Leading building products manufacturer, CSR Ltd welcomes the announcement by Minister Holloway of adoption of the new energy efficiency standards for new dwellings described in the 6 star housing ratings. South Australia has a strong commitment to renewable energy and energy efficiency and the SA Government has recognised this by the early implementation of the new codes.

While there is no single solution to improving energy efficiency in the built environment, the adoption of 6 Star standards is an important step forward for sustainability in Australia’s houses. However, permanent passive and pervasive measures in the durable building fabric should not be traded off for other less permanent measures.

“Reducing energy loss through the roof, walls, windows and floors of houses provides ongoing permanent savings in energy for the life of the building and should not be traded off for other short term measures, such as plug-in appliances,” said Rob Sindel, CEO of CSR Building Products Limited.

“Insulation will play an important role in meeting the new standard. However, in a typically otherwise well-insulated house with ordinary clear single glazed windows, around 49% of unwanted heat losses in cooler months, and up to 87% of solar heat gain in summer, occurs through the windows,” he said.

The design to conform to provisions in the new codes provide flexibility for designers and builders to achieve an optimum outcome. This will involve more flexibility for window design. The Australian window and glazing industry is well equipped to meet the new performance levels through a wide array of internationally proven technologies. CSR’s Viridian glass operations in South Australia are well placed to ensure the local industry is well supported.

“The great virtue of the high performance windows and glass available today is that they can contribute significantly to meeting the 6 Star standards and provide a higher standard of home comfort. There is no need to compromise on aesthetics or amenity when designing new homes or renovations,” said Lachlan Austin, General Manager, Marketing Viridian.