• Updated Australian Fenestration Rating Council (AFRC) custom windows and roof windows library 
• Updated postcode and climate zone data 

Updated AFRC custom windows and roof windows library

The NatHERS Administrator has asked that Sustainability Victoria circulates the following information about the updated custom windows library.

The latest AFRC custom ALL WINDOWS library (V 2.3.3.13.8.2) update included in FirstRate5 v5.2.9 (3.13), when compared to the custom windows library included in FirstRate5 v5.2.8a, contains:

• 162 new windows added to the library
• 6 windows deleted from the library, and
• 58 amendments to existing windows in the library

A detailed list of amended existing windows data, sorted by WERS ID codes is available. Click HERE to view the amendments, which include changes to glazing type, System U-value and System SHGC value.

Click HERE to view a full list of new windows.

Click HERE to view a full list of deleted windows.

The NatHERS Administrator recommends that if you have used any of the windows that are identified as amended or deleted in ratings, please consider whether re-rating or updating the rating may be necessary.
Please contact your jurisdiction’s building regulator for advice on compliance if you have issued a Universal Certificate (UC).

Updated postcode and climate zone data

Sustainability Victoria has been instructed by the NatHERS Administrator to update the postcode/climate zone list in FirstRate5. The new list included in FirstRate5 v5.2.9 (3.13) contains the following changes (a detailed list of all changes by downloaded by clinking HERE).

• 8 new Western Australia (WA) postcodes have been added
• The climate zones associated with 54 existing WA postcodes have revised
• 5 postcodes have been deleted

Assessors should take note of the following two important points.

• All Universal Certificates that are generated in the FirstRate5 web portal by 2 September 2018 (5pm) and use a version of FirstRate5 v5.2.8 (3.1.3) and one of the impacted postcodes will remain valid and will not need to be updated.
• Sustainability Victoria recommends that current projects that have not yet been certified and use any of the impacted postcodes are completed and certified in FirstRate5 v5.2.9 (3.13). Assessors should carefully check the ‘NatHERS Climate Zone’ field on the Project tab to ensure that the correct Principal/Alternative climate zone has been specified.

Transition Arrangements for FR5 v5.2.8 (3.1.3)

Until 2 September 2018 (5pm) a transition period will be in place. During this period both v5.2.8 (3.1.3) and v5.2.9 (3.1.3) files will automatically calculate on the FirstRate5 website. Please note that all project files created using a version of FirstRate5 v5.2.8 (i.e. v5.2.8 or v5.2.8a) will be calculated using the v5.2.8a calculation engine when uploaded to the FirstRate5 website.

After 2 September 2018 (5pm) v5.2.9 (3.13) files will continue to automatically calculate on the FirstRate5 website, however v5.2.8 (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, eg, v5.2.2b to v5.2.2c, will by default overwrite the previous version, while major releases involving a number change, eg, v5.2.3 (3.13) to v5.2.4 (3.13), will by default install beside older versions.

Note about unsubscribing from Notice emails:  FirstRate5 Notice emails are infrequent but contain important information critical for all FirstRate5 users and account holders (e.g. version upgrades). It is mandatory for all FirstRate5 account holders to receive Notice emails. If you no longer use your FirstRate5 account you may disable it by logging into your account and editing your account details here. After logging into your account click on ‘Click Here to edit information located on the home page’. Then click on ‘Click Here to disable your account’ located under the ‘Save’ and ‘Cancel’ buttons. If you have forgotten your password you can reset your password on the FirstRate5 website.

Please note that disabled accounts are not deleted from the system and may be re-enabled in the future by emailing [email protected].

Preferences for other types of FirstRate5 emails, eg, Newsletters, Certificate Delivery Emails, Credit Expiry Warnings, Job Deletion Warnings, etc, may be changed here.