When you design your home to suit its climate, you can dramatically impact its long term energy costs. Not only this - achieving a specific level of energy efficiency is actually legislated in a lot of locations, and is required in order to achieve your necessary approvals.

So, I’m bringing on an Energy Efficiency Consultant to share some fantastic information with us on this topic.

SHOW NOTES:

Tori Walker is the Principal Energy Rater at BERA, a company which seeks to “Provide Excellence in Building Energy Ratings and Advice”. She has been involved in the design and renovation of homes for over a decade, and has worked with Building Designers, Architects, Builders and Energy Assessors both privately and professionally during this time.

BERA has completed the necessary qualifications and registrations to rate homes in all States of Australia. It’s worth understanding that the systems and requirements can vary across locations, and you need to work with someone certified for your region.

For the overseas listeners, I still recommend you stay tuned in, as I think that Tori’s insight and suggestions on what makes an energy efficient home will be helpful for your location.

Some of the topics we discuss are:
What an energy efficient home is.
Why is it important to know about the climate of where you’re building or renovating.
The National Construction Code requires Australian homes to achieve a 6 star energy rating … what does that actually mean?
What’s is the NatHERS assessment tool used to determine the star rating, and how does it get used.
How hard is it to exceed the standard requirement of 6 stars, and how much is this impacted by where you are located?
What big mistakes Tori sees homeowners make, and also her big tips to get a great outcome for your energy efficient home and its assessment.

This actual step of assessing your energy efficiency can be something you are quite distanced from as a homeowner.

It may be that it doesn’t occur until you’re lodging your Building Approval with your Building Certifier, and they simply include it as part of their process. You see it on their fee proposal as a fee, and you receive an invoice for it - but you don’t really understand what happens, and what it can mean for your project, your budget, and the long term feel and performance of your home.

It is great, if an energy efficient home is your goal, to work with a designer and / or builder who is experienced at doing this, and to also work with an experienced energy efficiency consultant who can help you measure your home’s performance well, and make useful suggestions to improve it.

Tori has provided some great tips in this interview. Her business, BERA, services all of Australia.

FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST CLICK HERE

When you design your home to suit its climate, you can dramatically impact its long term energy costs. Not only this - achieving a specific level of energy efficiency is actually legislated in a lot of locations, and is required in order to achieve your necessary approvals.
So, I&rsquo;m bringing on an Energy Efficiency Consultant to share some fantastic information with us on this topic.
SHOW NOTES:
Tori Walker is the Principal Energy Rater at BERA, a company which seeks to &ldquo;Provide Excellence in Building Energy Ratings and Advice&rdquo;. She has been involved in the design and renovation of homes for over a decade, and has worked with Building Designers, Architects, Builders and Energy Assessors both privately and professionally during this time.
BERA has completed the necessary qualifications and registrations to rate homes in all States of Australia. It&rsquo;s worth understanding that the systems and requirements can vary across locations, and you need to work with someone certified for your region.
For the overseas listeners, I still recommend you stay tuned in, as I think that Tori&rsquo;s insight and suggestions on what makes an energy efficient home will be helpful for your location.
Some of the topics we discuss are:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">What an energy efficient home is.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Why is it important to know about the climate of where you&rsquo;re building or renovating.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">The National Construction Code requires Australian homes to achieve a 6 star energy rating &hellip; what does that actually mean?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">What&rsquo;s is the NatHERS assessment tool used to determine the star rating, and how does it get used.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">How hard is it to exceed the standard requirement of 6 stars, and how much is this impacted by where you are located?</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">What big mistakes Tori sees homeowners make, and also her big tips to get a great outcome for your energy efficient home and its assessment.</li>
</ol>
This actual step of assessing your energy efficiency can be something you are quite distanced from as a homeowner.
It may be that it doesn&rsquo;t occur until you&rsquo;re lodging your Building Approval with your Building Certifier, and they simply include it as part of their process. You see it on their fee proposal as a fee, and you receive an invoice for it - but you don&rsquo;t really understand what happens, and what it can mean for your project, your budget, and the long term feel and performance of your home.
It is great, if an energy efficient home is your goal, to work with a designer and / or builder who is experienced at doing this, and to also work with an experienced energy efficiency consultant who can help you measure your home&rsquo;s performance well, and make useful suggestions to improve it.
Tori has provided some great tips in this interview. Her business, BERA, services all of Australia.
FOR RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST <a href="https://undercoverarchitect.com/podcast-energy-efficient-home-design/">CLICK HERE</a>

If we haven’t met before, I’m Amelia Lee, the architect behind Undercover Architect: an online business to help and teach homeowners like you how to get it right when designing, building and renovating your home.

Undercover Architect is all about giving you access to the industry knowledge and insights you need to avoid the mistakes and dramas that can cost you thousands, tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. And it’s about levelling the playing field, so that the world of renovating and building doesn’t seem so mysterious, and you can be the active driver in your project, navigating it with know-how and confidence.

Undercover Architect helps and teaches homeowners through this podcast, the website, and online courses and programs, including my flagship program, HOME Method. I truly believe that when you know the questions to ask, the steps to take and the best way to create a home that works, feels great, and that you feel great in, you can enjoy the process of building and renovating, as well as the home you move into at the end of this ambitious journey.

Consider Undercover Architect your secret ally: whoever you’re working with, and whatever your location, your budget or your dreams. For more, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com

If we haven’t met before, I’m Amelia Lee, the architect behind Undercover Architect: an online business to help and teach homeowners like you how to get it right when designing, building and renovating your home.
Undercover Architect is all about giving you access to the industry knowledge and insights you need to avoid the mistakes and dramas that can cost you thousands, tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. And it’s about levelling the playing field, so that the world of renovating and building doesn’t seem so mysterious, and you can be the active driver in your project, navigating it with know-how and confidence.
Undercover Architect helps and teaches homeowners through this podcast, the website, and online courses and programs, including my flagship program, HOME Method. I truly believe that when you know the questions to ask, the steps to take and the best way to create a home that works, feels great, and that you feel great in, you can enjoy the process of building and renovating, as well as the home you move into at the end of this ambitious journey.
Consider Undercover Architect your secret ally: whoever you’re working with, and whatever your location, your budget or your dreams. For more, head to www.undercoverarchitect.com

Get It Right with Undercover Architect

When you design your home to suit its climate, you can dramatically impact its long term energy costs. Not only this - achieving a specific level of energy efficiency is actually legislated in a lot of locations, and is required in order to achieve your necessary approvals.  So, I’m bringing on an Energy Efficiency Consultant to share some fantastic information with us on this topic.

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