Does solar count toward NatHERS?

Yes. Under NCC 2022, the whole-of-home energy assessment includes on-site renewable generation. Solar PV reduces the home's net regulated energy use, which lifts the NatHERS star rating.

How much does 6.6 kW of solar add to a NatHERS rating?

Roughly 1.0 star on a typical Queensland 6.0–6.5 star spec. 6.6 kW is the minimum we recommend for builders trying to clear 7 stars without a design change.

Can a battery improve NatHERS?

Yes. Storing solar for evening use further reduces grid draw, which improves the whole-of-home score. A 6.6 kW + 9.6 kWh combination typically clears 7.5 stars.

Is solar cheaper than upgrading insulation or glazing to hit 7 stars?

Usually yes. Solar is a single, modular line item with a known cost. Insulation, glazing, and orientation changes ripple through the design and engineering. For most volume builders in QLD, solar is the lowest-cost path to compliance.

QLD compliance guide

Solar pushes Queensland new builds to 7-8 star NatHERS — without changing the design.

Under NCC 2022, every QLD new build must hit a 7-star NatHERS rating. The cheapest path there isn't a glazing upgrade or a thicker insulation spec. It's solar, and the maths is in your favour.

See packages Request a solar design

How it counts

How NatHERS counts solar.

NatHERS used to be a thermal-only rating: how much heating and cooling energy the home would consume given its envelope, glazing, and orientation. Under NCC 2022, the rating expanded into a whole-of-home energy budget.

The home's regulated equipment (hot water, heating/cooling, lighting, pool pumps) is counted on the energy-use side, and on-site renewable generation is counted on the supply side. The net result rolls into the star rating.

Solar PV is the most direct supply-side input. Every kWh the panels generate is a kWh the regulated equipment doesn't have to draw from the grid. The whole-of-home score improves linearly with system size, then non-linearly when battery storage captures more of the generation for evening loads.

What each kW adds

Real numbers for a typical QLD project home.

Single-storey, 4-bed, climate zone 2 or 5, north-facing roof aspect available.

Spec	Typical NatHERS	Compliance state
Standard build, no solar	6.0 – 6.5	Below 7-star minimum
+ 6.6 kW solar	7.0 – 7.4	Compliant, no design change
+ 6.6 kW solar + 9.6 kWh battery	7.5 – 7.9	Comfortably compliant
+ 10 kW solar + 9.6 kWh battery	8.0 – 8.5	Best-in-display-village rating

Star outcomes vary with roof orientation, climate zone, glazing, and the regulated-equipment selections in the build (especially hot water and HVAC). These are typical bands for SE QLD, climate zone 2/5, and a north-facing primary roof plane.

vs. upgrading insulation

Higher R-value batts only get you half a star.

Doubling the ceiling batting is labour-and-materials cost, plus time on site. On a QLD climate-zone-2 home the limiting factor is window heat gain in summer, not ceiling conduction. Marginal star uplift typically caps at 0.5 stars.

vs. upgrading glazing

Low-E double-glazed adds $4k–$12k.

Genuine 0.5–1.0 star uplift, but the design absorbs thicker frames, deeper sashes, and revised lintel details. Hard to retrofit into a release that's already drawn.

vs. orientation changes

Rarely possible inside a 50-lot release.

Streetscape, easements, and crossover dictate the front of the home. This is a non-starter for most volume builders.

vs. solar PV

Single line item. Fixed cost. Defined contribution.

The build design doesn't change. Slab, frame, glazing, and roofing are unaffected. The architect only needs to confirm the primary roof plane has clear northern exposure.

Get the spec

We send the NatHERS-aligned spec to your assessor.

Include solar in your build contract, get a 7-star home, and stop chasing compliance through glazing upgrades. Request our trade price sheet and we'll include the NatHERS documentation pack.

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