The report identifies two prioritised short-term research programs that could be undertaken to inform a future regulation impact statement (RIS)—that is likely to be undertaken in early 2017—relating to possible changes to the energy performance requirements for residential buildings in the 2019 edition of the National Construction Code.
Initial Scoping Work for Implementation of NEPP #31—Advancing the National Construction Code—June 2016 This study is an update of the findings of the building benefit cost analysis, for residential buildings only, undertaken in pitt&sherry's report Pathway to 2020 for Increased Stringency in New Building Energy Efficiency Standards: Benefit Cost Analysis (2012).
In addition, a de-identified version of the model was created, segregated by building type, to enable interested parties to access the data collected, without compromising confidentiality of the buildings included in the database.
The data contained in the model provides estimates of the building stock, energy consumption by fuel and end use (where possible), and greenhouse gas emissions by state/territory and region, from 1999 to 2020, with 2009 as the base year.
The report contributes to research in the residential buildings sector, by conducting an independent study into, and providing examples from the building industry of, the changes that have been implemented and are associated with constructing more energy efficient dwellings.
Changes Associated with Efficient Dwellings project—Final Report 2017 This report was commissioned by the Department of the Environment and Energy who have managed the project on behalf all Australian jurisdictions under Measure 31.2 of the National Energy Productivity Plan.
insulation and weather sealing, are often poorly installed by builders, thus leading to houses that have lower energy efficiency performance than expected.
There has also been little data collected on newly built houses to quantify air‐tightness and assess the quality of installation of insulation and heating/cooling ductwork.
Improving energy efficiency requirements for commercial buildings in the National Construction Code is a measure within the National Energy Productivity Plan.
The Australian Government commissioned research to analyse the range of cost-effective savings in the energy consumption of new buildings that could be achieved in Australia by 20, relative to buildings compliant with the 2010 version of the Building Code of Australia.
The three methods proposed are: Commercial Building Learning Rates—Final Report 2016 This project was commissioned by the Australian Government in 2011 to improve the availability of quantitative information on commercial buildings in Australia, their energy use and associated greenhouse emissions This research project involved the creation of a bottom-up model of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with commercial buildings in Australia.
It covers the majority of commercial building types including stand-alone offices (base buildings, tenancies, whole buildings), hotels, shopping centres (base buildings, tenancies, whole buildings), supermarkets (tenancies, whole buildings), hospitals, schools, vocational education and training buildings, universities and public buildings (including galleries, museums, libraries and law courts).
How quickly this occurs is currently not well understood in the Australian commercial building construction industry.