Home Performance
A naturally comfortable home does not fight its climate every day. It uses orientation, shading, insulation, glazing, air movement and building fabric to reduce the need for constant heating and cooling.
A home stays more comfortable naturally when the building fabric and passive design work together. Good orientation, window placement, shading, insulation, roof colour, air movement and thermal mass can reduce temperature swings and heating or cooling demand. NatHERS helps test these decisions by modelling how the home is expected to perform in its local climate.
Heating and cooling systems can make a home more comfortable, but they should not be the first line of defence. A well designed home reduces the amount of correction those systems need to provide.
Natural comfort begins with the building itself: how it faces the sun, how much glass it uses, how it is shaded, how well it is insulated and how air and heat move through the building fabric.
The aim is not to remove technology from the home. It is to make the home easier to keep comfortable because the design is already doing the quiet work.
NatHERS estimates how much heating and cooling energy a home may need to maintain comfortable indoor conditions in its local climate. This makes it closely connected to natural comfort, because a better performing design should need less mechanical correction.
The assessment responds to practical design features, including orientation, glazing, shading, insulation, roof colour, floor construction, thermal mass and air leakage assumptions. These are the same features that shape how the home feels day to day.
For more detail on the rating framework, see our guide to what a NatHERS star rating means.
Natural comfort is not accidental.
It comes from design choices that reduce heat gain, heat loss, draughts and temperature swings before mechanical systems need to respond.
Orientation affects how a home receives sun throughout the day and across the seasons. It shapes which rooms receive morning light, afternoon heat, winter sun and potential breezes.
A good orientation strategy can make comfort easier by placing living areas, bedrooms, glazing and shading in a way that responds to local conditions. A difficult orientation does not make comfort impossible, but it usually requires more careful design decisions.
For more detail, see our guide to why house orientation matters for NatHERS.
Windows bring daylight, outlook and connection to the outdoors, but they also affect heat gain and heat loss. A naturally comfortable home does not simply add as much glass as possible. It uses windows carefully.
Window size, orientation, frame type, glazing performance and shading should work together. A large window in the right place may support comfort. A large unshaded window in the wrong place may make the home harder to cool or heat.
For more detail, see our guide to how window design affects NatHERS ratings.
• Local climate and site orientation
• Window placement, size and performance
• External shading and seasonal solar control
• Ceiling, roof, wall and floor insulation
• Air movement, draught control and ventilation strategy
• Thermal mass, roof colour and floor construction
External shading can reduce unwanted solar heat gain before it enters the home. This is often more effective than relying only on internal blinds after the heat has already passed through the glass.
The best shading is orientation specific. North, east, west and south facing windows each receive sun differently. A shading strategy should respond to the façade, the room use and the climate.
For more detail, see our guide to shading and solar heat gain.
Insulation helps reduce heat transfer through the roof, ceiling, walls and floors. It helps keep indoor conditions more stable by slowing the way outdoor heat and cold affect the home.
The location of insulation matters as much as the amount. Ceiling, roof, wall and floor insulation each play different roles depending on the construction system and climate.
For more detail, see our guide to how insulation affects NatHERS ratings.
A naturally comfortable home is not a home without systems.
It is a home where systems are supported by good design, rather than constantly compensating for weak thermal performance.
Air movement can support comfort when it is planned. Operable windows, cross ventilation, ceiling fans and room layout can help occupants use natural air movement when outdoor conditions are suitable.
This is different from uncontrolled air leakage. Draughts through gaps and poorly sealed construction can make a home harder to heat or cool. Planned ventilation supports comfort; uncontrolled leakage often undermines it.
For more detail, see our guide to air leakage and home performance.
Thermal mass can help moderate indoor temperature swings when it is used well. Materials such as concrete, masonry and tile can absorb, store and release heat over time.
Thermal mass is most useful when it is matched to the climate and coordinated with solar access and shading. It can help store useful warmth in some conditions, but it can also store unwanted heat if it is poorly shaded.
For more detail, see our guide to thermal mass and NatHERS performance.
A naturally comfortable home in a cool climate needs a different strategy from a naturally comfortable home in a hot humid, hot dry, coastal, inland or alpine climate. Comfort is always local.
In warmer climates, natural comfort may depend more on shading, air movement, roof colour and reduced heat gain. In cooler climates, it may depend more on insulation, glazing performance, heat retention and winter solar access. Mixed climates need balance across seasons.
For more detail, see our guide to building for different Australian climates.
NatHERS supports residential energy compliance by assessing how the home is expected to perform thermally. A naturally comfortable home will often have a clearer pathway because the design already reduces heating and cooling demand.
For many new homes, this may connect with 7 Star Rating, Whole of Home and state based pathways such as BASIX in NSW.
The strongest compliance outcome is not just a number. It is a home where the rating reflects a real thermal strategy embedded in the design.
Designing for natural comfort means considering the whole home as a system. Window design, shading, insulation, air movement, thermal mass, roof colour and floor construction all need to work together.
Australian homes face different climates, site constraints and lifestyle expectations. The best design response is usually not the most complicated one. It is the one that quietly reduces thermal pressure before it becomes a problem.
A home that stays comfortable naturally is one where comfort is part of the architecture, not something added at the end.
Certified Energy provides NatHERS assessments for new homes, townhouses and multi residential projects across Australia. Our team can model the home and help project teams understand whether the design is likely to support natural thermal comfort.
Where needed, we can help identify how comfort and rating outcomes are affected by orientation, glazing, shading, insulation, roof colour, floor construction, thermal mass, air leakage assumptions and climate zone. We can also help connect NatHERS with related requirements such as NatHERS, BASIX, 7 Star Rating and Whole of Home.
For the broader assessment framework, visit our NatHERS Knowledge Hub.
A home can stay more comfortable naturally when its orientation, glazing, shading, insulation, air movement, thermal mass and building fabric are designed to suit the local climate.
Does NatHERS help design naturally comfortable homes?NatHERS helps assess how much heating and cooling a home may need to stay comfortable in its local climate. It can show whether passive design and building fabric decisions are supporting comfort.
Does a naturally comfortable home still need heating and cooling?It may still use heating and cooling, but a naturally comfortable home should need less mechanical correction because the building fabric and passive design reduce temperature extremes.
What design features support natural comfort?Natural comfort is supported by good orientation, effective shading, suitable glazing, insulation, controlled air leakage, planned ventilation, thermal mass and a climate responsive layout.
Is natural comfort the same in every climate?No. Natural comfort depends on climate. A hot humid home, cool climate home, coastal home and inland home may each need different design strategies.