We are moving into the delivery phase of our project with 9 Councils recruited and an updated inspection checklist based on the feedback from our first webinar.
We now have two Councils from Queensland and have been asked the question about dealing with some of the state-specific regulations that allow properties to gain extra stars.
For example in Queensland under certain circumstances you can increase a low rating by up to 1 star by adding a fan to an outdoor area, by adding a solar system or by using a highly ventilated roof. Even location can affect star ratings with the selection of an "exposed" location needing verification because of the significant impact on the rating.
There are also exemptions for floor insulation in suspended floors and for insulating block walls in some Queensland climate zones.
OUR CURRENT SOLUTION: To manage some of these variations we have included a question on the front page of the inspection checklist. The space for "additional stars and reason?" is intended to capture additional items that must be checked for compliance because they form part of the approval. Other variations across jurisdictions and methods will be managed within the checklist because the first step, prior to inspection, is to note various details from the approved design.
Our intention is to evaluate the results of all the audits carried out across pilot Councils and make recommendations on those elements where inspections provide the most value to improving compliance and energy outcomes. We believe that this evaluation process will provide clear direction on the best way to deal with variations across jurisdictions and methods.