Where Can VURB Be Used in Australia? NCC Requirements and State Variations

NCC Jurisdictional Requirements

A compliance method included in the National Construction Code is not necessarily available for every residential project in Australia.

Verification Using a Reference Building, commonly known as VURB, is identified under NCC 2022 Volume Two as a method of verifying residential thermal performance. Its application, however, depends on the NCC edition, building classification and state or territory provisions governing the project.

In Brief

VURB Availability Depends on the Applicable NCC Requirements

NCC 2022 Volume Two includes H6V2 Verification Using a Reference Building as a Verification Method associated with residential thermal performance.

Where applicable, the method supports a Performance Solution by comparing the proposed dwelling with a reference building that satisfies specified Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions.

However, states and territories can modify the national NCC provisions. New South Wales, for example, excludes H6V2 under its NCC 2022 variation.

Before commissioning a VURB assessment, the project team should confirm the applicable NCC edition, jurisdictional variation, building classification and approval requirements.

National NCC Framework

Where Does VURB Sit Within the National Construction Code?

Under NCC 2022 Volume Two, H6V2 provides a defined Verification Method for assessing thermal performance against Performance Requirement H6P1.

The method establishes a reference building using specified characteristics of the proposed dwelling and applies compliant construction assumptions to that reference model. The proposed and reference buildings are then compared using the applicable heating and cooling load criteria.

H6V2 requires a calculation method other than house energy rating software. It should not be treated as a NatHERS star rating assessment or an alternative form of NatHERS certificate.

The method also does not independently establish compliance with every energy efficiency obligation. H6P2, which concerns energy usage, remains a separate requirement where applicable.

For the reference building methodology, assessment process and broader compliance context, see the VURB Knowledge Hub.

Building Classification

Which Residential Building Types Fall Within the VURB Framework?

NCC 2022 Volume Two addresses Class 1 buildings and relevant Class 10 structures. H6V2 is directed towards the applicable Class 1 building and enclosed Class 10a parts attached to that building, subject to the method's scope and jurisdictional provisions.

A detached dwelling with an attached enclosed garage may therefore fall within the relevant building classification framework where H6V2 is available.

That does not mean the method can be applied independently to every Class 10 structure. Detached garages, open carports and other ancillary structures require consideration of their own applicable NCC provisions.

Apartment buildings and commercial developments are assessed under different NCC provisions. Their energy efficiency verification methods should not be assumed to be interchangeable with the residential H6V2 method.

New South Wales

Can H6V2 Be Used for Residential Projects in NSW?

H6V2 Verification Using a Reference Building does not apply under the NSW variation to NCC 2022 Volume Two.

This distinction applies to projects across New South Wales, including Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle, Wollongong and regional areas.

For NSW residential developments, energy efficiency compliance must be considered within the relevant BASIX, NSW NCC and approval requirements. The appropriate evidence depends on the building type, scope of work and applicable regulatory framework.

The exclusion of H6V2 should not be interpreted as a general prohibition on every possible Performance Solution. Other assessment approaches, where legally available, are separate from the specific national reference building Verification Method.

A NSW project team should therefore avoid describing H6V2 as an available alternative compliance pathway without first establishing the correct jurisdictional basis.

The NCC provides a national technical framework, but each state and territory determines how the Code is adopted and whether specific provisions are amended, replaced or excluded. This means that a national Verification Method cannot be treated as automatically available for every residential project.

For example, the Northern Territory includes a jurisdiction-specific NT H6V2 provision under its NCC 2022 framework. This illustrates why the precise local text must be reviewed rather than relying solely on the national provision.

A definitive determination should be made from the adopted NCC provisions for the project location. General online descriptions of VURB are not a substitute for that check.

NCC Editions and Adoption

Why Does the Applicable NCC Edition Matter?

Building regulations are not determined solely by the most recently published edition of the National Construction Code.

States and territories adopt NCC editions through their own legislative and administrative arrangements. Commencement dates, amendments and transitional provisions can affect which requirements apply to a particular building application.

In NSW, the government has announced an adoption date of 1 May 2027 for NCC 2025. Until the relevant commencement and subject to any transitional arrangements, projects must be considered against the provisions legally applicable to them.

The existence of NCC 2025 does not, by itself, establish that its provisions are already applicable to a particular project. Nor should the treatment of H6V2 under NCC 2022 be assumed to remain unchanged indefinitely.

For projects moving through design, documentation and approval over an extended period, the relevant NCC edition should be confirmed before the assessment pathway is finalised.

Initial Applicability Review

What Should Be Checked Before Selecting VURB?

Before detailed modelling is commissioned, an initial review should establish whether the relevant Verification Method is legally available and technically suitable for the dwelling.

This initial review is different from preparing the detailed reference building model. It establishes whether the proposed assessment method is appropriate before the project commits to the full technical scope.

Compliance Pathway Boundaries

What Happens if H6V2 Is Not Available for the Project?

Where H6V2 does not apply, the project team must identify an appropriate compliance approach under the applicable jurisdictional requirements.

Depending on the project, this may involve the relevant NatHERS pathway, residential Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions, jurisdiction-specific assessment requirements or another properly established compliance approach.

The absence of H6V2 does not establish that the dwelling cannot achieve energy efficiency compliance. It means the particular reference building Verification Method cannot be relied upon where it is excluded.

For a comparison of direct elemental compliance and reference building verification, see VURB vs DTS: Residential Compliance Pathways.

Design and Documentation Timing

When Should VURB Applicability Be Confirmed?

The most useful time to confirm the available compliance pathway is before the architectural and construction documentation becomes difficult to change.

An early review can prevent a project team from developing detailed modelling assumptions around a method that is not available in the relevant jurisdiction.

It can also clarify whether the design should proceed through a direct compliance pathway or whether an alternative assessment approach warrants investigation.

This is particularly relevant where glazing, orientation, building geometry or construction systems create uncertainty about the energy efficiency strategy. Design complexity may justify an early review, but it does not override jurisdictional restrictions.

Residential Compliance Pathway Review

Confirm the Appropriate Compliance Pathway for Your Residential Project

Provide your project location, current drawings and relevant approval information. Certified Energy can review the applicable residential energy efficiency requirements and advise whether VURB or another compliance pathway should be investigated.