In New South Wales, all new developments must comply with BASIX requirements and obtaining a certificate is necessary to receive council approval. This sounds daunting, but it’s really quite simple and we explain it in summary in this post.
What is BASIX?
BASIX is short for the Building Sustainability Index. It was introduced by the NSW government in 2004 so that indicators like water and energy efficiency could be assessed. As a result of meeting practical design requirements, new residential dwellings and alterations are able to use less water and energy. Consequently, this saves ongoing costs and conserves natural resources.
How does BASIX work?
BASIX is an online program accessible by everyone. The user enters design data such as building materials, fixtures and landscaping into the BASIX tool. It analyses the data and produces a score against the energy and water targets. In Sydney, for example, a development must meet a minimum score of 40. In other words, you need to show that your new home will be an efficient user of water and energy.
The BASIX Certificate.
After the design passes the targets, it is eligible for a BASIX certificate. This is a list of requirements that the user has committed to meeting. It must be submitted with the DA and once it’s approved, the certifying authority will check compliance during construction.
Sustainability Options.
BASIX is flexible and easy to use because it allows users to choose how they will meet targets from a wide range of options. For example:
- Rainwater tanks for saving water
- Efficient hot water systems that don’t use so much energy
- Natural heating and cooling to reduce the need for air conditioning
- Gas appliances
- Natural lighting such as a skylight
- Native plants for gardens, since these don’t need as much water
Of course, every design is unique and this might mean that some options just won’t work. On the other hand, some options are very simple to include and are used on almost every new home that is built. One such example is rainwater tanks!
The image below shows examples of sustainable housing features on an ideal BASIX development plan.
For more information about BASIX requirements, visit the BASIX website here or call 1300 650 908.We can supply rainwater tanks for BASIX requirements, including slimline tanks, underdeck tanks and round water tanks. You can check out our product pages here or call us on 1800 218 000.