Sustainability Victoria (SV) is pleased to announce the release of FR5 v5.4.0 (3.21) Beta. This beta version is available for download from the FirstrRate5 (FR5) website.
NCC 2022 Updates
FR5 v5.4.0 (3.21) Beta contains the following three changes that align with the proposed updates to the NCC 2022 energy efficiency provisions.
- New climate files
- Updated star bands
- Updated ABCB heating and cooling load limits
FR5 users can use the beta version to test the impact of the proposed NCC 2022 changes on the star ratings of existing projects.
Any feedback about the impact of the updated climate files, star bands and heating and cooling load limits should be directly sent to the NatHERS Administrator - [email protected].
It is important for users to note that FR5 v5.4.0 (3.21) Beta has the following limitations:
- It cannot be used for regulatory purposes and it will not generate NatHERS Certificates on the FR5 website.
- Project files created in the beta version cannot be imported into the FirstRate5 Whole-of-Home Pilot Tool.
- It does not contain the proposed NCC 2022 thermal bridging changes These changes are yet to be finalised by the NatHERS Administrator and hence they could not be included in this beta release.
- It will expire on 31 August 2022.
Introduction of Optimisation and Multi-Calculation Features
FR5 v5.4.0 (3.21) Beta contains two new features to assist users with testing the impact of the proposed NCC 2022 updates and optimising the star rating of existing projects. A training video is available.
- Optimisation Tab – Users can create a range of optimisation rules to quickly test the impact of different design strategies and identify cost effective ways to achieve higher star ratings. Users should note that the way the optimisation rules are applied across an entire project will, in some instances, produce results that differ slightly from the results achieved by making specific manual changes via the Plan tab.
- Multi-Calculation – Users can now calculate multiple files on the Global Zoning tab. This feature will greatly speed up the process of checking the average and minimum star rating results for Class 2 developments.
This latest version is a beta release and SV would greatly appreciate any feedback from users about how SV can improve the new features. Please send any feedback to [email protected].
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Note: Installation of minor releases involving a letter change, eg, v5.3.1a to v5.3.1b, will by default overwrite the previous version, while major releases involving a number change, eg, v5.3.1 (3.21) to v5.3.2 (3.21), will by default install beside older versions.
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