What is a Basix certificate?

BASIX Certificate is one of several documents required to be submitted to a local government area council in NSW with every residential building Development Application. The certificate will confirm that the development meets the requirements for sustainability

What is the purpose of Basix?

BASIX aims to reduce the environmental impact of new homes by requiring them to meet certain minimum standards (for water, energy efficiency and thermal performance) and to report on construction materials being used so their embodied energy can be calculated.

When is a Basix certificate required?

A BASIX certificate must be submitted as part of the Development Application (DA) stage.

A BASIX Certificate is mandatory for Alterations and Additions if:

• In NSW, extensions and/or alterations to existing homes that have a construction cost in excess of $50,000 are required to have a BASIX certificate.
• New pools with a volume over 40,000 litres require a BASIX certificate.

What are a Nathers?

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) provides energy ratings for new dwellings. This is helping create energy-efficient, resilient and comfortable homes for the future that cost less to run.

NatHERS Assessment involves modelling a dwelling in a NatHERS-certified thermal simulation software package, defining site conditions and finally thermal simulation of the model. In performing a NatHERS assessment certain established guidelines and protocols has to be followed in order to preserve consistency and fair comparison of different dwellings with different climate conditions and when a different computer software is used for NatHERS assessment.

NatHERS Assessment is principally based on the concept of thermal comfort of a habitable zone in a residential space. NatHERS scheme defines a zone’s thermal conditions in which the occupants of that area will feel comfortable with regular clothing. Based on the climate zone of the development these conditions are slightly different. The building is modelled with a computer software package and the amount of heat that must be added or removed from each zone of the dwelling to make it comfortable for occupation is calculated. These heating and cooling loads are then represented in the form of NatHERS ratings which are in the form of star bands from 0 to 10 stars.

Energy Rating Certificates

A NatHERS Certificate allows builders, certifiers and regulatory authorities to quickly confirm that a building has been built to the design on which the energy rating is based.

Difference between Basix and Nathers

BASIX is an initiative of the NSW government and sets minimum standards for 3 areas including water, thermal and energy. NatHERS is a national scheme and NatHERS energy ratings can be used for the thermal section of Basix by using the simulation method.

you need assistance from the professional BASIX consultants in NSW to ensure your development plan complies with the BASIX requirements.

• Ensure that your development proposals are in line with BASIX compliance requirements
• Offer professional advice to help make your construction as energy-efficient as possible
• Using energy modelling tools to optimise building designs
• We can provide the NatHERS Certification, BASIX Certification or design on a range of different types of projects including:

1. 1. Additions & Alterations;
   2. Single detached dwelling(s)
   3. Dual Occupancies, multi-dwelling housing and attached dwellings;
   4. Residential flat dwellings