An accredited energy assessor is a member of an Assessor Accrediting Organisation (AAO). An AAO provides quality assurance, on-going training and confirms professional indemnity insurance is held by the assessor. Non-accredited assessors do not necessarily have these industry safeguards. You will need to be comfortable the assessment was conducted by a sufficiently experienced person and meets the
requirements of the state or territory. Note: states and territories have different requirements on whether or not NatHERS ratings must be completed by an accredited assessor, so you will need to check what is appropriate within your jurisdiction.

The predicted amount of energy required for heating and cooling, based on standard occupancy assumptions

The floor area modelled in the software for the purpose of the NatHERS assessment. Note, this may not be consistent with the floor area in thedesign documents.

Basix, or building sustainability index, is a NSW Government planning measure to reduce household electricity and water use by setting minimum sustainability targets for new and renovated homes. Basix identifies design features that will affect the likely level of thermal comfort and water and energy use per household such as location, building size, orientation and construction type, landscaping and fixtures. It sets minimum targets that must be achieved before a Basix certificate can be generated, and then submitted as part of a development application or application for complying development. Water and energy use affects everyone and Basix will continue to lead the way in lowering household energy and water use and costs.

BASIX | Planning Portal - Department of Planning and Environment (nsw.gov.au)

Features that require a penetration to the ceiling, including downlinghts, vents, exhaust fans, rangehoods, chimneys and flues. Excludesfixtures attached to the ceiling with small holes through the ceiling for wiring, e.g. ceiling fans; pendant lights, and heating and cooling ducts.

A zone within a dwelling that is expected to require heating and cooling based on standard occupancy assumptions. In some circumstances it will include garages

Windows listed in NatHERS software that are available on the market in Australia anh have a WERS (Window Energy Rating Scheme) rating.

Windows that are representative of a specific type of window product and whose properties have been derived by statistical methods.

These signify ventilation benefits in the modelling software and must not be modelled as a door when opening to a minimally ventilated corridorin a Class 2 building.

Terrain with no obstructions e.g. flat grazing land, ocean-frontage, desert, exposed high-rise unit (usually above 10 floors).

Provides shading to the building in the horizontal plane, e.g. eaves, verandahs, pergolas, carports, or overhangs or balconies from upperlevels.

Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme. NatHERS is a star rating system (out of ten) that rates the energy efficiency of a home, based on its design.

| Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS)

NatHERS Certificate provides a comprehensive and uniform approach to displaying important home energy rating assessment information. The certificate comes in two formats:

• A certificate that displays the NatHERS logo and can be printed in colour - produced by NatHERS accredited assessors.
• A certificate without the NatHERS logo and only available in black and white - produced by non-accredited assessors.

The NatHERS Certificate must be used when demonstrating compliance to the NCC NatHERS pathway. It allows builders, certifiers and regulatory authorities to quickly confirm that the building has been built to the design on which the energy rating assessment is based.

Provides the minimum necessary requirements for safety and health; amenity and accessibility, and sustainability in the design, construction, performance and liveability of new buildings (and new building work in existing buildings) throughout Australia. It is a uniform set of technical provisions for building work and plumbing and drainage installations throughout Australia that allows for variations in climate and geological or geographic conditions.

National Construction Code | NCC (abcb.gov.au)

The NCC groups buildings by their function and use, and assigns a classification code. NatHERS software models NCC Class 1, 2 or 4 buildings and attached Class 10a buildings. Definitions can be found at Australian Building Codes Board | ABCB.

A design that takes advantage of the climate to maintain a comfortable temperature range in the home. Passive design reduces or eliminates the need for auxiliary heating or cooling.

Photovoltaic (PV) panels convert light into electricity.

The thermal resistance rating, or R-Value, is the measure used most commonly in the building and construction industry to determine a material’s ability to resist the transfer of heat.

The higher the R-Value the better thermal resistance the product will provide. Units: m2K/W.

R-Value = Thickness (m) / Thermal conductivity (W/mK)

The fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a window, both directly transmitted as well as absorbed and subsequently released inward. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits.

Indicates how much heating or cooling is expected to be required each year to keep a home within a comfortable range.

A zone within a dwelling that is assumed to not require heating and cooling based on standard occupancy assumptions.

U values (sometimes referred to as heat transfer coefficients or thermal transmittances) are used to measure how effective elements of a building's fabric are as insulators. That is, how effective they are at preventing heat from transmitting between the inside and the outside of a building.

The rate of heat transfer through a window. The lower the U-value, the better the insulating ability.

Provides shading to the building in the vertical plane and can be parallel or perpendicular to the subject wall/vindow. In cludes privacyscreens, other walls in the building (Wing walls), fences, other buildings, vegetation (protected or listed heritage trees).

A scientifically based, fair and credible rating system for the assessment of fenestration products for their energy efficiency performance. WERS is accredited by the Australian Fenestration Rating Council (AFRC) and adheres to AFRC protocols and procedures for the rating of windows and glazed doors. Energy Ratings provided by WERS are third party certified to the AFRC requirements, compliant with the National Construction Code (NCC), and able to be used to meet regulatory requirements. 

Window Energy Rating Scheme - Australian Glass and Window Association (associationonline.com.au)