Why

• a 5 Star house is better for you
• 5 Star houses are better for Victoria

Better

• use of the sun
• building site choice
• materials
• design
• windows
• heating & cooling
• water management

Misc. Nav

• A few things you'll want to know about the 5
  Star standard
• Making the most of your 5 Star house
• Implementation of the 5 Star standard

Making the most of your 5 Star house.

A 5 Star house is more comfortable to live in, warmer in winter and cooler in summer, and can help reduce your heating and cooling costs. The extent of the savings will depend on you. Below are some tips to help you get the most out of your 5 Star home:

In winter

• Keep warm air in your house by drawing curtains on cold cloudy days and at night.
• Close windows and doors to avoid heat loss. Heating your home with a window open can increase your heating bills by as much as 25 per cent.
• Reduce the area to be heated by closing doors to rooms which don't require heating.
• If you have central heating in your house you may be able to close off some vents. Check your manufacturer's instructions to see whether you can cut your heating and cooling costs this way.
• Every degree higher you set your heating thermostat adds 10 per cent to your energy bill. Keep your heating thermostat to 21^oC or lower.

In summer

• On hot days keep hot air out of your house by drawing curtains.
• Unless you have deep eaves above your windows, use external blinds to stop the sun from hitting east, north and west facing windows.
• When cooling the house set the air conditioning thermostat to 24^oC or higher.

When choosing a new heater or air conditioner

• Select the product with the highest energy efficiency star rating.
• 5 Star houses need smaller capacity heaters and air conditioners. Make sure that your supplier sizes your appliance to take into account the fact that you are living in a 5 Star house.

How the 5 Star standard will be implemented.

When you obtain a building permit your building surveyor will check the design documentation for compliance with the 5 Star standard.

To achieve the 5 Star standard your new house will need to have:

• A 5 Star energy rating for the building fabric (walls, floors, ceilings, windows, air leakage points, glazing and other features), plus
• A rain water hank for toilet flushing, or
• A solar hot water system.

From 1 May 2008, the 5 Star standard will be extended to home renovations and relocations, taking full effect in the Building Code of Australia.

The new standard for renovations or relocations of existing homes does not require a rainwater tank for toilet flushing or a solar hot water system.