NSW: Q&A Improving Energy Efficiency of Apartment Buildings

This Q&A article is about improving the energy efficiency of apartment building including thermal loss and car park ventilation systems.

Table of Contents:

• QUESTION: What are AI capabilities to identify thermal loss and improve the energy efficiency of buildings?
• QUESTION: If an apartment doesn’t meet the requirements for building ventilation, is it mandatory to comply? If so, is this the responsibility of the lot owner or the strata? I’m concerned that in our building there are no opening windows and we are unable to create cross-flows of air.
• QUESTION: To save electricity, the strata committee decided to switch off the ventilation system. The building now falls below the Australian Standards.

Question: What are AI capabilities to identify thermal loss and improve the energy efficiency of buildings?

Answer: In the not too distant future, a specialised AI-based platform will provide energy audits for building owners.

Stephen: We’re currently working with a company developing a comprehensive energy auditing system using our external thermal imaging combined with the internal thermal assessment and thermal monitoring to create a comprehensive energy auditing platform. In the not too distant future, there will be a specialised AI based platform that can provide energy audits for building owners. It’s designed primarily for the industrial and commercial space, but it will have applicability in high-rise residential, especially where the building has an integral HVAC system. It’s not that far away.

Edwina: We will see much more in this space, with environmental and social governance becoming a big part of the industry. The technology is moving that way. The government is advocating for change and for buildings to become carbon-neutral. It’s only natural that the technology will evolve in this direction.

Edwina Feilen
Sedgwick
E: edwina.feilen@au.sedgwick.com

Stephen Thornton
Voltin
E: Steve@voltin.com.au

This post appears in the December 2023 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.

Question: If an apartment doesn’t meet the requirements for building ventilation, is it mandatory to comply? If so, is this the responsibility of the lot owner or the strata? I’m concerned that in our building there are no opening windows and we are unable to create cross-flows of air.

If an apartment doesn’t meet the requirements for ventilation (BCA), is it mandatory to comply? If so, is this the responsibility of the lot owner or the strata?

Our building was built around 1940 and has been converted, possibly from a woolshed. The conversion may have been done around 2000. Over the years, there have been a number of changes such as entrances being moved and doors and windows being sealed. These changes have resulted in no opening windows and we are unable to create cross-flows of air.

Answer: You should raise your concerns about the lack of ventilation with the Strata Committee and the Strata Manager.

This is a really great question and quite a technical one at that.

The simple answer if you were to construct a building today is yes, all habitable rooms must have a ventilation opening. Habitable rooms under the national construction code include bedroom, living room, lounge room kitchen, dining room etc.

By today’s standards generally a room should have a ventilation opening (commonly termed a window) that is at least 10% of the rooms entire floor area.

The challenge though with your scheme is that your scheme was converted from quite an old building to a modern-day strata scheme ownership arrangement. Your building is also likely to be heritage listed which comes with a number of other covenants over the building particularly, around any changes of the façade.

We would recommend that you first check if your building is heritage listed and what changes if any could be made to the building façade.

Next, you should raise your concerns about the lack of ventilation with the Strata Committee and the Strata Manager. As the structure of the building is common property, including all windows/ doors etc any alterations or proposed alterations would need to be organised and approved by the Owners Corporation. If your building is indeed heritage listed, and the owners corporation does agree to the installation of windows, a number of conversations and parties will need to be involved to try and reach an agreement under the Heritage Act 1977 (S57) whilst meeting construction standards.

It is worth noting that the National Construction Code and the Building Code of Australia do not act retrospectively and therefore the inclusion of these ventilation requirements likely postdate the construction of this building. When this building was converted to strata, these codes should have been considered and if missed, the Owners Corporation should look into how these dwellings were certified.

Dakota Panetta
Solutions in Engineering
E: dakotap@solutionsinengineering.com
P: 1300 136 036

This post appears in Strata News #547

Question: To save electricity, the strata committee decided to switch off the ventilation system. The building now falls below the Australian Standards.

The strata committee chair has decided to switch off the fans that form part of the ventilation system for both the garage and the residential floors. Their view is that this will save electricity.

The air conditioning firm manager contacted me last week to inform and say that as a result of this economy the building falls below the Australian Standards. The committee dismisses this view. Is this a local council issue? Can a building be forced to comply with the relevant Australian standard?

Answer: Unless expert advice has been obtained that would permit the fans to be turned off, the committee is taking on serious liability.

In my view this is a breach of statutory obligations on the part of the strata committee and there is liability attached in the issue. These might be minor in their view, however the potential consequences that could come such as mould infestations or excess levels of poisonous gasses in the garage or other areas.

Unless expert advice has been obtained that would permit the fans to be turned off, the committee is taking on serious liability.

Andrew Terrell
Bright & Duggan
E: Andrew.Terrell@bright-duggan.com.au

This post appears in Strata News #486.

Have a question or something to add to the article? Leave a comment below.

Read More:

• NSW: Q&A Fined by the OC for moving bins that were blocking my parking space!
• NSW: What’s the Importance of Good Ventilation in Your Building? [Case Study]
• Changes in Legislation to Annual Fire Safety Statements NSW

Are you interested in more information about carpark ventilation or strata legislation in your state or territory? Visit Apartment Living Sustainability, Maintenance and Common Property OR Strata Information Pages by State

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