FR5 Software

FirstRate5® house energy rating software

FirstRate5® is an easy-to-use interactive tool with a graphic user interface that enables designers and thermal performance assessors to generate energy ratings for a home by tracing over floor plans. The software integrates the AccuRate calculation engine to estimate the annual heating and cooling energy and can be used to rate an existing design or as an interactive tool to optimise the design beyond compliance.

Latest News

Release of FR5 v5.2.10b (3.13) & Extension of FR5 v5.2.9 (3.13) Transition Period

by FR5 | Apr 10, 2019
FirstRate5 v5.2.10b (3.13) is now available as a free download from www.fr5.com.au. Sustainability Victoria (SV) recommends that all users upgrade to this version. This version is a minor bug fix release that addresses a range of issues. Full details are available in the software Release Notes, which can be opened by clicking ‘Release Notes’ under the Help menu.

FirstRate5 v5.2.10b (3.13) is now available as a free download from www.fr5.com.au. Sustainability Victoria (SV) recommends that all users upgrade to this version.

This version is a minor bug fix release. Full details are available in the software Release Notes, which can be opened by clicking ‘Release Notes’ under the Help menu.

Below is a summary of the main fixes included in FR5 v5.2.10b (3.13).                     
 

  • Fixed the issue of the ‘Ignore postcode mismatch’ checkbox not saving correctly.
  • Fixed the issue of FirstRate5 not correctly calculating the wall intersection area when a zone above was only intersecting with an internal non-master wall below. In some scenarios, this bug was triggering the floor area connection error message and not allowing project files to calculate.
  • Fixed the floor area connection error message so it displays the user specified zone names and the amount of floor area that is not correctly specified. This will allow users to more easily identify problematic areas in project files.
  • The floor area connection tolerance thresholds have been adjusted to ensure that minor discrepancies created when drawing or splitting zones/areas do not trigger error messages and prevent files from calculating.
  • Changed how floor coverings are specified on the NatHERS universal certificate. If the option ‘None’ is selected for floor covering and the top construction material is 70mm or greater, ‘None’ will be displayed on the certificate. If the top material is less than 70mm the material name will be displayed on the certificate.
  • Fixed the issue of the incorrect ventilation type being displayed for elevated floors on the universal certificate and the provisional diagnostic report.
  • Fixed the issue of FirstRate5 not creating the correct subfloor zones for project files that contain a mix of suspended floors with reflective and non-reflective air gaps. This error was preventing files from calculating.

Current versions of FirstRate5 & extended transition arrangements for FR5 v5.2.9 (3.13)

Sustainability Victoria (SV) has decided to extend the transition period during which both FR5 v5.2.9 (3.13) and FR5 v5.2.10 (3.13) files will automatically calculate on the FirstRate5 website until 1 May 2019.

This has been done to allow users sufficient time to upgrade project files to the latest FR5 v5.2.10b (3.13) bug fix version, and ensure they are prepared for the Java licensing changes.

Until 1 May 2019 (5pm) a transition period will be in place. During this period both v5.2.9 (3.13) and v5.2.10 (3.13) files will automatically calculate on the FirstRate5 website. Please note the following:                                               
  • All project files created using a version of FR5 v5.2.9 (3.13) will be calculated using the v5.2.9 calculation engine when uploaded to the FirstRate5 website.
  • All project files created using a version of FR5 v5.2.10 (3.13)  (i.e. v5.2.10, v5.2.10a and v5.2.10b) will be calculated using the v5.2.10b calculation engine when uploaded to the FirstRate5 website.

After 1 May 2019 (5pm) v5.2.10 (3.13) files (i.e. v5.2.10, v5.2.10a or v5.2.10b) will continue to automatically calculate on the FirstRate5 website, however v5.2.9 (3.13) files will calculate by special request only.

For more information on FirstRate5 visit www.fr5.com.au, submit a query through the online contact form or email [email protected].                                   

 ------------
Note: It is the user’s responsibility to ensure certificates are produced with the appropriate version. If a user chooses to inappropriately use an earlier version of FR5 to produce a certificate, they run the risk that a Building Surveyor will reject the certificate leading to further certificate costs.

Note: Installation of minor releases involving a letter change (e.g. v5.2.10 to v5.2.10a) will by default overwrite the previous version, while major releases involving a number change (e.g. v5.2.9 to v5.2.10) will by default install beside older versions.

Looking to login? Login and register buttons have a new home in the green bar above.