NEW national construction standards will make new homes cheaper to heat and cool, more accessible and comfortable to live in, and more resilient to extreme weather.
The Victorian Government has spearheaded increased energy efficiency and timeline for new accessibility standards under changes to the National Construction Code (NCC), that will increase the maximum energy efficiency standards for new homes from six to seven-star ratings when using the Nationwide House Energy Scheme (NatHERS).
The code will require the inclusion of fixed appliances like heating, cooling, hot water and lighting, and offset energy use through solar PV when assessing energy efficiency.
The new provisions will also mandate that all apartments and some commercial buildings are built to allow EV charging capability in all car spaces and rooftops that are able to support solar PV retrofits.
New accessibility standards for homes and apartments includes step-free street or parking entry to the building, step-free entry to the dwelling, accessible doorways, a toilet on the entry level, a step-free shower and reinforced bathroom walls to support the installation of grab rails.
This will increase the availability of new homes with accessibility features to 50 percent of Australia’s total housing stock by 2050 in recognition of the more than 1.1M Victorians who identify as having a mobility limitation and seek to transition though life stages in their own homes.
The new NCC will commence in May 2023, with a transition period to October.
