Why the regulations?Five Star

With the impacts of climate change and global warming widely accepted as a reality, both the Victorian and Australian governments have responded to the challenge by setting targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the Victorian Government's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, 2005 saw the introduction of the 5 Star standard for new homes come into effect. It is estimated that within five years of its introduction, 5 Star for new homes will deliver up to $40 million in annual energy savings. A saving of 600,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions is anticipated over the same period - the equivalent of removing 150,000 cars from our roads or planting 750,000 trees.

While this is a sizeable impact, it only relates to a small proportion of all Victorian homes - those built since 5 Star came into effect. Existing older dwellings represent more than 95 per cent of housing stock in Victoria, so improving the energy efficiency of these buildings is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the impact of climate change. That is why the Victorian Government made a commitment to require alterations to existing homes to achieve a 5 Star energy performance.

Requiring a 5 Star energy rating for renovations and relocated homes from 1 May 2008 brings Victoria into line with the national standard in the Building Code of Australia. This delivers benefits to the environment as well as to residents. It is estimated that energy efficiency levels for heating and cooling of the upgraded dwellings are expected to increase by 40-50 per cent compared with the old insulation regulations that have been in force since the early 1990s. If you are planning to build, renovate or relocate a house in Victoria it is important to ensure your design takes into account the flexible, performance-based 5 Star energy efficiency requirements.