CHANGES TO THE NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION CODE
At BuildPilot, we know that exceptional design is a combination of many factors. Our mission is to help you find the right builder and build the best home you possibly can.
As Australia aims for net zero emissions by 2050, significant changes are coming to the way we build and live in our homes. Updates to the National Construction Code (NCC) will emphasize energy efficiency, livability, resilience to climate change, and healthier living spaces. Sustainable homes not only benefit the environment but also reduce energy costs, and improved accessibility ensures that homes are easier to navigate and adaptable for future needs.
Whether you’re building a new home or renovating an existing one, these changes will affect you.
At BuildPilot, we are dedicated to ensuring all homes meet the new NCC standards while maintaining the high-quality design we’re known for.
What are the changes?
7-Star NatHERS Home Energy Rating
The upgrade to a 7-Star energy rating for new homes promises increased comfort year-round, with homes naturally staying cooler in summer and warmer in winter, all while reducing overall energy consumption. Achieving thermal comfort involves harnessing the sun’s heating energy in winter while minimising heat gains in summer. This improvement includes enhanced insulation, ventilation, strategic placement and glazing of windows, breeze paths, and thoughtful shading.
At BuildPilot, we prioritise climate-sensitive design and offer a diverse catalogue of homes to suit all orientations, ensuring we deliver the most efficient and comfortable home for your lifestyle. Whether selecting the ideal layout for your block or optimizing block orientation for your dream design, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Focusing on Overall Energy Usage
This new requirement focuses on the overall energy usage of your new home, considering key factors such as the energy consumption of heating, cooling, and major appliances. The goal is to ensure that your new home is not only more energy-efficient but also more cost-effective to operate. Additionally, it evaluates the balance between the energy your home uses and the energy it generates.
Enhancing Livability and Accessibility
The updated National Construction Code introduces higher standards for liveability and accessibility, ensuring that homes are safer, more comfortable, and easier to access for everyone. These improvements include step-free dwelling access, wider internal doors and hallways, ground-level toilets with increased circulation space, step-free showers for enhanced mobility, and reinforced walls around key areas like toilets, showers, and baths to facilitate easy installation of grab rails if needed in the future.
Condensation
Managing condensation and maintaining a healthy living environment is crucial for your family’s well-being and the long-term durability of your home. With the release of higher ventilation standards in the National Construction Code 2022, homes will benefit from reduced internal moisture, condensation, and mold, resulting in enhanced indoor air quality.
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Certain exemptions to elements of the National Construction Code (NCC) apply. A 7-Star exemption has been granted to the Master Planned Neighbourhood Zone within the Mount Barker District Council for three years, effective until October 1, 2027. Homes in this zone will need to meet the current NCC2019 6-Star energy rating and adopt NCC2022 Livable Housing standards.
Additionally, there are exemptions for small lots with a frontage of 10 meters or less, or irregular block allotments with an area of less than 300m². Homes constructed on these block types from October 1, 2024, will need to comply with NCC2019 requirements.
Does this affect my build?
The cost of building an NCC-compliant home will vary for each customer, depending on factors such as the size of your build, the climate zone you reside in, and the orientation of your block. Our team of New Home Advisors at BuildPilot are dedicated to working with you to create a home that meets NCC standards, reduces ongoing living expenses, aligns with your budget and requirements, and provides a healthier and more thermally comfortable living space for your family.
