ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES · VICTORIA
Energy-Efficient Homes in Victoria: What to Decide Before You Build or Renovate
Energy performance is much easier to design in than to retrofit later.
Short answer
For a new Victorian home, energy efficiency should be addressed from the first design decisions through orientation, building form, insulation, glazing, air sealing and efficient fixed appliances. Victoria currently requires new homes to meet minimum 7-star NatHERS and Whole-of-Home requirements, and from 1 January 2027 new homes with permits issued from that date are generally required to be all-electric, subject to the applicable rules and exemptions.
Victoria requires 7-star energy performance for new homes
Updated National Construction Code energy standards have applied in Victoria since 1 May 2024. New homes must meet a minimum 7-star NatHERS rating together with a Whole-of-Home energy-use budget.
The rating is affected by the building envelope, orientation, glazing, insulation and other design choices, so the energy assessor should be involved before documentation is finished.
From 1 January 2027, new-home electrification rules change
The Victorian Government has announced that new homes and full knockdown rebuilds with building permits issued on or after 1 January 2027 must generally be all-electric, subject to the published transition rules and exemptions.
That makes electrical capacity, induction cooking, heat-pump hot water, heating and cooling, solar and EV readiness increasingly important design considerations.
The building envelope usually gives the best long-term return
- ✓Appropriate insulation levels
- ✓High-performing windows and frames
- ✓Good seals around openings
- ✓Reduced unwanted air leakage
- ✓Summer shading
- ✓Thoughtful window placement
- ✓Compact, efficient building form
Renovations need a staged strategy
An existing house cannot always be upgraded to new-home performance economically in one project, but renovation is an opportunity to improve insulation, windows, draught sealing, appliances and solar access where the work already opens those parts of the building.
Prioritise measures that are difficult to access after plaster, flooring or external cladding is complete.
Questions homeowners ask
Do new homes in Victoria need a 7-star rating?+
Yes. Victoria introduced the NCC 2022 7-star and Whole-of-Home energy standards for new homes from 1 May 2024.
Will new Victorian homes need to be all-electric in 2027?+
Under the announced Victorian rules, new homes and full knockdown rebuilds with building permits issued on or after 1 January 2027 are generally required to be all-electric, subject to transition provisions and exemptions.
Is double glazing mandatory?+
Not automatically in every design. The required performance can be achieved through a combination of orientation, insulation, glazing and other measures assessed for the specific home.
When should the energy assessor be involved?+
Early enough for the design to respond to the assessment before windows, orientation and construction details become difficult to change.
Ready to discuss your project?
Tell EBC what you are planning and we will help you work through the practical next steps.
EBC services Melbourne's Eastern Suburbs. View service areas.
Related EBC pages
- Home Orientation and Passive Design
- Now-or-Never Building Inclusions
- New Home Building Costs
- 2027 Melbourne Home Design Trends