The NatHERS Software Accreditation Protocol (SAP) outlines the requirements and processes for the accreditation of new software tools and new versions of previously accredited tools.
The SAP uses up to eleven different dwelling designs which comprise of class 1 and class 2 dwellings of various sizes and floor plans. You may obtain access to the SAP dwelling designs by submitting a written request to the NatHERS Administrator at admin@nathers.gov.au. The subject of your email should be ‘Application for access to NatHERS SAP dwelling designs’ and should include a filled out Guidelines for using NatHERS SAP Designs form.
Software updates in 2022
National Construction Code (NCC) energy efficiency provisions were updated by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) on 1 October 2023. Find out more about the changes to NatHERS accredited software tools to support the National Construction Code 2022.
Minimum software requirements
All software must:
- Be based on well-established models that are in accordance with the principles of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics
- Include hourly calculations of heat flux across the building’s surfaces for every day of the year
- Include zoning of enclosable conditioned and unconditioned areas in a dwelling by function as described in the NatHERS Technical Note
- Produce hourly calculations aggregated to specific reporting requirements
- Use NatHERS climate zones and data
- Accord with NatHERS Energy Load, area adjustment and Starbanding modelling requirements
- Provide appropriate user training and support; and
- Meet all NatHERS software testing and accuracy requirements.
Key modelling inputs
Calculations must be accurate, representative of Australian conditions and comparable across different types of housing. The Software Accreditation Protocol requires all NatHERS accredited software tools to meet strict performance standards and requirements for variables including (but not limited to):
- Local climate and weather (including temperature, humidity, wind and sun)
- Thermal resistance and capacitance of building materials
- Window glazing values
- Occupancy patterns (including internal heat loads, typical occupancy times and occupancy behaviour)
- Window coverings (which are standardised for all ratings, noting they are likely to change over the life of the building)
- Different types of zones in the house and whether they are conditioned or unconditioned
- Thermostat settings (temperatures at which artificial heating/cooling is no longer required to achieve thermal comfort, noting this varies depending on climate zone)
- Shadowing/overshadowing by adjacent buildings and features
- Size of the building being assessed (noting smaller buildings generally have a larger wall surface area than bigger buildings).
For more information about some of these parameters, see:
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Accuracy Requirements
In order for new software to become NatHERS accredited, it must be rigorously tested. During testing the NatHERS Administrator or their agent, compare the results of multiple simulated NatHERS ratings against the benchmark software tool, Accurate.
Each simulation (one for each specified dwelling in each NatHERS climate zone) is run using the software tool developer’s own procedures and processes, as specified in its user manuals and guidance materials.
The results of each simulation are then compared against the results obtained by the benchmark tool when performing the same simulation.
All the individual simulations must achieve the following minimum result:
- The simulated heating load is within either ±10 per cent or ±10 MJ/m2.annum of the benchmark load; and
- The simulated cooling load is within either ±10 per cent or ±10 MJ/m2.annum of the benchmark load.
Furthermore, at least 95 per cent of the individual simulations must achieve the following more stringent result:
- The simulated heating load is within either ±5 per cent or ±5 MJ/m2.annum of the benchmark load; and
- The simulated cooling load is within either ±5 per cent or ±5 MJ/m2.annum of the benchmark load
OR - The Energy Rating must not be more than 0.2 stars different from the Energy Rating of the Benchmark Software.