Insights
Notes from the modelling desk.
Short, sourced explainers on the NCC, NatHERS and Performance Solutions. Every claim names its source, and every point about NatHERS is one we apply to our own route too.
- Wall systemsOctober 2026Double brick to frame: what happens to the rating?Three things change in the wall at once, and in Perth the mass often counts.
- The CodeOctober 2026NCC 2025: what changes for your homes?Two minor amendments on energy, the same 7-star bar, and residential changes paused until mid-2029.
- CommercialOctober 2026NCC 2025: what changes for commercial projects?Mandatory solar, tighter Deemed-to-Satisfy settings and a 97% target for J1V3. Apartments are the exception.
- NatHERSOctober 2026Star ratings now cover existing homesSince 1 July 2026, NatHERS rates existing homes too: a star rating, and the upgrades worth paying for.
- SustainabilityOctober 2026Embodied carbon is already being countedNSW already makes new homes report it. Everywhere else, it’s voluntary for now.
- The CodeThere’s more than one way to complyA 7-star NatHERS rating is one way to meet the Code’s heating and cooling requirement. It isn’t the only one.
- The CodeIs a Performance Solution a loophole?It carries more process, not less. What the NCC requires, and what changed after 2017.
- NatHERSWhat’s in a star?A star rating is a modelled estimate under standard assumptions. What it measures, and what it doesn’t.
- MethodHow H6V2 works, in three stepsTwo models of the same house, and why the comparison can change which upgrades a design needs.
- DesignThe energy pathway is a design decisionChoose the route at concept stage, and the glazing and layout you worked for are more likely to survive.
- Building physicsA rating checks the design, not the buildEvery compliance route assesses the drawings. Checking the finished house takes a few hours.
Pathway Check
Which route suits your design?
Send your plans and we’ll compare the routes, including when the answer is NatHERS.