Understanding the EER Rating

of a House

What is an EER and why is it important? Access to the full EER Statement, can be
obtained from the vendor or real estate agent and
An Energy Efficiency Rating, or EER, is a rating should be available to any prospective buyers.
used to identify the energy efficiency of houses
in the ACT. Houses can achieve 0 to 10 stars in
the rating scheme. Houses with a higher EER
are more energy efficient and therefore use less Star-rating Estimated 10- Estimated annual
energy for heating and cooling, generate lower year running running cost for
greenhouse gas emissions, are more comfortable
cost 2012
and healthier to live in and have an improved
sale value.
0 $45 000 $4 500
Making the most of an EER when selling or more or more
your house
1 $31 000 $3 100
Before putting your house on the market, look
for simple, cost-effective ways to improve its
2 $21 000 $2 100
EER. For many Canberra homes, it is possible to
improve the star-rating without spending large
amounts of money. 3 $15 000 $1 500

A study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics of 4 $11 000 $1 100

houses sold in 2006 in Canberra showed that for
each increase in half a star the capital value of 5 $8 400 $840
the property increased by 2%.
http://www.nathers.gov.au/about/publications/pu
bs/eer-house-price-act.pdf 6 $6 400 $640
or less or less
Renovations such as adding insulation, blinds, or Energy supply/connection costs are not included
thermally effective curtains and pelmets can add
considerably to the EER rating reached but , use The cost estimates are based on the following
your EER statement to identify the relevant assumptions:
items for your house. Energy consumption data referenced from
http://www.nathers.gov.au/about/pubs/starba
Be sure to have your EER statement updated by
your assessor once the improvements to the nds.pdf
house are made so that this improvement reflects Estimates are for heating only, with
in your resale value. Canberra being an 90% heating dominated
climate
What to look for in an EER report. Estimates are an average of gas and heat
pump heating with gas at 80% efficiency
As well as looking at the existing EER of a
house, look for the recommended improvements and a heat pump co-efficient of performance
in the statement Improving your Rating so that (COP) of 3.0
you can assess the ease and cost of Home is 200m2 in area
implementing the recommendations.
After purchasing your house consider having
your home audited by the Home Energy Advice

www.heat.net.au ph:02 6260 6165 fax: 02 6260 6555 info@heat.net.au

Team to identify other potential energy-saving
measures. This ACT Energy Wise program costs
$30 and participants who spend at least $2,000
on energy efficiency improvements identified
during the audit will be eligible to receive a
$500 rebate from the ACT Government, plus a
refund of the $30 audit fee.
The Legal Requirements
Since March 1999 in the ACT, there has been a
requirement for mandatory disclosure of the
energy performance of all existing residential
properties that have been occupied and are
offered for sale. The EER statement can range
from 0 to 6 stars and must comply with the EER
Statement Definition, which is available on the
Internet at the ACTPLA website
(http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/publications_form
s/forms under Property Sales).
The energy rating must be disclosed in all
advertisements for sale and the EER Statement
forms part of the contract for sale. Accredited
ACT House Energy Rating Scheme Assessors
(see next section) will be able to advise you on
the requirements for your particular situation.
Since 2010 the ACT Government has required
that all new dwelling designs achieve an EER of
at least six stars.
If any existing dwelling is being extended, then
the extension design will require one of the
following:
1) If the property was built prior to March
1999 and does not have an energy rating,
then the extension must be built in
accordance with the current Building Code
of Australia. If the dwelling is sold, it will
require a mandatory disclosure energy rating
to be undertaken.
2) If the property already has an energy rating,
then the existing dwelling plus the design of
the extension needs to be energy rated, and
must as least meet the rating of the original
dwelling. This ensures that the extension
does not diminish the original energy
performance of the building.
www.heat.net.au ph:02 6260 6165 fax: 02 6260 6555 info@heat.net.au
How is a house rated?
An EER is done by an accredited ACT House
Energy Rating Scheme (ACTHERS) assessor
and may be organised by you or your real estate
agent for a cost of approximately $220-$660,
depending on the size of the house. A list of
accredited assessors can be found at the
ACTPLA website:-
http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/topics/hiring_licens
ing/employ_professional/energy_assessors.
An example of an EER statement with an
explanation of the meaning of each of its
elements is provided in the following pages.
The EER of a dwelling is usually determined
using a computer software program by the
assessor. Specific attributes of the house are
interpreted and entered into the program, which
generates a point score for that set of attributes;
for example, insulated walls and double-glazed
windows increase the score, while windows
without curtains and an absence of ceiling
insulation reduce the score. The total score
determines the star-rating of the house.
A one point score approximates to a 1 per cent
increase or decrease in energy efficiency, and
between 11 and 24 points increases the rating by
one star. If a house is not energy-efficient,
improving its value by 20 points will have a
substantial effect on its overall efficiency. This
information is valuable when considering
possible energy efficiency investments for re-
sale or reducing energy bills.
For new dwelling designs, the assessor will
generate a report from the software which will
give a detailed description of aspects of the
house used in assessing its EER.
For existing dwellings that have been occupied,
the report will also include options to improve
the EER of the dwelling. This can then be used
to assess the costs involved with such options,
and can be acted upon by either the vendor or
the purchaser as mentioned earlier.
Updated May 2012
 This stamp, when signed, validates the
report and identifies it has been conducted
by an accredited assessor

Indicates the energy rating

of your house out of a
potential 6 stars. Your
house may receive a
rating that includes a half
a star

Do not be concerned if
your house receives a
negative score. For
example, even a good
Different climates require
house, rated at four stars
different energy efficient
can receive a score as
designs. All Canberra
low as -10 (see next
houses are rated under
page). The negative
climate 24.
number comes from the
way in which data is
handled within the
program.

These details
provide reference Often FirstRate reports
to the house issued in the ACT will
audited have Unknown against
the Heating, Cooling
and Hot Water headings.
The assessor will insert
the rating if the
information is available. If
not, it will be shown as
Unknown. This does not
affect the EER.

www.heat.net.au ph:02 6260 6165 fax: 02 6260 6555 info@heat.net.au Updated May 2012
 IMPROVING YOUR RATING

Shows the point score

needed to achieve a
particular star-rating.

Shows current rating

compared to the
potential rating that
could be achieved if
the suggestions under
design options and
additional points are
implemented.

Lists what improvements can be The detail in which the The amount by which each
made in order to gain additional suggested change should suggested improvement will
points and increase the overall take place. increase your score.
star-rating.

What the EER does not cover

While the EER covers a range of energy efficiency measures, it is

important to understand what a FirstRate assessment does not cover.

As was noted on the sample front page of the EER report, the
heating, cooling and hot water systems are not rated and do not
affect the EER. Lighting systems and other appliances are not
considered in the EER either. The website
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/ provides information on the energy
efficiency ratings of the most energy-hungry appliances and can be a
useful tool when equipping your new home or looking to replace
existing appliances. The website deals only with gas and electric
water heaters. For a rating of solar water heaters, go to
www.orer.gov.au/hot-water-systems/, which also covers heat pumps

www.heat.net.au ph:02 6260 6165 fax: 02 6260 6555 info@heat.net.au Updated May 2012