Enhance Your Home with an Outdoor Living Area

Many homeowners ask whether features such as a patio, deck, or alfresco space will impact their home’s energy rating, and in Queensland (and parts of WA) the answer is definitely “Yes” – provided the area meets the criteria specified in the National Construction Code.

An outdoor living area can enhance your home’s amenability – and increase your NatHERS Star rating by as much as 1.0 star in Queensland (and parts of WA). This can significantly reduce the cost impact on your home of other Energy Efficiency requirements.

Read more below on the NCC (National Construction Code) requirements to ensure your design matches and can take full advantage of the NatHERS credits.

Available NatHERS Star Credits for Qualifying Outdoor Living Areas

+0.5 Star

For designs with a qualifying outdoor living area

+1.0 Star

For designs with a qualifying outdoor living area and qualifying ceiling fan(s)

Requirements for an outdoor living area (Class 1 Building)

The National Construction Code defines an outdoor living area as a space that:

  1. is directly adjoining, and directly accessible from, a general purpose living area of a Class 1 building such as a lounge, kitchen, dining or family room, which is not a room for sleeping or specialist tasks such as a study or home theatre; and
  2. has a floor area greater than or equal to 12.0 m2; and
  3. has length and width dimensions greater than or equal to 2.5 m each; and
  4. has an opening height above floor level greater than or equal to 2.1 m; and
  5. has one side permanently open with a second side either permanently open; or readily openable,  greater than or equal to 900 mm from an allotment boundary or other breeze obstruction
  6. Has a roof achieving R 1.5 down (see note below)

 

Requirements for Class 2 (apartment) building outdoor living areas are slightly

different, and found in the QDC MP 4.1 v1.15.

    Requirements for a Ceiling Fan

    For the Outdoor Living Area to qualify for the full 1 star credit, the Fan must:

    1. be permanently installed; and
    2. have a speed controller; and
    3. serve the whole room, with the floor area that a single fan serves not exceeding:
      1. 15 m² if it has a blade rotation diameter of less than 1200mm; and
      2. 25 m² if it has a blade rotation diameter of greater than or equal to 1200mm.

    Unpacking the Requirements

    Opening Height

    The opening height in (4) above is to provide a breeze path and is (in most cases) the measurement from the floor to the underside of a perimeter beam. It is not a ceiling height measurement. It is also not a height for mounting a ceiling fan or the height of ceiling fan blades above the floor. These dimensions need to be determined considering the activities in the space, the safety of occupants of the space and any appropriate safety standards.

    A side referred to in (5) may contain some obstructions such as columns and barriers. Where an open side is required to have a 1 m barrier, consideration as to the type (wire, solid or other) should be made with regard to the overall opening area of the two sides.

      Fan Requirements

      The legislation adds a 0.5 star credit just for having a fan in your outdoor living area – that’s a lot!  There is a specific requirement that the fan (or fans) be sufficiently sized to serve the whole area. A small fan (< 1200mm diameter) can only serve up to 15m², while a larger fan can only serve up to 25 m².

      So for some larger outdoor living areas, multiple fans may be required.  Some clients prefer a much larger single fan (for example, Big Ass Fans) – we can often develop a specific Performance Solution to allow for this too.

        Insulated Roof

        The “R 1.5 Down” requirement is a measure of heat flow in a downward direction. For outdoor living area roofs, this can be achieved by installing one of the following:

        1. Cellular reflective insulation under the roof, or
        2. R 1.3 foil faced blanket (e.g. Bradford Anticon) under the roof, or
        3. R 1.5 (or greater) bulk insulation on the ceiling, or
        4. Minimum 75mm EPS panel

        Get the Advice You Need for Your Project

        Need more help on making the most of your Outdoor Living Area? Whether you need an initial review of your options, or help with detailed options, we’re ready to help. Reach out to us today for tailored advice and take the first step towards a more sustainable and comfortable living environment.

        Contact Us Today