FAQ
Once the energy rating is completed, an in-house summary report with all the required specifications will be provided to the architect/draft person to update the drawings accordingly. Once returned, we will then endorse the updated drawings and issue the NatHERS certificates for the Building Permit application.
A minimum of 6-star energy rating is required for all Class 1 building – generally referring to individual dwelling and townhouses. For Class 2 buildings (ie. apartments), all units must individually achieve a minimum of 5-star rating and an overall average of 6-star energy rating.
Furthermore, new heating and cooling load limits have also been implemented across all relevant projects with the release of NCC2019.
A full set of working drawings including the site plans, floor plans, elevations, sections, details, electrical plans, windows & doors schedule etc. A documents checklist will be provided by The Urban Leaf prior to commencing the assessment. Please get in touch with our team members for further details.
The requirement of the rainwater tank is not part of the thermal performance calculation however it is one of the mandatory requirements for applying the Building Permit for a class 1 building. According to the PN55-2018, all new Class 1 buildings will require:
- A rainwater tank (minimum capacity of 2000 litres) connected to all toilets in the building for the purpose of sanitary flushing; or
- A solar water heater system installed in accordance with the Plumbing Regulations 2008 (the Plumbing Regulations)
A full set of town planning drawings including the site plans, floor plans and elevations. A documents checklist and a client’s specification list will be provided by The Urban Leaf prior to commencing the assessment.
The SDA/SMP report is part of the Planning Permit application where broader sustainability categories will be assessed including thermal performance. The energy report / Firstrate5 Report mainly focusses on the thermal performance of an internal space and it is to be completed during the Building Permit stage.
Should your development failed to achieve compliance, our team of experts will provide advice on ways to improve on the thermal performance and/or sustainability measures.
The rule of thumb in achieving a high thermally performing dwelling is to maximise solar heat gain in cool months and to miminise solar gain in hot months. The factors that affect solar gain include orientation of the building, location and size of the windows, appropriate and adequate shading, external building colours, insulation etc. Do feel free to contact our friendly team for non-obligation project specific advice.
We would greatly appreciate if you can email us a copy of the preliminary drawings and/or any Council correspondence you have received for the project. The drawings do not have to be complete nor final, however we would like to understand the scope of the project – normally through floor plans, elevations and sections. If you have any queries, please dial our office number 03 8899 6149 or email us at energy@tul.net.au .
Variant on the complexity of the project, we typically endeavour to prepare our fee proposals within 24 hours.
Do not worry, we can definitely assist. Apart from our extensive experience in the field, we will also cross check your project with the current regulations and point you towards the right direction. Forwarding us any Request for Information letter you have received from the Council will greatly speed up the process.