HELP - Compulsory Solar Hot Water System as part of 6 Star Energy Rating?

[littletee]

Hi Guys,

Bit shocked as I just received my Building Permit and one of the Permit Conditions states "As part of your 6 start energy rating, you are required to install a solar hot water system achieving an energy performance of 60% solar gain".

My understanding is that it's compulsory to put either a Rain Water Tank with Pump OR Solar Hot Water on any new construction? I had worked out with the Builder that we were going to go with the former bypassing the Solar Hot Water so I'm shocked to see this as a condition now on the Building Permit.

Do you think they are saying that we MUST put in Solar Hot Water AND the Rain Water Tanks or is it just one or the other and should I clarify this with Council?

Anyone know about this and what's required under 6 star energy rating? Why would they have put this in, is it because it was stated in the 6 star energy report that we supplied to Council instead of the Rain Water Tanks and if so, do you think we can get this changed?

Thanks guys.

 

[Aaron_C]

With 6 star energy requirements, each 'environmentally friendly' feature gives you 'points'. The more you put in, the more points you get until you reach the required number of points for a 6 star rating. You need a certain number of points in each category (power, water etc).

An environmental consultant is the person who should have advised on this.

 

[Ocean Architect]

As a builder/developer seeing this stuff on the inside, I can attest that this 6 star energy rating stuff is the biggest pile of steaming bologna to come out in the industry for a long, long time.

 

[lizzie]

With 6 star energy requirements, each 'environmentally friendly' feature gives you 'points'. The more you put in, the more points you get until you reach the required number of points for a 6 star rating. You need a certain number of points in each category (power, water etc).

An environmental consultant is the person who should have advised on this.

Doesn't it also take into affect eaves, and glazing volume/rating, aspect etc?

What sort of heating were you looking at putting in? Obviously you need something more to comply so would an instant gas pass, or heat pump? It may be that council is making the easiest/laziest suggestion.

 

[RumpledElf]

As a builder/developer seeing this stuff on the inside, I can attest that this 6 star energy rating stuff is the biggest pile of steaming bologna to come out in the industry for a long, long time.

Talked to one builder and all they were doing was putting R5 insulation in the ceilings. Nothing else. And they got through to the required rating.

 

[marg4000]

Research solar hot water thoroughly.

Friends (older couple, kids left home) replaced their electric system with solar - and their electricity costs went UP!!

The old system was on the low cost concessional HW rate, and the solar boost is wired into the standard cost meter. If they switch off the boost they are having luke-warm showers, not a chosen option.
Marg

 

[RumpledElf]

Ours is electricity boosted - its on offpeak, hardly costs anything. Someone stuffed up there and put the solar HWS on the wrong system, should get it fixed.

 

[handyandy]

There was a requirement to drop the off peak connection where the solar was acquired under one of the government schemes.

In the end I got such a good price on the solar system I didn't put in the claim for the state solar rebate and maintained the off peak connection.

There are times when we do run out of hot water but we would have if we were solely on off peak and in fact we most probably run out less often than we used to.

When I initially turned on the system I switched of the boost and we worked fine with continuance hot water but that was the height of summer. Lasted for about 2 weeks before we had a cold spell and cold showers

This reply has prompted me to go and check my electricity bills.

Firstly it seems like we really are not saving much having the solar unit.

But more pointedly the billing and recording has changed between bills 2 years ago and the more recent bills.

Previously we would have a off peak night rate. This was up to march 2011. Mid march they invented a new rate called off peak extended hours rate. With the extended hour rate being 3.4c p kw more.

So the bottom line is that they have put up the off peak rate by apparently calling it another name.

We also have a smart meter that has 3 categories low, medium and high with the low charged out at 9.6c which is actually cheaper than the off peak rate. So maybe I need to rewire the solar booster to work on a timer and only turn it on to coincide with the low charge period (10pm -7 am)

I will call them on Monday to find out why we are no longer getting the off peak night rate.



Cheers