Better to be wary than to worry
BASIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A BUILDING SURVEYOR (RBS)
The following are mandatory inspections; 1) Inspection of trenches, 2) Inspection of pre-slab, 3) Inspection of steel reinforcement for slab, 4) Inspection of timber/steel framework and 5) Final completion of all building work. One thing many of these all have in common is the inspection of hidden elements but you will notice that there is no inspection of insulation. Incorrectly installed insulation can be just as bad as no insulation at all, so remember all bulk insulation should fit comfortably within framing members with no gaps and should not be compressed.
WEATHER-PROOFING/SEALING: AIR
It's common sense that a building envelope not adequately sealed will leak. Air leakage decreases user comfort through moisture, drafts, unwanted noise and may even lower the air quality. More importantly, air leakage can account for 25-40% of the energy used for heating and cooling. So insist on a tightly sealed building envelope and don't let your 6-Star house perform like a 5-Star house. For more information consider a product such as Fletcher Insulation Tyvek Homewrap or Kingspan AIR-CELL Insulbreak.
WEATHER-PROOFING/SEALING: WATER
Whilst we're primarily interested in reducing air leakage to improve overall energy efficiency, we should mention that water leakage can also have undesirable consequences. Water leakage can ruin building contents and long term structural damage can occur if left unattended.
CERTIFICATE OF CURRENCY
Upon request we are happy to provide a copy of our Certificate of Currency for Professional Indemnity Insurance purposes.
Why do I need an energy rating?
Whether you're building a new residential dwelling, residential alterations and additions or an apartment development, all are required to comply with the Building Code of Australia (commonly know as the BCA).
What is an energy rating?
Energy rating was introduced by the Australian Federal Government in an attempt to reduce the amount of energy households consume and lower greenhouse gas emissions produced from generating electricity.
For this purpose, an accredited assessor must use a standard calculation method utilising NatHERS approved software. We understand that projects vary and you need the right tool for the job which is why we have extensive experience in both FirstRate5 and AccuRate Sustainability. For clients who have adopted ArchiCAD we can also utilise EcoDesigner for preliminary and schematic design advice.
Welcome to GrahamEnergy
Shooting to the stars and beyond...
We're currently working together with a few clients to achieve 'high star' residences.
Our business was not founded on simply providing 'star ratings' but providing a professional consultancy service tailored to assist in the production of an efficient, optimum, cost-effective design solution delivered in a friendly and timely manner.
We like to think our clients benefit from our passionate, progressive and personal approach. For some clients the final 'energy rating' signifies the end but for others, it's just the beginning.
Our aim here over the forthcoming months is to provide some of the trials and tribulations of our experience on these projects, so the knowledge we gain is shared.
Where is my energy rating?
Stay tuned for our secure log in page so clients can simply upload their drawings, recieve a quotation and download their thermal peformance assessments.
What do we want?
We're often asked 'What do you want?' and our reply is simply we need sufficient information that describes the overall building fabric. To make things easier we've included a check-list outlining the information required. Don't worry if you don't have all the answers - that's where we step in.
DRAWING REQUIREMENTS
- Site plan showing all boundaries, adjoining properties and fences including heights
- North point
- Floor plan at each level
- Elevations of all external walls
- Section(s) with ground levels, floor and ceiling levels, bulkheads and roof levels
- Window schedule if available (otherwise indicate on drawings)
- All drawings must be to scale and clearly dimensioned
DRAWING INFORMATION
- Floor construction (AAC/concrete slab on ground/suspended slab/timber)
- Floor coverings (carpet/tiles/vinyl/none)
- Floor insulation if applicable (reflective foil/bulk insulation)
- External wall construction (brick veneer/cavity brick/FC/single brick/weatherboard)
- Internal wall construction (brick/metal framed/timber framed)
- Wall insulation proposed (reflective foil/bulk insulation)
- Window construction (aluminium/PVC/timber) and manufacturer if known
- Window type (awning/casement/double hung/louvre/sliding)
- Window glazing (double/single/reflective/tinted)
- Show any proposed internal window coverings
- Show any windows protected with external blinds, awnings, shutters or battens
- Nominate whether doors/windows are weather-stripped and draught-proof
- Roof construction (concrete/flat framed/metal/tiled)
- Roof insulation if applicable
- Ceiling insulation (bulk insulation)
- Show all skylights/roof lights and nominate if fixed/vented and/or shaded
- Specify skylight/roof lights glazing type (single/double)
- Show any chimneys and nominate whether sealed or unsealed
- Show the location of any exhaust fans and nominate whether sealed or unsealed
- Show all vented incandescent/fluorescent down lights
- Show any ceiling fans and specify the proposed diameter
- Reflected ceiling plan showing all artificial lighting - we can assist if not available
* Information in brackets are a guide only
@GrahamEnergy
Which sites should I visit next?
There's a vast amount of resources available online but we've taken the time to put together a few key sites we think are worth visting;
STATE | Sustainability Victoria | Resource Smart | Save Energy | Building Commission
NATIONAL | Australian Building Codes Board | ABSA
INSULATION | CSR Bradford Insulation | Fletcher Insulation | Kingspan Insulation
GLAZING | Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS)