Energy efficiency requirements for commercial and public buildings
Energy efficiency requirements apply to Class 5-9 commercial and public buildings being refurbished, altered or extended, as well as to new buildings.
To comply with the Building Code of Australia (BCA), you must meet its deemed-to-satisfy requirements or develop an Alternative Solution which demonstrates that the proposal meets the relevant BCA performance requirements.
You should demonstrate compliance under the Alternative Solution by determining the annual energy consumption of the proposed building using energy rating and building energy analysis software.
How the software works
To determine a building's energy use, the software assesses the energy contribution of various components such as the building fabric, air infiltration and natural ventilation, internal heat sources, air conditioning systems and vertical transport systems.Suitable software programs
The BCA requires the annual energy consumption to be calculated using a method that complies with the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) Protocol for Building Energy Analysis Software.For software to comply with the protocol, a training program in the current software version must be available and trainers must be suitably skilled.
Software programs that currently meet the Protocol include:
- BEAVER/ESP
- DOE Suite (eQUEST, Visual Doe, EnergyPlus)
- TRACE 700
- TAS
- ICE
- IES Apache
Software users and services
The software user is required, by the ABCB protocol, to have a comprehensive knowledge of building services to determine the energy used by these services. Mechanical engineers, architects, services draftsperson and other consultants are likely to have relevant qualifications and experience to use building energy analysis software.The Building Commission website provides a list of contacts who can assist with training and use of these programs.
