Section J Assessment Process
A Section J Report is prepared through a coordinated review of the project scope, applicable NCC requirements, building envelope, glazing, sealing and relevant building services.
A Section J Report is not prepared by applying a single checklist to a set of architectural drawings.
The process usually begins by confirming the project scope, building classification, applicable NCC edition and available design information. The assessor then identifies the likely compliance pathway, reviews the building envelope and applicable services, raises design queries and coordinates the required measures with the project team.
The report should be issued only when the assessed design, calculations, schedules and supporting documentation describe the same project. The more useful question is therefore what happens between the initial project review and the final report.
In Brief
How a Section J Report Is Prepared
Scope
Confirm the building classification, project boundary, proposed work, NCC edition and approval context.
Assessment
Review the documents, define the envelope and assess fabric, glazing, sealing and applicable services.
Finalisation
Resolve design queries, coordinate the final documents, complete quality review and issue the report.
The process is often iterative. Initial drawings may reveal missing information, conflicting documentation or design elements that require further review before the compliance response can be finalised.
Stage 01
Confirm the Assessment Scope
The first step is to establish what is being assessed. A report prepared for the wrong classification, tenancy area, stage of work or approval scope may be technically detailed while still failing to address the actual project requirement.
The initial review may consider:
Mixed-use buildings may contain several classifications that need to be assessed separately. Alterations and fit-outs may also require a clear distinction between retained construction, proposed work, landlord responsibilities and tenant responsibilities.
The outcome of this stage should be a clear assessment boundary and written understanding of the proposed work. For further guidance, read When Does Section J Apply?
Stage 02
Identify the Applicable NCC Edition
The applicable NCC edition should be confirmed before clause references, assessment criteria or calculation methods are selected.
NCC numbering and technical requirements can differ between editions. State and territory adoption dates, transitional arrangements, climate zones and jurisdictional variations may also affect the project.
Under NCC 2022, the commercial energy-efficiency provisions include building fabric, building sealing, air-conditioning and ventilation, artificial lighting and power, heated-water and pool or spa plant, and energy monitoring or distributed-energy infrastructure. The project should not automatically be assessed under this structure without confirming the applicable approval basis.
Stage 03
Review the Project Documentation
Plans
Areas and Building Use
Plans help identify room uses, classifications, floor areas, tenancy boundaries, conditioned spaces, external walls and internal relationships.
Elevations
Façade and Orientation
Elevations show glazing extent, window and door locations, façade orientation, cladding systems, shading and external geometry.
Sections
Envelope Relationships
Sections clarify roofs, floors, walls, exposed construction, ceiling heights and the vertical relationship between conditioned and unconditioned areas.
Schedules
Systems and Products
Schedules may identify construction types, insulation, glazing systems, window performance, doors, lighting fixtures and proposed equipment.
Specifications
Performance Requirements
Specifications can clarify material layers, installation requirements, product performance and construction obligations not shown fully on drawings.
Services
Lighting and Building Systems
Mechanical, electrical and hydraulic information may be required for lighting, ventilation, HVAC, heated water, metering and other applicable systems.
The documents do not always need to be final before the assessment begins. Preliminary information may support an early review, but the final report should be based on coordinated documentation. See the full Section J document checklist.
Stage 04
Establish the Likely Compliance Pathway
Deemed-to-Satisfy
Prescribed Provisions
DTS may suit projects where the fabric, glazing, sealing and applicable services can be assessed directly against the relevant NCC provisions.
Performance Solution
JV3 or Another Method
A performance pathway may be considered where the building has extensive glazing, complex geometry, unusual systems or significant design constraints.
The likely pathway can change as the design develops. The assessor can provide technical advice, while formal acceptance requirements should be coordinated with the certifier or building surveyor. Read Section J DTS vs JV3.
Stage 05
Establish the Assessment Basis
Confirm the classifications, climate zone and relevant project areas.
Define the conditioned envelope and its relationship to unconditioned spaces.
Identify the roof, wall, floor, glazing and shading systems used in each area.
Establish the applicable sealing, lighting, HVAC, heated-water and energy-monitoring scope.
Record missing or conflicting information as queries, assumptions or items requiring confirmation.
For a JV3 pathway, the assessor may also prepare proposed-building and reference-building models in accordance with the applicable Verification Method and agreed Performance Solution process.
Stages 06–09
Complete the Technical Assessment
Stage 06
Building Fabric
Review roofs, ceilings, walls, floors, construction layers, insulation, framing, thermal paths and the buildability of proposed assemblies.
Stage 07
Glazing and Façade
Assess opening areas, complete-system U-values and SHGCs, frames, orientation, shading, glazed doors, shopfronts and curtain-wall systems.
Stage 08
Building Sealing
Review operable windows, external doors, entrances, seals, closers, exhaust openings, service penetrations and relevant construction joints.
Stage 09
Building Services
Assess relevant lighting, power, HVAC, ventilation, heated-water, metering, monitoring and distributed-energy requirements within the agreed scope.
A Section J Report does not automatically replace detailed façade, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic or lighting design. It documents the relevant energy-efficiency compliance response, while detailed design remains with the appointed project consultants.
Building Envelope Review
How Fabric and Glazing Are Assessed
The fabric review considers the construction separating relevant conditioned spaces from outside air, the ground or adjoining unconditioned areas.
