Understanding the NatHERS Expansion to Existing Homes
Starting mid-2025, the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) will extend its official energy ratings to include existing homes across Australia. This significant expansion aims to provide homeowners with reliable, consistent, and comparable assessments of their home's energy performance. The initiative relies heavily on advanced software tools designed to deliver accurate evaluations, offering a clear pathway for homeowners to identify cost-effective upgrades and contribute to national energy efficiency goals.
Key NatHERS-Accredited Software Tools for Existing Home Assessments
Several NatHERS-accredited software tools are crucial for assessing existing homes. These include AccuRate, BERS Pro, FirstRate5, and HERO. Each tool plays an essential role in delivering detailed reports on a home's energy efficiency. These tools are integral to the assessment process, offering insights into thermal performance, potential energy savings, and areas for improvement.
Advanced Calculation Engines: The Backbone of Accurate Assessments
At the heart of these software tools is a sophisticated calculation engine developed by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). This engine predicts a home's heating and cooling needs based on various factors, including design, materials, insulation, window placement, orientation, and climate zone. The software models the thermal performance of the building envelope, and for Whole of Home ratings, it also considers appliance efficiency and on-site renewable energy systems. This comprehensive approach ensures that the assessments are thorough and precise.
Field Trials and Continuous Refinement
In the lead-up to the full rollout of NatHERS for existing homes, these software tools are being rigorously trialed and refined. Current field trials, conducted in partnership with CSIRO, leverage mobile devices for on-site data collection and cloud-based tools like AccuRate Enterprise to streamline the assessment process. These trials help ensure the tools meet national standards for accuracy and consistency. Regular updates and stakeholder consultations are integral to keeping the software aligned with evolving industry needs, thereby enhancing their reliability and effectiveness.
Innovative Tools on the Horizon
Beyond the NatHERS-accredited tools, other innovative platforms are also supporting the transition. CSIRO’s RapidRate, for example, is an AI-powered platform that estimates energy ratings for existing homes based on large datasets. While RapidRate is not NatHERS-accredited and only provides estimates rather than formal ratings, it represents a significant advancement in the use of technology to assess energy efficiency quickly and effectively.
