Encouraging research and development Strategic Goal: The benchmark software and the accredited software tools will have improved functionality and ability to accurately model building thermal performance. Key Achievements: Research Collaboration Maintaining the currency of the NatHERS software with – new science and materials, and ensuring existing assumptions are robust, is essential to maintaining its efficacy as a modelling tool. Through 2015-16 the NatHERS Administrator worked on activities that improved the efficacy of the software tools, and engaged through the TAC and in collaboration with the CRCLCL to ensure the latest information has been included. The Technical Advisory Committee developed and prioritised a list of NatHERS software updates in 2015-16. This list is being used as a basis for the forward work plan and the 2019 National Construction Code updates. Action Deliverable Participants Status a) Review the universal Amendments to NA NEEBP Phase 2 assessment certificate in the assessment EEAT commenced and paper response to the experience certificate AAOs released. Additional work of assessors and certifiers format if Software on NEEBP during 2016-17 and the results of NEEBP required. providers will be used to inform a phase 2 projects. review of the certificate. b) Encourage consistency Work with NA Due to a change in software in use of software tools by TAC priorities this activity was all assessors through providers to see Software not progressed in investigating how internal what is viable. providers It remains on the rule and logic checks and Incorporate any forward work plan. help information from the changes in the Technical Notes can be next version of incorporated into the NatHERS tools. software. c) Obtain agreement with New MOU NA Significant progress was CSIRO regarding the between the CSIRO made in 2015-16 on the NatHERS maintenance and further CSIRO/NatHERS development of the Administrator agreement. This will be Chenath engine. and CSIRO finalised in 2016-17. d) Research on the impacts Preliminary NA Preliminary analysis to ratings from proposed Impact Analysis EEAT performed in 2015 and expansion of the number of undertaken and EWG reported to EEAT in March climate zones and update of presented to CSIRO 2016, but inconclusive climate files (and inform if a EEAT. results led to a call for an formal RIS is necessary) extension of research which now continues. e) Look at design features Incorporated in NA Included in list of priorities and software settings for the work TAC for TAC during 2016-17. apartments as a growing program of the sector of residential building TAC
Encouraging research and development Strategic Goal: The benchmark software and the accredited software tools will have improved functionality and ability to accurately model building thermal performance. Key Achievements: Research Collaboration – Maintaining the currency of the NatHERS software with new science and materials, and ensuring existing assumptions are robust, is essential to maintaining its efficacy as a modelling tool. Through 2015-16 the NatHERS Administrator worked on activities that improved the efficacy of the software tools, and engaged through the TAC and in collaboration with the CRCLCL to ensure the latest information has been included. The Technical Advisory Committee developed and prioritised a list of NatHERS software updates in 2015-16. This list is being used as a basis for the forward work plan and the 2019 National Construction Code updates. Action Deliverable Participants Status a) Review the universal assessment certificate in response to the experience of assessors and certifiers and the results of NEEBP phase 2 projects. Amendments to the assessment certificate format if required. NA EEAT AAOs Software providers NEEBP Phase 2 commenced and paper released. Additional work on NEEBP during 2016-17 will be used to inform a review of the certificate. b) Encourage consistency in use of software tools by all assessors through investigating how internal rule and logic checks and help information from the Technical Notes can be incorporated into the software. Work with software providers to see what is viable. Incorporate any changes in the next version of NatHERS tools. NA TAC Software providers Due to a change in priorities this activity was not progressed in It remains on the forward work plan. c) Obtain agreement with CSIRO regarding the maintenance and further development of the Chenath engine. New MOU between the NatHERS Administrator and CSIRO NA CSIRO Significant progress was made in 2015-16 on the CSIRO/NatHERS agreement. This will be finalised in 2016-17. d) Research on the impacts to ratings from proposed expansion of the number of climate zones and update of climate files (and inform if a formal RIS is necessary) Preliminary Impact Analysis undertaken and presented to EEAT. NA EEAT EWG CSIRO Preliminary analysis performed in 2015 and reported to EEAT in March 2016, but inconclusive results led to a call for an extension of research which now continues. e) Look at design features and software settings for apartments as a growing sector of residential building Incorporated in the work program of the TAC NA TAC Included in list of priorities for TAC during 2016-17.
2016%20NatHERS%20Annual%20Report.docx