The assessment should not rely only on the nominal R-value of an insulation product. Complete construction performance may be affected by framing, cavities, linings, cladding, thermal breaks and repeating thermal paths.
Glazing assessment requires complete-system information rather than a description such as single, double or low-e glazing. Relevant inputs may include the glass and frame configuration, complete-system U-value, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient, opening area, orientation and permanent shading geometry.
Where the initial design does not satisfy the applicable requirements, potential adjustments may involve insulation, glazing performance, wall construction, window area, shading or the broader compliance pathway. Read Section J Building Fabric, Glazing and Sealing.
Building Services
Which Services May Be Included?
Not every report includes the same services scope. The required assessment depends on the proposed work, building classification, project stage and agreed consultant responsibilities.
Stage 10
Issue Design Queries and Recommendations
A Section J assessment is often iterative rather than a one-step document-production exercise. The first review may identify missing information, conflicting documentation or design elements that do not yet satisfy the applicable requirements.
Queries may relate to:
Where the design does not comply directly, the assessor may identify potential adjustments or a different assessment pathway. Revised information can then be reviewed before the report is finalised.
Stage 11
Coordinate the Final Design
Document Control
Use the Same Revision
The report, architectural drawings and relevant consultant documentation should describe the same design revision.
Building Envelope
Transfer the Requirements
Insulation, glazing, shading and sealing requirements should appear in the relevant drawings, schedules and specifications.
Building Services
Confirm the Final Systems
Lighting fixtures, controls, mechanical systems, zones and other relevant services should match the assessment.
Assumptions
Resolve Preliminary Inputs
Provisional assumptions should be replaced with confirmed information where required before final report issue.
A compliant calculation is not enough if the measures used to achieve the result are absent from the approval documentation. The final package should allow the project team, certifier and builder to identify the requirements relied upon.
Stage 12
Complete the Final Quality Review
Reconfirm the project scope, classification, NCC edition and jurisdiction.
Check calculation inputs, outputs, construction schedules and glazing information.
Verify drawing references, revision dates and supporting attachments.
Confirm that recommendations have been incorporated and assumptions are disclosed.
Identify any unresolved information or conditions requiring later confirmation.
Stage 13
Prepare and Issue the Final Report
The content of the final report depends on the project, assessment scope, NCC edition and selected compliance pathway.
The final report should clearly identify the design revision assessed and distinguish confirmed project information from provisional assumptions. Formal acceptance remains part of the wider building-approval process.
After Report Issue
What Happens When the Design Changes?
A Section J Report applies to the project information and design revision that were assessed. It does not automatically confirm every later version of the building.
Changes that may require review include:
A replacement product should not be accepted only because it is described as equivalent. Its relevant thermal, solar, electrical or mechanical performance should be checked against the assessment before procurement or installation.
Process Boundary
Preparing the Report Versus Preparing the Project
Assessment Process
Preparing the Report
The assessor reviews, calculates, coordinates and documents the relevant energy-efficiency compliance response.
Design-Team Process
Preparing the Project
The design team engages early, supplies coordinated information, resolves queries and incorporates the required measures.
The two processes are closely connected but are not identical. For guidance on timing and project-team preparation, read Preparing for Section J Approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Section J Report Process FAQs
Who prepares a Section J Report?
A Section J Report is generally prepared by a suitably experienced building-energy or sustainability consultant who understands the applicable NCC provisions, building-envelope assessment and relevant services requirements.
Can the assessment begin before the drawings are final?
Yes. Current plans, elevations, sections and preliminary construction information may support an early scope and pathway review. Final product performance and coordinated services details may still be required before the report is completed.
How long does preparing a Section J Report take?
Timing depends on project size, complexity, documentation quality, assessment pathway, services scope and the number of design queries or revisions required.
Does every report assess lighting and HVAC?
Not necessarily in the same way or to the same level. The services assessment depends on the project scope, proposed work, consultant responsibilities and applicable NCC provisions.
Is a Section J Report the same as JV3 modelling?
No. Section J is the broader NCC energy-efficiency framework. A report may document a Deemed-to-Satisfy assessment or support a Performance Solution. JV3 is a modelling-based Verification Method used within a Performance Solution pathway.
What happens if the initial design does not comply?
The assessor can identify unresolved elements and discuss potential design adjustments or an alternative compliance pathway. The project team then determines which response is practical within the wider design and approval requirements.
Does the report need to match the construction drawings?
Yes. The report and approval documentation should describe the same building. Measures relied upon in the assessment should be incorporated into the relevant drawings, schedules and specifications.
Can a Section J Report be revised after issue?
Yes. A report may be revised where the design changes, further information becomes available or approval comments require clarification.
Who accepts the proposed compliance pathway?
The assessor can advise on the likely technical pathway. Formal approval and acceptance requirements should be coordinated with the appointed certifier, building surveyor or relevant authority.
Does the report replace detailed engineering design?
No. The report documents the energy-efficiency compliance response within its agreed scope. It does not automatically replace detailed façade, structural, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, fire, acoustic or waterproofing design.
Related Guidance
Prepare for the Section J Assessment
Section J Project Review
Start with the Available Project Documents
Certified Energy can review the available plans, elevations, construction systems, glazing information and known services details to clarify the likely Section J scope, information requirements and assessment pathway.
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