Timber beats steel when heat is on

MANY of the things we buy are classified with star ratings, from fridges to even our most expensive investments – like our homes.

A home’s energy star rating is judged using tools like The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) alongside the mandatory energy efficiency requirements set out in the National Construction Code (NCC).

NatHERs uses software based on scientific research by the CSIRO. It analyses house plans to identify how much energy will be needed for heating and cooling to determine a home’s energy star rating. The more stars a home has, the more can potentially be saved on energy bills, the higher the home’s potential resale value, and of course by reducing energy needs there’s a benefit to the environment (Dept. Industry, Science and Resources, 2017).

Builders use NatHERs to show new homes or renovations meet minimum energy requirements. In 2022 the NCC updated requirements, and now states all new home building shells must have a minimum energy efficiency of 7-stars.

This is a big deal, as in 2019 research from RMIT revealed that 80% of new housing in Australia was only built to the minimum standard (at the time 6-stars), and less than 1.5% were built to the optimal environmental and economic performance of 7.5-stars (RMIT, 2019).

This is where timber framing comes in.

In timber framed homes actual energy performance is often higher than when using other materials. Many builders have reported