COAG Decision Regulation Impact Statement – The Australian Building Codes Board
On 18 December 2018, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) released a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) examining the impact of proposed amendments to the National Construction Code to implement separate heating and cooling load limits for assessments subject to the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) compliance pathway for Class 1 and Class 2 dwellings, and Class 4 parts of buildings, in relevant climate zones. This change will be reflected in NCC 2019 and subject to a one year transition, take effect from 1 May 2020.
The Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) examined options including: the status quo to continue the use of NatHERS star ratings as they currently apply; implementing a regulatory option which would include separate heating and cooling load limits in the National Construction Code (NCC); and implementing voluntary application of separate load limits supported by an awareness-raising and education campaign. The RIS concludes that the regulatory option has the greatest net benefit and is the preferred option.
Under the preferred option, separate heating and cooling load limits will be referenced in the NCC as an ABCB Standard. NatHERS software will include prompts to alert assessors, prior to generating a Universal Certificate, to check calculated load limits against the required separate heating and cooling load limits in the NCCA. A separate section will also be included on the NatHERS Universal Certificates, which will refer to the NCC for energy efficiency requirements, including separate heating and cooling load limits.
The ABCB prepared the final Decision RIS and it was assessed as compliant by the Office of Best Practice Regulation under Council of Australian Governments RIS requirements.