Sustainable finance has been an area of interest to the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) for some time. NABERS have been closely monitoring green bond issuances in the property sector and are encouraged by the uptake of sustainable finance solutions many customers are pursuing.

This article discusses house energy regulations and argues that the rate of houses built to a minimum standard is a negligible proportion to an optimal performance standard. The standards should be reviewed regularly to ensure optimal economic and environmental outcomes.

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, commonly known as NatHERS, which is applied through software tools such as AccuRate Sustainability, has become the predominant pathway for complying with energy efficiency requirements within the National Construction Code of Australia. Current energy efficiency regulations have remained unchanged for a decade and there is an intention to increase...

Current regulatory pathways to compliance in energy efficiency for Australian housing are via provisions in the National Construction Code (NCC). This paper first identifies performance evaluation criteria set out in the code presented as a comparative analysis across the different methods of achieving compliance. Jurisdictional and concessional variations are discussed and thereafter an examination of...

Heatwaves across much of the country this summer have revealed a serious problem with our national housing stock. Wendy Miller looks at smarter design and construction, better rating systems and the role of government and industry to overcoming barriers to better housing design.