Electronic Blueprint - New BCA energy efficient requirements 
The ABCB (Australian Building Codes Board) has outlined its plans for increaseing the energy and greenhouse gas stringency of the BCA (Building Code of Australia). This article provides comment on only the principal points, and a more comprehensive presentation is available from the ABCB. The scope of the BCA provisions will be extended from energy alone, to include greenhouse gas emissions, which are directly related to energy. In very broad terms, there will be a general increase in stringency; - From 5 stars to 6 stars for housing.
- From approximately 3 - 4 stars to 6 stars (average) and 5 stars (minimum) for other residential buildings.
- A benefit/cost increase of 2 for other buildings.
The new provisions will not cover saving water, reducing resource depletion, minimizing land use, eliminating toxicity and the like. They will cover only the building operational energy and operational greenhouse gas liberation; they will not include considerations of embodied energy (or embodied greenhouse gas). This is quite a different approach from that of many other ecolabelling systems, which rely heavily on embodied characteristics, often ignoring operational energy effects; and place increased emphasis on other environmental factors (water, land, toxicity etc). Electronic Blueprint strongly supports the ABCB-BCA approach. See also the comment box below. The proposed timetable for the new provisions is; - Early June 2009 BCA Text changes will be available.
- Early September 2009 RIS will be available.
- Early December 2009 The decision to proceed will be made.
- January 2010 Electronic BCA will be available.
- February 2010 Hard copy BCA will be available.
- Early 2010 Seminars etc.
- 1 May 2010 Formal adoption of revised BCA.
Significant changes are; - The DTS (Deemed-to-Satisfy) thermal resistance requirements have been increased to reflect the increased stringency. This may have a small effect on the DTS of some wall, roof and floor systems.
- The required thermal resistance tables for walls are now split in two - one for high thermal mass and the other for low thermal mass. This is a positive move, since it entrenches the thermal mass concept. However, it will still be affected by the general increase in required thermal resistance.
- There is to be a review of the requirements for the thermal break and colour of roofs and walls.
- There will be a review of Verification Method JV3.
- There will be "no trading" between various components. It is not yet clear what is intended here and what will be the effect.
- There will be a "tightening of exemptions and concessions." It is not yet clear what is intended here, but it is likely to affect at least some of the heavy masonry concessions.
- There will be significant changes to the provision of hot water systems and air conditioning systems.
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