Energy Express Related News
Residential Building Thermal Performance Assessment
27 June, 2006
Hearne Scientific Software has released a new software program for modelling the energy usage of residential buildings in Australia.
The program is called AccuRate and enables building designers to better meet the new energy efficiency standards, for residential buildings, set in the 2006 Building Code of Australia. AccuRate was developed at CSIRO in consultation with the Australian Greenhouse Office and Hearne Scientific Software. The Hearne-CSIRO commercialisation program aims to bring technical, scientific and research software, developed in collaboration between CSIRO, Hearne Scientific Software and other research institutions, to the world wide market.
For residential building designers to meet the new building code of Australia standards, which are the strictest ever, they must use a second generation software modelling tool to verify the energy efficiency of their design. AccuRate is currently the only second generation software modelling tool to verify the energy efficiency of residential buildings. Furthermore, first generation software tools are expected to be phased out by mid 2007.
As Assessors wish to take up second Generation software, assessors will be required to complete the National Qualification prior to being able to use the software. The National Qualification is a short course in Residential Building Thermal Performance Assessment from Australia's Association of Building Sustainability Assessors.
By utilising AccuRate during building design, industry can create more energy efficient buildings and thus reduce the impact of Australia’s built environment on its natural environment.
As a result of the new Building Code of Australia and the AccuRate modelling software, new residential buildings in Australia will be more energy efficient. This means, for example, a reduction in electricity consumption by new buildings compared to previous designs. With electricity production in Australia predominantly from coal burning, the reduced consumption will mean reduced emission of greenhouse gases in Australia.
Modelling software has been used to rate buildings in Australia since the introduction of the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). NatHERS was a joint federal, state and territory government initiative in the early 1990’s. At the time CSIRO developed software that could calculate annual totals of hourly heating and cooling energy requirements for residential buildings. Star ratings were assigned on the basis of the sum of these requirements, and the star bands were set by each state or territory jurisdiction. The software program was also called NatHERS.
The AccuRate software is a greatly improved version of NatHERS, which has been used to rate residential buildings for more than 10 years. The limitations of NatHERS have been addressed in AccuRate. The key improvements are improved natural ventilation modelling, a library of standard building materials as well as the ability to enter new ones, improved modelling of roof spaces, sub-floor spaces, skylights and the availability of up to 50 thermal zones within one house model.
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Order AccuRate online from Hearne Scientific Software and delivery is free.
For more information regarding AccuRate please contact Hearne Scientific Software.