Building Code of Australia - Energy Efficiency Measures

The representatives of the Australian building industry have agreed to the incorporation of mandatory energy efficiency standards in the Building Code of Australia (BCA). Energy efficiency provisions for houses were introduced into the BCA on 1 January 2003 and were enhanced in 2006. Measures for multi-residential bulidings were introduced in 2005 and measures for public and commercial buildings were then introduced in 2006. BCA requirements include prescriptive requirements for building components, known as "deemed to satisfy provisions", which vary depending on the climate zone (there are 8 climate zones). However, the requirements can also be met by alternative means, using Verification Methods that allow compliance of a buildings energy efficiency to be determined using a thermal calculation method such as energy rating software. The 2006 amendment for residential buildings increased the range of options for complying with the requirements. On 30 June 2009 the Council of Australian Governments agreed to increase the stringency of the BCA energy efficiency requirements for both residential and commercial buildings. In February 2019 the ABCB increased the stringency of the energy efficiency provisions for Commercial buildings in Section J of the Code by up to 30 %

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