MULTI-UNIT DEVELOPMENT, CANBERRA
Energy performance modelling for 136 apartments across two buildings — and what the results reveal about how much design, location and elevation matter.
Project snapshot
- Project: 136 apartments across 2 buildings (Class 2)
- Location: Canberra, ACT
- Service: NatHERS energy modelling
- Highest rating: 8.9 stars
- Lowest rating: 6 stars
What worked well
- Units with neighbours above and below consistently achieved higher ratings, thanks to reduced heat loss through shared walls and floors.
- North and north-east orientations made a big impact on performance.
- First to third floor units — especially those with mid-level adjacency — performed best.
The challenges
- Top floor units were more exposed to the elements, with higher heating loads from wind chill and open-air exposure.
- South-facing units rated lower due to reduced solar access.
- Basement-adjacent units needed carefully considered floor slab insulation to meet performance targets.
Our approach
All units were modelled with windows at a U-value of 3.5, and thermal bridging was minimised through strategic insulation:
- 50mm rigid insulation below ground floor slabs
- 100mm ceiling insulation for top floors
The takeaway
It’s a clear example of how nuanced energy performance is in multi-residential developments — and how much we can optimise outcomes when we model early and smart. Whether you’re designing apartments or single dwellings, we’ll help you fine-tune for efficiency, health and resilience, whatever the project size.
CURIOUS HOW YOUR
PROJECT COULD PERFORM?
Talk to us early in design and we’ll show you where the stars are — and where the savings are.
