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Energy efficient passive solar high performance 10-star challenge for keen designers and households

EERs are expressed in Stars, ranging from 0 stars for very poor performance, through

  • 4 stars - the minimum BCA requirement from 2003,
  • 5 stars - the minimum BCA requirement from 2006,
  • 6 stars - the minimum NCCrequirement from 2010,
  • 7 stars - the minimum NCCrequirement from 2022, up to
  • 10 stars for a home that needs no heating or cooling except for some de-humidification in torrid weather.

Clients seeking high performance will be guided by expert advice and parametric simulation of alternative designs and constructions to approach the "perfected" design outcome.


Indicative heating and cooling costs of high and low performing homes

These tables are based on electricity and natural gas prices current for Canberra from 1 July 2021 as published by ActewAGL.

For details of the other assumptions used to create these tables for the Canberra climate see MBA publication "5 Factors for Green Living" here.

The concept embodied in this table was first published in "Ethical Investment" Ross Knowles (Ed.), Choice Books, Sydney, 1997, "Investing in the Small Scale", chapter Investing in your own home by Trevor Lee, pages 97-105.

Update for electricity price commencing 1 July 2025.
* Input your preferred house size (75 to 500 m²) for tables below
  • Adelaide
  • Brisbane
  • Brisbane Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$1,484$1,145$835$607$455$366$304$242$186
    2$1,219$941$686$499$374$300$249$198$153
    3$1,026$792$577$420$315$253$210$167$129
    4$868$670$488$355$266$214$178$141$109
    5$728$562$410$298$224$180$149$119$91
    6$601$464$338$246$184$148$123$98$75
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$699$279$180$138$60
    Heating$1,651$432$279$213$90
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$220$88$57$43$19
    Heating$636$166$107$82$35
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Brisbane Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$1,586$1,224$892$649$487$391$325$258$199
    2$1,160$896$653$475$356$286$237$189$146
    3$916$707$516$375$281$226$187$149$115
    4$758$585$426$310$233$187$155$123$95
    5$646$499$364$265$198$159$132$105$81
    6$564$435$317$231$173$139$115$92$71
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$699$279$180$138$60
    Heating$1,511$395$255$195$82
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$220$88$57$43$19
    Heating$436$114$74$56$24
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Canberra
  • Canberra Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$5,697$4,158$2,994$2,148$1,545$1,116$845$582$326
    2$4,899$3,576$2,574$1,847$1,329$959$727$501$280
    3$4,205$3,069$2,210$1,586$1,141$824$624$430$240
    4$3,561$2,600$1,872$1,343$966$698$529$364$204
    5$2,945$2,150$1,548$1,111$799$577$437$301$168
    6$2,345$1,712$1,233$885$636$459$348$240$134
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$467$186$120$92$40
    Heating$4,237$1,109$716$547$231
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$118$47$31$23$10
    Heating$2,325$608$393$300$127
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Canberra Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$6,116$4,464$3,214$2,306$1,659$1,198$908$625$350
    2$4,475$3,267$2,352$1,688$1,214$877$664$457$256
    3$3,533$2,579$1,857$1,332$958$692$524$361$202
    4$2,921$2,132$1,535$1,102$792$572$434$299$167
    5$2,492$1,819$1,310$940$676$488$370$255$142
    6$2,174$1,587$1,143$820$590$426$323$222$124
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$467$186$120$92$40
    Heating$3,642$953$615$470$199
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$118$47$31$23$10
    Heating$1,498$392$253$193$82
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Darwin
  • Darwin Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$4,636$3,917$3,347$2,891$2,496$2,127$1,864$1,608$1,370
    2$3,396$2,869$2,452$2,118$1,829$1,558$1,366$1,178$1,004
    3$2,684$2,268$1,938$1,674$1,445$1,232$1,080$931$793
    4$2,222$1,877$1,604$1,385$1,196$1,020$894$771$657
    5$1,898$1,603$1,370$1,183$1,022$871$763$658$561
    6$1,658$1,400$1,197$1,034$893$761$667$575$490
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$2,471$986$636$487$211
    Heating$0$0$0$0$0
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$806$322$208$159$69
    Heating$0$0$0$0$0
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling
  • Hobart
  • Hobart Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$4,828$3,232$2,273$1,690$1,314$1,019$784$543$315
    2$4,180$2,798$1,968$1,463$1,138$882$679$470$273
    3$3,599$2,410$1,695$1,260$980$760$585$405$235
    4$3,050$2,042$1,436$1,068$830$644$496$343$199
    5$2,518$1,686$1,186$881$686$532$409$283$164
    6$1,997$1,337$940$699$544$422$325$225$130
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$149$60$38$29$13
    Heating$3,937$1,030$665$509$215
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$46$18$12$9$4
    Heating$1,820$476$307$235$99
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Hobart Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$3,919$2,624$1,845$1,372$1,067$827$637$441$256
    2$2,875$1,925$1,354$1,006$783$607$467$323$188
    3$2,275$1,523$1,071$796$619$480$370$256$149
    4$1,886$1,262$888$660$513$398$306$212$123
    5$1,612$1,079$759$564$439$340$262$181$105
    6$1,410$944$664$494$384$298$229$159$92
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$149$60$38$29$13
    Heating$2,423$634$409$313$132
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$46$18$12$9$4
    Heating$839$220$142$108$46
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Melbourne
  • Melbourne Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$2,857$1,927$1,322$950$711$538$412$292$166
    2$2,427$1,637$1,123$807$604$457$350$248$141
    3$2,074$1,399$960$690$516$391$299$212$121
    4$1,757$1,185$813$584$437$331$253$180$102
    5$1,460$984$676$485$363$275$210$149$85
    6$1,175$792$544$391$292$221$169$120$68
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$172$69$44$34$15
    Heating$3,807$996$643$492$208
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$53$21$14$10$5
    Heating$1,760$461$297$227$96
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Melbourne Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$2,691$1,815$1,245$895$670$507$388$275$156
    2$1,971$1,330$912$656$491$371$284$202$115
    3$1,558$1,051$721$518$388$293$225$159$91
    4$1,290$870$597$429$321$243$186$132$75
    5$1,101$743$510$366$274$207$159$113$64
    6$962$649$445$320$239$181$139$98$56
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$172$69$44$34$15
    Heating$2,795$731$472$361$152
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$53$21$14$10$5
    Heating$968$253$164$125$53
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Perth
  • Perth Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$2,675$1,974$1,325$877$630$513$396$279$169
    2$2,225$1,642$1,102$729$524$427$329$232$140
    3$1,885$1,391$933$618$444$361$279$197$119
    4$1,598$1,179$791$524$376$306$237$167$101
    5$1,339$988$663$439$315$257$198$140$85
    6$1,098$810$544$360$259$211$163$115$69
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$664$265$171$131$57
    Heating$1,674$438$283$216$91
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$227$91$58$45$19
    Heating$660$173$111$85$36
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Perth Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$2,770$2,044$1,371$908$652$531$410$289$175
    2$2,028$1,496$1,004$665$477$389$300$212$128
    3$1,602$1,182$793$525$377$307$237$167$101
    4$1,325$978$656$434$312$254$196$138$84
    5$1,131$835$560$371$266$217$168$118$71
    6$988$729$489$324$233$189$146$103$62
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$664$265$171$131$57
    Heating$1,440$377$243$186$79
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$227$91$58$45$19
    Heating$426$111$72$55$23
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Sydney
  • Sydney Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$1,966$1,065$658$486$392$305$235$172$110
    2$1,582$857$529$391$315$246$189$139$88
    3$1,317$714$441$325$262$205$157$115$73
    4$1,109$601$371$274$221$172$133$97$62
    5$932$505$312$230$186$145$111$82$52
    6$774$420$259$191$154$120$93$68$43
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$541$216$139$107$46
    Heating$2,158$565$364$279$118
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$131$52$34$26$11
    Heating$856$224$145$111$47
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Sydney Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$2,088$1,131$699$516$416$324$250$183$116
    2$1,527$827$511$377$304$237$182$134$85
    3$1,205$653$403$298$240$187$144$106$67
    4$996$539$333$246$198$155$119$87$56
    5$849$460$284$210$169$132$101$74$47
    6$740$401$248$183$147$115$88$65$41
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$541$216$139$107$46
    Heating$1,988$520$336$257$108
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$131$52$34$26$11
    Heating$591$155$100$76$32
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling


High performance ductwork is uncommon but it is commercially available and worth the investment. Contact Energy Partners for options in your area.

High Energy House is selected as a 2 Star house with 2 Star heaters and coolers.

Low Energy House is selected as a 6 Star house with 6 Star heaters and coolers.