This report presents a summary of the findings and activities of Stage 3 of the LCL-CRC research project RP 1033 “High Performance Commercial Building HVAC”.

Conventionally in building performance simulations (BPS), it is assumed that air entering outdoor HVAC equipment is at the outdoor ‘ambient’ temperature, obtained from a weather file. However, significant spatial variations exist in outdoor air temperature fields, especially within the thermal boundary layers that form near exposed surfaces like roofs.

The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) and the former Australian Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) developed this Handbook to assist users with the application and understanding of the National Construction Code (NCC) Volume One energy efficiency provisions.

This study analysed over 1.8 million measurements of air conditioner power consumption and indoor/outdoor air temperatures in 129 houses in Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne from 2012 to 2014. It was found that the preferred indoor air temperature range, at which occupants are most unlikely to operate air conditioners, increases for warmer local climates.

The Performance Requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC) can be met using either a Performance Solution or a Deemed-to-Satisfy (DtS) Solution or a combination of both solutions. The following demonstrates the performance based design process that should be used in conjunction with the Development of Performance Solutions Guidance document.