Quotes: why is an EER required?
# FAQAn Energy Efficiency Report, also known as a NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) assessment, is required for new homes, additions and alterations in Australia as part of the building approval process.
The report assesses a building's energy efficiency based on factors such as insulation, glazing, heating and cooling systems, and orientation. This helps to ensure that new homes and buildings meet a minimum level of energy efficiency and are designed to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
As per the Quotes: which factors affect the price? we cannot issue a quote without the Energy Efficiency requirements of your project provided to us. There is such a wide variation in pricing when considering Low-E Glass / Double-Glazing as well as thermal-break products, that there would be little benefit to providing a quotation based on glass and series which will not comply. We are responsible for supplying products that comply with the regulations.
Depending on the geographical location of your project, the particular products may have to meet additional regulations Acoustic Rating; Bush-Attack-Level Rating; high wind-load / cyclone ratings or a combination of these. This will usually means Low-E glass, wind and water drainage with high-performance ratings as well as stainless-steel mesh screens could all be required to meet the regulations.
SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient) is a measure of a window's ability to block heat from the sun. It ranges from 0 to 1, with a lower number indicating better performance. U-Value is a measure of a window's ability to insulate. It is the rate of heat loss (or gain) through a building element, such as a window, and is measured in watts per square meter per degree Celsius. A lower U-value indicates better insulation performance. Both of these values are important for Australian building as it helps to keep the interior temperature comfortable and reduce energy consumption.
The SHGC and U-Value will be stated on the EER for what each of the window and door products need to comply - for the entire unit comprising of the glass and frame.
For these values under a deemed to satisfy provision SHGC is allowed within /- 10% of the figure stated. U-Value is equal to or lower (better) than the figure stated.
Read More About SHGC and U-Values
Deemed-to-Satisfy (DTS) provisions are a set of energy efficiency requirements that are deemed to be compliant with the National Construction Code (NCC) of Australia. These provisions outline the minimum energy efficiency standards that must be met for new buildings and additions, as well as for renovations and retrofits of existing buildings.
The DTS provisions cover various aspects of a building's energy performance, including insulation, glazing, heating and cooling systems, lighting, and hot water systems. In order for a building to be compliant with the DTS provisions, it must be designed and constructed to meet the minimum energy efficiency requirements outlined in the BCA and Volume Two of the NCC.
It's important to note that the DTS provisions are the minimum requirements, and buildings can achieve higher energy efficiency by going beyond the deemed to satisfy requirements. This can be done through a performance solution, where the building designer must demonstrate that the building will achieve a better energy rating than the minimum set out in the DTS provisions.