Residential building and energy efficiency

If you build or modify a home in the Northern Territory (NT), and a building permit is needed, there are energy efficiency standards and rules that apply.

All new houses and renovations to existing houses must achieve at least a 5-star energy rating.

All new apartments must achieve a 3.5-star energy rating.

There is a national energy rating scheme that ranks the efficiency of heating and cooling in your home, called thermal performance.

A star rating is given between zero and 10 stars.

The more stars, the more energy efficient your property.

These star ratings are a national standard and are adapted to different climate regions such as Darwin and Alice Springs.

Star ratings are calculated under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) by accredited energy assessors who can issue a NatHERS certificate.

For more information go to the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme website.

From 1 October 2023, NatHERS certificates for new homes in the NT can be rated using:

  • National Construction Code 2022 (NCC 2022) NatHERS accredited software
  • older versions of accredited software.

Choosing to use NCC 2022 NatHERS software to generate a NatHERS certificate means that an optional  whole-of-home (WOH) performance rating can be calculated.

While the NT is not adopting NCC 2022 minimum requirements for WOH energy performance, undertaking this optional assessment as part of a NatHERS certificate could help home occupants save energy.

It often costs less to build energy efficient features into your new home rather than put them in later.

When you are still at the design stage consider all the available energy efficient features that could be included.

You should talk to your builder, building designer or architect, energy assessor and building certifier for ideas.

Before you begin any works you must check and follow the rules and regulations including getting a building permit if required.

Read more about rules and regulations related to building and renovating a home.

You can also go to the Australian Government's YourHome website for more ideas.

You can use some simple solutions to improve energy efficiency in your home like installing window covers and building a shade structure over your balcony.

Go to the CoolMob website for more ideas and information.

If you want to do any building works you must follow the rules and regulations including finding out if you need a building permit.

Read more about rules and regulations related to building and renovating a home.

Read tips and ideas on reducing your power and water bills on the following websites:


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