What is a Whole of Home Assessment?
A Whole of Home Assessment (WoH) evaluates how energy-efficient your entire home is—not just the building envelope, but also the appliances that consume energy daily.
Introduced under NCC 2022, the NatHERS Whole of Home rating assesses the annual energy consumption of:
- Heating and cooling systems
- Hot water systems
- Lighting
- On-site renewable energy (solar PV)
- Pool and spa pumps
- Cooking appliances
- Major plug-in appliances (optional)
This results in a Whole of Home rating out of 100, and contributes to your compliance under the updated energy efficiency provisions in the NCC.
Why Whole of Home Assessments Are Now Required
Under NCC Volume Two Part H6, homes must now demonstrate compliance in two key areas:
- Thermal Performance
This refers to the building’s ability to maintain comfort passively, and is measured through the 7-Star NatHERS Energy Rating.
- Energy Usage
This is where the Whole of Home Scorecard comes in. It evaluates appliance efficiency, energy loads, and solar contribution to ensure overall performance.
A minimum score of 60 out of 100 is required to pass. This represents a well-performing home, where energy use is aligned with comfort, affordability, and sustainability.
Two Options for Whole of Home Assessments
There are two approved methods for preparing a Whole of Home Assessment:
Software-Based Whole of Home Assessment
This is the preferred and most accurate option. We use NatHERS-accredited software tools like FirstRate5 and Hero to model your design and appliances in detail. This method is required for projects:
- With complex systems or design layouts
- Where high-performance outcomes are needed
- Involving energy-efficient upgrades or solar integration
The software models energy usage over every hour of the year and provides a detailed breakdown of performance, compliance, and improvement opportunities.
NCC Whole of Home Scorecard
This is a simpler scorecard tool provided under the NCC 2022 guidelines and can be used for buildings up to 500m². It is best suited for straightforward designs or when limited appliance details are available early in the project.
The NCC WoH Scorecard:
- Is quicker to complete
- Uses standardised assumptions
- Can assist with early-stage compliance checks
We’ll let you know which method is best for your project after reviewing your plans and objectives.
How We Prepare a Whole of Home Report
We complete our WoH reports using approved NatHERS software tools—FirstRate5 and Hero—that are designed to model the full energy profile of your home. Our assessment process includes the following steps:
- Importing your plans and modelling your home in detail
- Assigning appliance specifications or generic defaults (if unknown)
- Evaluating performance of systems like heating, cooling, and hot water
- Calculating solar contribution and battery offsets
- Analysing lighting types and internal plug loads (if required)
We then produce a Whole of Home Scorecard, which clearly identifies:
- Star Rating (thermal envelope)
- Energy usage in MJ/m²/year
- Recommendations for improving compliance or reducing cost
- Appliance and solar sizing suggestions
What’s Included in Your WoH Assessment
At the end of the process, you’ll receive a detailed package of documentation and practical recommendations tailored to your project:
- A compliant Whole of Home Certificate (required under NCC 2022)
- Appliance performance summary
- System recommendations (e.g. reverse cycle vs gas)
- Solar sizing estimate
- Report and model files for submission
We also provide tailored advice for cost-saving substitutions, including:
- Low-energy water heating options
- Efficient reverse cycle heating/cooling units
- LED lighting and smart switching
- PV system trade-offs for smaller sites
When to Do a Whole of Home Assessment
We recommend you engage us at the design stage, alongside the 7-star thermal performance report. This allows you to:
- Optimise appliance choices early
- Ensure solar panel space is allocated
- Avoid expensive last-minute changes before your building permit
- Coordinate with your builder and designer for cost-effective solutions
What We Need From You to Get Started
To complete a Whole of Home assessment, we’ll need the following project details and documentation:
- Construction drawings (site plan, floor plan, elevations, section)
- Window schedule
- Nomination of major appliances (if known)
- Information on solar PV system (if included)
- Any client preferences or budget considerations
If appliance specs aren’t finalised, we’ll use NatHERS default values and highlight where performance can be improved.
Why Choose Us
We’ve completed hundreds of NatHERS Whole of Home Assessments since the NCC 2022 transition. Our experience allows us to:
- Maximise your score while minimising build cost
- Recommend smart, code-compliant solutions
- Integrate the WoH assessment with your thermal rating and BESS
Whether you’re an architect, builder or homeowner, we’ll help you achieve compliance with confidence.
Our fast & efficient process
Getting a 6 Star Energy Rating does not need to be timely, confusing or expensive.
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