Chenath v3.21 update
December 13, 2018
A new Chenath engine (currently assigned version 3.21) is planned for release in 2019 which includes the following potential updates and improvements. Addition of limestone in the construction material library Changes in the effective thermal resistances of waffle pod modelling The effective thermal resistances of waffle pod construction modelling will be changed to R0.57, R0.60, […]
Thermostat Settings and Occupant Behavioural Settings Expert Group
December 12, 2018
The 2nd Generation NatHERS software integrated a multi-zone ventilation model for natural ventilation, a model for occupant thermal comfort and also the air movement driven by ceiling fans to form an improved model for heating and cooling energy requirement calculations. However, monitored data was not sufficient at the time to conduct a full review of […]
Zero energy home of the future – open for business
December 12, 2018
Net zero energy homes of the future entered the housing market in October 2018 with the opening of a display home at Timbertop Estate near Melbourne. Eight years after the groundbreaking work of CSIRO and partners to complete the Australian Zero Emissions House (AusZEH), Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio recently […]
Grid-Connected Net Zero Energy Houses vs Off-Grid Housing in Australia
December 12, 2018
BackgroundWith the observed rapid decline in PV prices and a similar trend for battery storage in recent years, there is a growing interest in off-grid housing in Australia. A study conducted by CSIRO projected that by 2050, around one third of Australian households could leave the grid under some potential future scenarios. However, a recent […]
Sherlock – Automated identification of rating anomalies
September 13, 2018
At the moment, universal certificates in the HStar portal are randomly selected for manual analysis by Assessor Accrediting Organisations. This can be a time-consuming process that is constrained by human resources. With rapid daily additions of certificates, this manual process is expected to become a monumental undertaking that can, at best, cover a decreasing proportion […]
A design tool for off-grid housing in Australia
August 20, 2018
Over the past 16 years in Australia, electricity prices for households have increased at an average annual rate of 8 per cent while the average inflation rate is around 2.8 per cent. This has put a financial strain on households across Australia. With the recent rapid decrease in PV prices and a similar trend for […]
Impact analysis of thermal comfort on residential energy use
August 1, 2018
Our warming climate increases the challenge for building designers to provide thermal comfort at minimum energy costs. The acceptable range for indoor temperatures is determined by the comfort temperature band within which the great majority of people are adequately comfortable. Generally speaking, for space heating and cooling less energy is required to maintain a broader […]
Thermal resistance of waffle pod slabs
July 13, 2018
Dr Dong Chen has investigated the Thermal Resistance of Waffle Pod Slabs – Pods with Air Cavities to identify the most appropriate method to model their performance. Recently, the thermal resistance for waffle pod slab constructions with pod heights at 170mm, 230mm, 300mm and 370mm respectively were investigated considering air cavities in the polystyrene pods. […]
Successful Australian Residential Energy Rating conference 2018
June 10, 2018
“An excellent wide range of topics and fantastically organised” “Organised, topical and well run. Very impressed.” Just two of the feedback responses from more than 280 people who participated in the inaugural Australian Residential Energy Rating conference. Held at the MCG with over 70 persons from around the country participating by webcast and over 200 […]