Table – NEV Building Ratings Scheme Summary - The Initial Minimum Reduction Levels
CATEGORY | SUB-CATEGORY | GOAL | MEASUREMENT CRITERIA | INITIAL VILLAGE MINIMUM* |
Water | Potable Water Usage | Conserve drinking water from NEV dam | Water efficient devices; Water effective landscaping & gardens; Use of recycled water in house; Strategies for high water demand features e.g. irrigation | 70% reduction |
Stormwater Greywater & Black-Water Management | Conserve drinking water; reduce stormwater, greywater, blackwater; consume recyclable surplus | Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD); how stormwater is harvested; ponds; rain gardens; infiltration systems; buffers incl. water tanks; swales; waterless toilets; where recycled water is utilised | 70% reduction | |
Energy | Thermal Performance | Decrease Energy usage | Passive solar house design considering orientation, windows, insulation, thermal mass, shading and ventilation | 7 stars’ minimum** |
Energy | Other Energy Usage | Decrease Other Energy usage | Building Management System (BMS); Heating & cooling methods; Hot water units; Appliances; Lighting (type, flexibility & optimizing); Standby power usage; Clothes drying | 70% reduction |
Renewable Energy | To at least meet annual demand | Photovoltaic panels | At least meet annual demand | |
Peak Power Demand | Reduce summer and winter peak loading | Standby switches/ power boards; Energy monitoring system; Basic control system e.g. timer; Remote control system (app?); Separate circuits for non-essential appliances; load shifting by Electricity Provider; have PV plus battery system; western facing panels; panel pitch to suit winter sun angle; surplus renewable energy above that required to meet the energy demand over the year | (Points are awarded for these items) | |
Materials | Materials | Lower the health & environmental impact of materials for sourcing, production and disposal | Having a minimum amount of materials; being durable; designing for ease of deconstruction at end of building life; low embodied energy; high recycled content; natural and renewable resource materials; low human health impact materials; locally sourced materials | (Points are awarded for these items) |
Waste | Waste | Domestic and construction | Recycle waste streams; reuse and recycling of construction wastes; design to minimise offcuts & waste with prefabrication, using standard sizes etc. | (Points are awarded for these items) |
| Indoor | Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) | Optimum ventilation & acoustics; low pollutant level | Sealing of house; daylighting; type of walling, flooring and design for the acoustic consideration of neighbours; low emission materials, control of mould and condensation | |
| Innovation | Innovation | Foster new ideas | Owners to demonstrate how elements exceed Category minimums | (Points are awarded if other Categories are exceeded) |
| Other | Other
| Adaptability; Resilience; Noise; Livability | (Points are awarded for these items) | Meet bushfire requirements; design for low noise |
Notes
* Initial Minimum reduction in the BASIX benchmark of average NSW household usage per person (in 2004).
** Owners should aim to have their dwellings achieve more than 7 stars where costs are not prohibitive. This will help to provide a higher average Narara Ecovillage Standard across all Categories.
