7 Stars Cheat Sheet | Sustainable Builders Alliance

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Achieving NatHERS 7 Stars: The Cheat Sheet

The passive solar design checklist behind 1,000+ energy ratings. Catch orientation, glazing, insulation, mass and ventilation issues on paper, before they're locked into your plans.

To achieve a 7 star home your design will need to consider the Passive Solar Design Toolbox.

‍Remember: The higher your NatHERS score, the lower the running costs and greater the comfort for the homeowner.

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Who this is for

Most useful if you're making design decisions, whether that's you as the homeowner, or the architect or designer drawing up the plans. Builders will find it a handy reference too, once the build is underway.

Primary

Architects & Designers

A fast pre-check across orientation, glazing, insulation, mass and ventilation before plans go to assessment, built from 1,000+ real ratings, not theory.

Primary

Homeowners

Know what to ask your designer or builder before you approve plans, and what's likely to get flagged by an energy assessor before it costs you a redesign.

Also useful

Builders

Catch thermal design issues on paper, not on site. Use this checklist to flag insulation, sealing and glazing details before they turn into rework or a failed rating once the build is underway.

What's inside

Five passive solar design pillars, each with climate-specific questions, plus a bonus section on colour and a checklist for on-ground performance.

Orientation

Wall-to-floor ratio, living area placement, climate-specific layout checks.

Windows

Window-to-floor ratio, U-values, SHGC, shading by climate zone.

Insulation

R-values by element, air infiltration, downlights, sealing details.

Mass

Slab versus wall mass, diurnal swing, colour and solar access.

Ventilation

Sash types, fans, openability, roof ventilation by climate.

Bonus

Colour & On-Ground Performance

Surface colour by climate, plus the checklist for making sure the build matches the rating.

Written from the field, not a textbook

This checklist comes from 20 years of designing, assessing and building sustainable homes, and input from assessors across 1,000+ energy ratings. It's built to be used while reviewing plans, and includes helpful links to background explanations in our Roadmap to Zero Carbon Homes.

Jeremy spencer

Positive Footprints · Sustainable Builders Alliance

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