23 January 2017

Green---BigWhy Your Energy Rating Is Important

Why is it important to meet the 6 star energy rating requirement?

In 2011 new regulatory requirements were introduced that increased the minimum star rating of a home from 5 to 6 stars. 6 star homes use 24 percent less energy through heating and cooling compared to 5 star homes. For home owners in Victoria this means potential saving of $100 or more on your energy bills.

The idea behind the 6 star requirement is that it keeps your home at a more comfortable temperature for longer periods of the year. A 6 star home will require less heating in winter and less cooling in summer, which will reduce your utility bills. 6 star homes are also more environmentally friendly, reducing your carbon footprint and greenhouse emissions.

At Virtue Homes we design your home around a few different factors, first and foremost are our clients’ needs and requirements. We then work with the orientation of your land to design a home that utilises the north sun, allowing plenty of natural light to enter your home. A well designed home should use the winter sun to warm your home, while being able to shade your home from the summer sun.

By choosing the right windows, you can reduce leaking air gaps in your home by 80%. Double glazed windows also greatly reduce the amount of heat transfer through the window. Not only do double glazed windows prevent heat transfer, they also reduce the amount of noise that enters your home.

Insulation is a key factor in determining how well your home will rate. As a standard we use Bradford R2.0 glasswool insulations batts in the wall, and R3.5 in the ceiling. A cost effective way to increase the energy rating is to increase the R value of the ceiling batts to give a greater resistance to heat transfer.

There are many factors than can contribute to a home’s energy rating, but our draftsmen work closely with our energy assessor to give our clients the best thermal performance at the best price.