What are the major contrasts between NCC 2016 & NCC 2019 Energy Efficiency provisions?

As the Australian building market grows, so grows more concerns for energy use, environmental impacts and cost-efficiency in the pre-construction phase. One can oversee these concerns by chasing the breadcrumbs of changes to the National Construction Code.

NCC 2019 is in practice from 1 May 2020 and changes to its energy efficiency sections (both for Vol 1.0 & Vol 2.0) were the biggest since its introduction over a decade ago. The underlying differences are discussed in this article for both the residential and commercial section. This article covers all you need to know about the degree of these changes in the energy efficiency provisions.

NCC 2019

Residential section – NCC Vol 2.0 changes

Generally, there is no difference in energy efficiency provisions between NCC 2016 and NCC 2019, having only one big exception that is VURB: It’s harder now to reach compliance using this method.

VURB is a compliance Performance Solution proposed by the NCC to reach beyond the rigid Deemed To Satisfy (DtS) provisions. NCC 2016 expected you to compare your building with all its material and construction details (Proposed Building) to the same building having minimum requirements mandated by the NCC (Reference Building). This means the Reference Building floor construction, wall materials, roof lights, ceiling height is the same as the Proposed Building. However, since NCC 2019, a unique Reference Building is preferred in the eyes of the NCC.

NCC 2019 Reference Building is a building having brick veneer walls under a pitched roof with a slope of 23 degrees. Its concrete slab on ground floor is aligned with a 2.4m high ceiling. And also, no skylight is allowed!

Compared to NCC 2016, you have a hard time reaching compliance with the VURB method. The more your building is different from the mentioned Reference Building, the more obstacles arise in the way of compliance. Read more

There is no difference in energy efficiency provisions between NCC 2016 and NCC 2019, having only one big exception that is VURB: It’s harder now to reach compliance using this method.

Commercial section – NCC Vol 1.0 changes

Compared to NCC 2016, changes to Section J in NCC 2019 were the biggest since its introduction over a decade ago. In NCC 2019, there are more ways to comply with the requirements of JP1 (energy use). With respect to insulation and glazing thermal performance, NCC 2019 is far less demanding; however, the lack of building performance is traded off for more energy-efficient mechanical services. The underlying changes to NCC 2016 Vol 1.0 Section J could be summarized as below:

  • Two new Verification Methods for energy compliance.
  • New regulations for JV3 Performance Solution.
  • Decrease in building fabric and glazing thermal performance requirements.
  • Increase in mechanical systems and equipment performance requirements.

Further in this article, we focus more on the details of each mentioned changes.

Commercial NCC 2019

Compared with NCC 2016, lack of building performance is traded off for more energy-efficient mechanical services.

Detailed updates to NCC 2016 Vol 1.0

NCC 2019
NCC 2019

Did you know?

Since May 2020, we managed to save lots of money for our clients using JV3 modelling. we traded off mandatory insulation required to their existing floors with other low-cost solutions (e.g. added insulation to the roof or walls).