Recent research indicates Australians are increasingly influenced by sustainability considerations in property decisions. Green homes have been shown to attract 16.7% greater buyer interest and sell 4% quicker. But for builders, developers and industry professionals in NSW, meeting these considerations is about more than providing market value or contributing to a sustainable future. The Building […]
Demystifying the BASIX Assessment Process Read More »
Beyond aesthetics and functionality, designing a home requires sustainability. Residential buildings in Australia produce over 10% of the country’s carbon emissions and consume 24% of overall electricity use, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). The good news is 89% of Australians believe that a sustainable lifestyle is important.
The Impact of BASIX on Residential Building Design Read More »
The world is moving toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Australia is looking ahead to becoming a renewable energy leader. Those aspirations are totally feasible, but they cannot happen without the success of incremental initiatives like BASIX. What is BASIX? BASIX is the Building Sustainability Index, a program that aims to reduce the environmental
BASIX for Builders: What You Need to Know Read More »
According to the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), buildings account for more than half of electricity use in the country. Also, around 20% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from the construction process, the materials used, and the energy consumed during a building’s lifecycle. Building sustainably has never been more important and understanding
Does BASIX apply if you are relocating a house to a new site? Read More »
In recent times we have seen a spike in requests to sign off the BASIX and Section J aspects of construction at the Occupation Certificate stage. This is related to an increase in diligence in all aspects of documentation arising from the State Government’s campaign to return confidence into the building industry. We expect to
BASIX and Section J Sign Off Read More »
Back in March of this year we posted an article about major changes in BASIX in relation Large Boarding Houses. The big change was that BASIX was no longer required for this class of building. However, since then clients contacted us to say they had been on the BASIX web site where it stated that
BASIX – Large Boarding Houses Update Read More »
To ease the stress of dealing with rapid change with a new version of the building code being issued every year, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) moved to a 3-year cycle. The last update was in 2019, and the new update is due this year. Although for those of us working with Section J
The application of BASIX to larger boarding houses has been contentious since about 2007, soon after Section J of the building code commenced. It was never meant to be an issue! BASIX was not intended to be applicable to large boarding houses (ie those boarding houses defined as Class 3 buildings under the building code).
BASIX not required for large Boarding Houses in NSW – 1 March 2022 Read More »
We have talked several times in previous newsletters about the challenges of assessing boarding houses in NSW. This has been because Class 3 boarding houses have, over time, been interpreted as needing a Basix certificate as well as a full Section J assessment under the building code. In attempt to resolve this problem the Dept
Basix Announcement – Boarding Houses Read More »
We have talked before in this blog about how boarding houses, Classified as Class 3 buildings in the building code, should be assessed. The question was, should they go through BASIX at DA/Development Approval stage, or Section J of the building code at Construction Certificate stage. We have just received some news from the NSW
Boarding Houses – Do they need Section J, BASIX, or both? Read More »
There are lot of changes ahead for the NCC2025 Section J (Commercial Buildings). Sometimes it feels like change is too fast and it is hard
Recent research indicates Australians are increasingly influenced by sustainability considerations in property decisions. Green homes have been shown to attract 16.7% greater buyer interest and
The world’s thirst for water is growing faster than ever. By 2030, we could face a 40% shortfall in freshwater supply. Right now, a staggering
J1V3 is an important part of sustainable building practices in Australia. A J1V3 performance solution can be adopted as an alternative compliance pathway to the
