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Environment
Gill Armstrong, Senior Project Manager – Buildings, Climateworks Centre

7-star housing is a step towards zero carbon – but there's much more to do, starting with existing homes

Australia ClimateWorks Centre NCC
dcbel/Pexels

Energy-efficiency standards for new homes in Australia are being upgraded for the first time in a decade. New homes will be required to improve minimum performance from 6 stars to 7 stars under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). Federal, state and territory building ministers agreed on the change last Friday.

The rating will also use a whole-of-home energy “budget”. This will allow homes to meet the new standard in different ways. The standard will come into force in May 2023, and all new homes will have to comply by October 2023.

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