Page 35 - Climate Control News Mag October 2019

Insulation & Ducting
A STARRING ROLE FOR INSULATION
Australia’s residential building sector is large and growing.
The residential building sector is responsible for around 11 per cent of Australia’s emissions and 23 per cent of electricity use.
Australia has made important progress in residential building energy performance. New homes have improved considerably over the years, becoming more energy efficient. For example, in Victoria a sample of energy rated houses constructed prior to 1990 was found to have an average House Energy Rating of around 1.5 stars. Following the introduction of insulation standards for new homes in 1991, homes constructed between 1990 and 2005 averaged around 3 stars. Today, new homes are required to meet the equivalent of 6 stars or greater in most states and territories.
TWO DECADES OF PROGRESS
Through the introduction of energy ratings and other energy performance standards, Australia has made considerable progress when it comes to efficiency and the transition to renewable energy.
For example, more than one in five Australian homes now have solar panels installed on the roof – the highest rate per capita in the world.
Appliances and equipment used within households have significantly improved too. Split system air conditioners are now 50 per cent more efficient than they were in 2001.
Around 27 per cent less energy is used by lighting since the phase out of inefficient lighting in 2009 and technological advances in LEDs.
mum Energy Performance Standards for lighting from 2020.”
During the development of the NCC 2019 provisions for commercial buildings, the
treatment of thermal bridging and Total R-Value calculations were noted for review.
With a stringency increase possible in NCC 2022, it now possible to review these
requirements for residential buildings.
Glazing was another area specifically identi- fied for review given its significant impact on the energy efficiency of dwellings.
Impacts on condensation management will also be considered as part of the review of the building fabric and sealing provisions.
One proposal under consideration is minimum requirements for renewable en- ergy for some residential and commercial buildings.
MAIN: Roof space will need to be considered if on-site renewable energy becomes part of the new provisions.
BELOW LEFT: A Consultation RIS will be released in the second half of next year as part of the ongoing review process.
Minimum site requirements were recently in- troduced in California. Consideration will be given to whether similar requirements should be introduced for Australian residential buildings in 2022, with commercial buildings likely to fol- low in 2025.
It is also considered likely that many com- mercial buildings will voluntarily integrate on-site renewable energy into their design as it becomes an increasingly cost-effective path- way for meeting energy efficiency perfor- mance requirements.
“Given this, there is a role for the ABCB to in- vestigate if there are any barriers within the NCC preventing the installation of on-site re- newable energy systems, or if there is a role the NCC should play in assisting Australia’s energy grid cope with higher penetration of decentral- ised energy generation systems,” the scoping study said. This investigation would include consideration of:
• structural requirements that may need to change to accommodate roof mounted PV systems;
• what minimum or maximum system sizes should be;
• how energy storage systems should be treated; and
• if there are building design features that should be added to facilitate the introduction of renewable energy at a later date (e.g. ensur- ing sufficient free space on roofs and sufficient capacity for electric vehicle charging).
The ABCB will now develop a work plan for the NCC 2022.
A Consultation RIS will be released in the sec- ond half of next year as part of the ongoing re- view process.
A Decision RIS is scheduled for late 2021 with NCC 2022 provisions published in February, 2022.
NCC 2022 should come into effect May 1, 2022.
CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS
OCTOBER 2019
35