ABCB Roadshow 2024: Apartment energy efficiency centralised heated water systems

The changes we're proposing aim to increase the range of compliance options for apartment buildings with centralised heated water systems.

These changes relate both to a Class 2 building and a Class 4 part of a building.

Currently, if a centralised heated water system is present, practitioners can't use either the Deemed-to-Satisfy or DTS Elemental or the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme or NatHERS, compliance pathways.

Instead, practitioners must use Verification Method J1V5 or another Performance Solution to demonstrate compliance with Performance Requirement J1P3.

We engaged a technical consultant to research and develop DTS Elemental provisions for centralised systems that provide heated water for sanitary purposes.

We also consulted with members of our peak technical committee Building Codes Committee, or BCC, the BASIX team within the New South Wales government and the NatHERS team within the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, or DCCEEW.

Overall, we are proposing to make changes to the DTS Provisions in J3D14.

The research found that it was possible to amend J3D14 to accommodate centralised heated water systems by modifying the methodology for the net equivalent energy use to accommodate centralised heated water systems, considering characteristics such as water heater conversion efficiency, circulation pump energy, and heat losses associated with storage and distribution.

Specifically, we propose to add three new sub clauses in J3D14. This will include J3D14(4), which is a new method to calculate the net equivalent energy use of a Sole Occupancy Unit or SOU of a Class 2 building, or a Class 4 part of a building served by a centralised heated water system.

It also includes J3D14(7) which is a new method to determine the main space conditioning and main water heater and J3D14(8) as a new method to determine the circulating pump energy use.

It's important to note that no changes are proposed to air conditioning systems, spa pool pumps, or swimming pool pumps in terms of how they're considered in J3D14 to show compliance with J1P3.

The proposed changes will provide a pathway for determining the net equivalent energy use of centralised water heating equipment serving either SOUs in apartment buildings, Class 2, or a Class 4 part of a building.

Should the provisions be accepted, we'll update the Whole-of-Home calculator to accommodate centralised heated water systems.

In addition, the NatHERS team is also working on adding centralised systems to the NatHERS pathway.

These changes will make it easier for apartment buildings served by centralised heated water systems to demonstrate compliance with the NCC.

This will improve the range of options available to building designers and reduce administrative costs.

The proposed changes will not impact the stringency levels of the energy efficiency provisions for apartment buildings.

If you'd like to provide feedback on this proposed change, visit our dedicated PCD page, abcb.gov.au/PCD.

Here you'll find links to the draft changes for Volumes One, Two, and Three, and the Housing Provisions.

You'll also find links to support materials and technical documents to help you understand the proposed changes.

Finally, this page has a link to our consultation page where you can have your say.

The public consultation is open from the 1st of May to the 1st of July, 2024.

We look forward to your input.