NatHERS News - 27 July 2023

Software update 

With all NatHERS software approved for regulatory purposes for thermal (building shell) assessments, the team is now prioritising accreditation of Whole of Home tools. The first commercial software application has been received and is under review. 

AccuRate Home is currently the only software accredited to produce both thermal and Whole of Home NCC 2022 compliant ratings and certificates for new dwellings. 

Contact HERO, BERS Pro or FirstRate5 for more information on release dates for software. 

Whole of Home for Class 2 buildings

A method for calculating Whole of Home energy demand for apartments using centralised services is currently being developed for NatHERS. This method is expected to be incorporated under NatHERS in early 2024. 

In the meantime, assessors will need to use a different verification method to comply with the NCC 2022 energy use requirements for apartments. See the Australian Building Codes Board website for more information.

building plan papers

New certificate guide

The NatHERS 2022 Certificate Guide is now live on the NatHERS website! The guide provides comprehensive advice on interpreting new NatHERS certificates which feature both a thermal star rating out of 10, and a Whole of Home rating between 0-100.  

The updated guide incorporates an expanded building design verification checklist for quality control as well as new information on: 

  • The Whole of Home energy use performance rating 
  • Energy bills and carbon footprints of individual appliances 
  • Schedules for thermal bridging, appliances, onsite renewable energy and battery systems. 

Photo of presenter at NatHERS conference

Mid-year meeting success

The future is looking bright for NatHERS following a series of successful workshops held in Sydney last week, which focused on developing a new four-year strategic plan and expanding NatHERS to existing homes.

Representatives from the Australian, state and territory governments joined training, assessor and consumer organisations, industry bodies and software providers, to discuss the top priorities for the years ahead.

Residential Energy Efficiency Branch head Penny Sirault, who played a key role in the meetings, was appreciative of the high calibre of input from almost 70 attendees.

“I want to sincerely thank everyone who attended for their time, contribution, and commitment to our work."

“I was impressed by the insightful, innovative ideas that were being put forward. These views will help us shape and prioritise future activities for NatHERS."

“I was also encouraged to see representatives from finance and real estate at the event. They spoke about the importance of credible, trusted and validated ratings in supporting finance, investment and incentives for sustainable homes." 

“It was great to hear this overwhelming support for expanding NatHERS to include ratings for existing homes.”

Outcomes and next steps from the workshop will be circulated to attendees and NatHERS stakeholders in coming weeks.

Picture of man shaking woman's hand

We're recruiting!

If energy courses through your veins, then come and join the NatHERS team and be part of groundbreaking work to drive improved home energy efficiency across the nation.  

We’re looking for multiple candidates to fill various roles. Your work will help build NatHERS for both new and existing buildings, shaping the energy efficient homes of the future. 

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and locations across Australia. If you’re already part of the NatHERS ecosystem, or are from the building, real estate, communications, and finance sectors — we’d value your expertise! 

For more information on these exciting opportunities check out the links to the position descriptions below and if you have any questions email us at: admin@nathers.gov.au  



New NatHERS roles include:  



Applications close 11pm Wednesday 2 August, so don’t delay! 

Resources for NCC 2022

Check out the many resources available to help with the transition to the new NCC 2022 energy efficiency requirements: