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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 2024.
* Input your preferred house size (75 to 500 m²) for tables below
  • Adelaide
  • Brisbane
  • Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$1,512$1,168$851$619$464$373$310$246$190
    2$1,107$855$623$453$340$273$227$180$139
    3$874$675$492$358$268$216$179$142$110
    4$723$558$407$296$222$178$148$118$91
    5$617$476$347$253$189$152$126$100$77
    6$539$416$303$220$165$133$110$88$68
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$666$266$172$131$57
    Heating$1,585$415$268$205$86
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$210$84$54$41$18
    Heating$610$160$103$79$33
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$1,512$1,168$851$619$464$373$310$246$190
    2$1,107$855$623$453$340$273$227$180$139
    3$874$675$492$358$268$216$179$142$110
    4$723$558$407$296$222$178$148$118$91
    5$617$476$347$253$189$152$126$100$77
    6$539$416$303$220$165$133$110$88$68
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$666$266$172$131$57
    Heating$1,440$377$243$186$79
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$210$84$54$41$18
    Heating$416$109$70$54$23
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Canberra
  • Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$5,320$3,675$2,600$1,906$1,443$1,100$801$513$237
    2$4,585$3,167$2,240$1,642$1,244$948$691$442$204
    3$3,941$2,722$1,926$1,412$1,069$815$594$380$176
    4$3,341$2,308$1,632$1,197$906$690$503$322$149
    5$2,764$1,909$1,351$990$750$571$416$267$123
    6$2,203$1,521$1,076$789$598$455$332$212$98
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$424$169$109$83$36
    Heating$4,130$1,081$697$533$225
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$108$43$28$21$9
    Heating$2,266$593$383$293$124
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$5,370$3,710$2,624$1,924$1,457$1,110$809$518$239
    2$3,932$2,716$1,921$1,409$1,067$813$592$379$175
    3$3,106$2,145$1,518$1,113$843$642$468$299$138
    4$2,569$1,775$1,256$921$697$531$387$248$115
    5$2,193$1,515$1,072$786$595$453$330$211$98
    6$1,915$1,323$936$686$519$396$288$185$85
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$424$169$109$83$36
    Heating$3,304$865$558$427$180
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$108$43$28$21$9
    Heating$1,359$356$229$175$74
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Darwin
  • Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$4,504$3,805$3,252$2,808$2,425$2,067$1,811$1,562$1,331
    2$3,300$2,788$2,383$2,058$1,777$1,514$1,327$1,145$975
    3$2,609$2,204$1,884$1,627$1,405$1,197$1,049$905$771
    4$2,160$1,825$1,560$1,347$1,163$991$869$749$638
    5$1,845$1,559$1,332$1,151$994$847$742$640$545
    6$1,612$1,362$1,164$1,005$868$740$648$559$477
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$2,399$958$618$473$205
    Heating$0$0$0$0$0
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$782$312$201$154$67
    Heating$0$0$0$0$0
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Hobart
  • Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$4,603$3,081$2,167$1,611$1,253$972$748$518$300
    2$3,984$2,667$1,876$1,394$1,085$841$647$448$260
    3$3,433$2,298$1,616$1,202$935$725$558$386$224
    4$2,913$1,950$1,372$1,020$793$615$473$328$190
    5$2,411$1,614$1,135$844$656$509$392$271$157
    6$1,920$1,286$904$672$523$405$312$216$125
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$150$60$39$30$13
    Heating$3,695$967$624$477$202
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$46$18$12$9$4
    Heating$1,708$447$288$221$93
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$3,945$2,641$1,858$1,381$1,074$833$641$444$258
    2$2,894$1,937$1,363$1,013$788$611$470$326$189
    3$2,290$1,533$1,078$801$623$483$372$258$149
    4$1,898$1,270$894$664$517$401$308$213$124
    5$1,623$1,086$764$568$442$343$264$183$106
    6$1,419$950$668$497$386$300$231$160$93
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$150$60$39$30$13
    Heating$2,439$638$412$315$133
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$46$18$12$9$4
    Heating$845$221$143$109$46
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Melbourne
  • Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$2,771$1,869$1,282$921$689$522$400$284$161
    2$2,351$1,586$1,088$782$585$443$339$241$137
    3$2,009$1,355$930$668$500$378$290$206$117
    4$1,704$1,149$789$567$424$321$246$174$99
    5$1,419$957$657$472$353$267$205$145$82
    6$1,146$773$530$381$285$216$165$117$67
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$174$70$45$34$15
    Heating$3,615$946$610$467$197
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$53$21$14$11$5
    Heating$1,671$437$282$216$91
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$2,722$1,836$1,260$905$677$513$393$279$158
    2$1,994$1,345$923$663$496$376$288$204$116
    3$1,576$1,063$729$524$392$297$227$161$92
    4$1,304$880$604$434$325$246$188$133$76
    5$1,114$751$516$370$277$210$161$114$65
    6$973$656$450$324$242$183$140$100$57
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$174$70$45$34$15
    Heating$2,828$740$478$365$154
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$53$21$14$11$5
    Heating$980$256$165$127$53
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Perth
  • Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$3,240$2,391$1,604$1,062$763$621$480$338$204
    2$2,581$1,905$1,278$846$608$495$382$269$163
    3$2,142$1,580$1,061$702$504$411$317$224$135
    4$1,806$1,333$894$592$425$346$267$189$114
    5$1,528$1,128$757$501$360$293$226$160$96
    6$1,285$948$636$421$303$246$190$134$81
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$924$369$238$182$79
    Heating$1,635$428$276$211$89
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$315$126$81$62$27
    Heating$645$169$109$83$35
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$3,834$2,829$1,899$1,256$903$735$568$400$242
    2$2,803$2,068$1,388$918$660$537$415$293$177
    3$2,211$1,631$1,095$724$520$424$327$231$140
    4$1,826$1,347$904$598$430$350$270$191$115
    5$1,556$1,148$771$510$366$298$230$162$98
    6$1,356$1,001$672$444$319$260$201$142$86
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$924$369$238$182$79
    Heating$2,002$524$338$259$109
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$315$126$81$62$27
    Heating$592$155$100$76$32
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

  • Sydney
  • Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    Gas Furnace and Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$1,841$998$616$455$367$286$220$161$103
    2$1,486$805$497$367$296$231$178$130$83
    3$1,240$672$415$306$247$193$148$109$69
    4$1,046$567$350$258$208$163$125$92$58
    5$880$477$295$217$175$137$105$77$49
    6$732$397$245$181$146$114$88$64$41
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$495$198$128$98$42
    Heating$2,051$537$346$265$112
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$120$48$31$24$10
    Heating$814$213$137$105$44
    Indicative Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home with ducts in the ceiling

    Home Energy Rating Stars (EER)
    All Electric
    Reverse Cycle Air Conditioner
    Energy Rating Stars
    Star123456789
    1$1,914$1,037$641$473$381$297$229$168$107
    2$1,400$759$469$346$279$218$167$123$78
    3$1,105$599$370$273$220$172$132$97$62
    4$914$495$306$226$182$142$109$80$51
    5$779$422$261$193$155$121$93$68$43
    6$680$368$228$168$135$106$81$60$38
    Annual Energy Costs for a 200 m² single storey home

    DuctsFoilR0.6R1.0R1.5R3.0
    High Energy
    House
    Cooling$495$198$128$98$42
    Heating$1,820$476$307$235$99
    Low Energy
    House
    Cooling$120$48$31$24$10
    Heating$541$142$91$70$30
    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.