budget. NSW responded through increased BASIX standards, including higher thermal performance standards and higher energy standards from 1 October 2023.
NSW Planning states that as of 1 October 2023, BASIX standards are aligned with and complement NCC 2022. This means NSW still uses BASIX as the local approval pathway, while the broader national direction is increasingly focused on whole dwelling energy performance.
No. Whole of Home does not replace BASIX in NSW. BASIX remains the residential sustainability assessment pathway used for NSW residential development approvals. If a project requires BASIX, the project team still needs a BASIX Certificate and the associated BASIX commitments.
Whole of Home is better understood as part of the wider national performance direction. It helps explain why assessment is no longer only about the building fabric or star rating. Residential projects are increasingly being assessed as complete energy systems, where the thermal shell, appliances, hot water, heating, cooling, solar and batteries all matter.
NSW increased the existing BASIX standards from 1 October 2023. The changes included higher thermal performance standards, higher energy standards and a new requirement to calculate and record embodied emissions of building materials. These updates sit within the broader national move toward higher residential energy performance under NCC 2022.
For homeowners, designers and builders, this means BASIX may now require stronger coordination than older projects did. Glazing, insulation, orientation, shading, energy systems and solar assumptions may all have a greater effect on whether the project can meet the required standards.
Whole of Home measures the energy use of the entire home. NatHERS describes it as including appliances, solar and batteries. In practical terms, this means the assessment looks beyond the thermal performance of the walls, roof, floors and windows and considers the home’s major energy systems.
Whole of Home can include energy use associated with:
The move toward whole dwelling performance means that architects, designers, builders and clients need to think about energy earlier in the design process. It is no longer enough to resolve the building envelope at the end of documentation. Thermal performance, systems, solar, appliance assumptions and BASIX commitments should be considered together.
For example, a home with weak thermal performance may rely more heavily on heating and cooling. A home with poor hot water or appliance choices may struggle to meet energy expectations. A home with good solar access may perform better under a whole dwelling view, but only if the roof layout, orientation and documentation support the solar commitment.
Whole of Home changes the conversation because it shifts attention from isolated compliance items to the performance of the entire dwelling. Instead of asking only whether the windows, walls or insulation pass, the project team also needs to consider how the home uses energy through its systems and whether solar or batteries are part of the overall strategy.
This is closely aligned with the future of residential energy assessment. Homeowners increasingly care about comfort, running costs, solar readiness, electrification, upgrade options and long-term resilience. BASIX still provides the NSW approval structure, while Whole of Home helps frame the broader performance direction.
For current NSW BASIX projects, the practical focus is still to prepare a compliant BASIX Certificate that matches the plans and approval documentation. However, the wider shift toward Whole of Home means the project team should think more carefully about systems, solar, hot water, heating, cooling and appliance assumptions during design.
Items worth coordinating early include:
Whole of Home also connects to the future of existing home assessment. NatHERS has traditionally been used for new homes and major renovations, but it is being expanded to include energy ratings for existing homes. This means the residential market is moving toward clearer performance information not only for new homes, but also for the homes people already live in.
For existing homes, this can help owners understand how the building fabric, appliances, heating, cooling, hot water, solar and batteries affect comfort and energy use. Over time, this may support better retrofit decisions, finance pathways, disclosure systems and upgrade programs.
Certified Energy prepares BASIX Certificates, NatHERS assessments and Home Energy Ratings for residential projects. Our team can help identify the right pathway for your project, coordinate the assessment with the design and explain how BASIX, NatHERS and Whole of Home concepts relate to your approval or performance goals.
This is especially useful for new homes, major renovations, secondary dwellings, dual occupancies, townhouses, multi dwelling developments and existing homes where energy performance, comfort and future upgrade pathways matter.
Send your available plans or project details to Certified Energy and our team can review the right residential energy assessment pathway.
Request a ReviewWhole of Home energy assessment measures the energy use of the entire home, including appliances, solar and batteries. It was introduced through NCC 2022 as part of the annual energy use budget for new residential buildings.
BASIX is the NSW residential sustainability pathway and includes water, energy use and thermal performance. Whole of Home is part of the broader national shift under NCC 2022 toward assessing the whole dwelling’s annual energy use, including fixed appliances, solar and batteries.
Yes. NSW increased BASIX standards from 1 October 2023, including higher thermal performance standards and higher energy standards. NSW Planning states that BASIX standards are aligned with and complement NCC 2022.
No. Whole of Home does not replace BASIX in NSW. BASIX remains the NSW residential sustainability approval pathway. Whole of Home helps explain the wider national move toward assessing the energy use of the entire home, including appliances, solar and batteries.