Expanding NatHERS assessments

The Australian Government is expanding the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) to include assessments for existing homes. Currently the scheme only offers ratings for new homes and major renovations.  

The new ratings will help householders better understand their home’s energy performance, identify cost-effective upgrades to improve the comfort of their home, and reduce their energy bills. 

Banks and financial institutions will also use the ratings to help verify green loans, giving them more confidence to loan money for home upgrades. 

The ratings play a key role in Australia’s path towards a low-carbon future, supporting broader energy transition goals.

The Existing Homes trials will run in late 2024 with the finance sector, property valuers and energy assessors. NatHERS ratings for existing homes will be available from mid-2025. 

Prior to the new NatHERS ratings coming online, homeowners can access the Residential Efficiency Scorecard to request an existing homes assessment. See our Frequently Asked Questions for more information. 

Technical Working Group - tech experts wanted

NatHERS has reopened an Expression of Interest (EOI) for technical experts to join a new working group, which will shape the user interface protocol (UIP) for NatHERS tools for existing homes. 

The UIP will set requirements for third-party user interfaces to undertake data collection and generate ratings and certificates through AccuRate Enterprise 

Candidates with experience in software engineering, user experience (UX) design, human-computer interaction, or protocol development are encouraged to apply. Relevant academic qualifications and/or experience is also highly desirable. 

The first working group was held on 20 November. Any new successful applicants will have access to meeting notes and documents and will be included in future meetings. Their written feedback will be considered as work progresses on the UIP.  

Submit your application via the NatHERS website User Interface Protocol submission EOI page.  

Please email: admin@nathers.gov.au if you would like more information or have any questions. 

Existing homes consultation

A targeted consultation on the expansion of NatHERS to existing homes ran throughout August 2024.  

The consultation paper is still available on the DCCEEW consultation hub. Feedback received through the consultation process is helping to shape the final design of the scheme for consideration by Energy and Climate Change Ministers in 2025. Submissions and a high-level summary of consultation outcomes will be published on the DCCEEW consultation hub in due course. 

If you had issues submitting your feedback, or have missed the cut off, please contact admin@nathers.gov.au.

You can access the webinar recordings and transcripts of the consultation sessions using the links below: