Engine Property Group Sustainability Manager Sebastian Golotta dives into what the changes are in the development and built environment. How do these perform and how they will affect you and your next residential project. Well, designed efficient buildings and developments are essential to creating more sustainable cities and towns as we draw closer to achieving net zero.
Let’s take a look at the current changes.
Efficiency - 7 Stars Rating
In Australia, our homes are responsible for 7.9 per cent of all energy use, 29 percent of all electricity use and 11 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions. Making them more energy -efficient can cut household energy bills and emissions, as well as provide better protection from extreme climate events like snap cold conditions and sweltering heatwaves that are becoming more frequent.
As of May 1, 2024, Victoria has agreed to increase minimum energy efficiency building standards for new homes from 6 to 7 stars under changes to the National Construction Code. Energy-efficient homes are more comfortable to live in, cost less to heat and cool, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A home reaching a 7-star rating will need some mechanical heating and cooling to keep it comfortable to live in.
Achieving a 7-star energy rating involves optimizing your home’s orientation, natural daylight, climate, ventilation, and shading.
Accessibility
The Liveable Housing Design Standard mandates that new residential buildings contain certain accessibility features, morex` comprehensive than any other changes in the past. These new standards cover the internal design and layout of homes. Wider doors and hallways are now required, as well as a toilet and shower that is deemed accessible. Changes to ground floor access have been applied.
EV Charging infrastructure requirements
According to the updated NCC, carparks in class 2.3.5.6.7b.8.or 9 buildings must be equipped with electrical distribution boards dedicated to EV charging. These distribution boards must be labelled to indicate their use for EV charging equipment and must be installed on each story of the car park. Recommendations for capacity, load, and energy management have also been implemented.
For Class 2 buildings, the NCC requires that electrical distribution boards dedicated to serving EV charging in a carpark must have the capacity for each circuit to support an EV charger able to deliver a minimum of 12 kWh from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am daily.
For Class 3 buildings, the requirements are more stringent. The electrical distribution boards must have the capacity for each circuit to support an EV charger able to deliver a minimum of 48 kWh from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am daily. This is because Class 3 buildings, which are typically hotels or motels, often have a higher demand for EV charging than other building classes.
For Class 5 to 9 buildings, the electrical distribution boards must have the capacity for each circuit to support an EV charger able to deliver a minimum of 12 kWh from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily, as these buildings, which include offices and retail spaces, tend to have higher daytime EV charging demand. This is because these buildings, which include offices and retail buildings, tend to have higher demand for EV charging during the day.
The distribution boards must also be sized to support the future installation of a 7 kW (32 A) Type 2 EV charger in:
- 100% of carpark spaces associated with a Class 2 building.
- 10% of carpark spaces associated with a Class 5 or 6 building.
- 20% of carpark spaces associated with a Class 3, 7b, 8, or 9 building.
In addition to these requirements, the NCC also mandates that electrical distribution boards dedicated to serving EV charging must be fitted with a charging control system (energy load management systems) that can manage and schedule charging of EVs in response to total building demand. They must also contain space for individual sub-circuit electricity metering to record the electricity use of EV charging equipment.
Overall, the changes to the NCC’s requirements aim to encourage the installation of EV charging infrastructure in carparks associated with buildings where people live permanently or frequently visit. By ensuring that buildings are equipped with the necessary infrastructure to charge EVs, the NCC hopes to support the uptake of EVs and promote sustainable transportation options.
Sustainable Architecture
Architects could be exposed to liability if they fail to explain the meaning and implications of sustainable design to their clients, if the intended outcomes of sustainable design are not properly documented, if risky untested designs and materials are relied upon architects providing the relevant services lack adequate expertise and experience.
Failure to invest in green architectural services could result in non-compliance with burgeoning regulation to facilitate mitigation and adaptation to climate change risks.
Compliance with professional standards obligations in this context will assist architects in overcoming challenges and managing risk.
CSIRO notes that climate change is causing extreme and unprecedented weather events with increasing frequency and scale of impact.
Based on modelling undertaken by the Climate Council of Australia in 2019, the property market is expected to lose hundreds of billions of dollars by 2030 due to the impact of climate change and extreme weather on infrastructure an, continue to lose value in the following decades while carbon emissions remain high. There are a range of climate change effects that may affect the stability, operation and, potentially, the ongoing viability of buildings, including floods, bushfires, and degradation and failure of building foundations and building materials
Are You Future Ready?
These changes are dramatically driving transformation in the built environment. While the changes come with challenges, Engine Property Group feels very optimistic about the future-ready adjustments that will bring us closer to achieving a net-zero, more sustainable, and healthier future.
