THE NEW RULES OF HOME RENOVATION: WHAT THE NCC 2022 MEANS FOR YOU
- Julie Evans
- Dec 17, 2025
- 5 min read
If you are planning a home renovation in Australia right now, you have likely heard whispers about the "NCC 2022" or "7-star energy ratings." It sounds technical, but these changes are currently transforming the Australian home renovation landscape.
The National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 has introduced stricter mandatory standards that fully took effect in many states by mid-2024. The goal is simple: to make our homes more resilient, energy-efficient, and suitable for us to live in for longer.
But what does that actually look like on a set of plans? And more importantly, how does it change the way you’ll live in your new home?
Below, we break it down into two comprehensive parts: The Regulations (the detailed "what") and The Reality (the lifestyle "so what").
Part 1: Home Renovation Regulations (The "What")
The new code is wide-ranging. It doesn't just touch on energy; it affects everything from your driveway to your plumbing. Here is the full breakdown of what is required for new builds and substantial home renovations (typically where alterations affect more than 50% of the existing volume).
Energy Efficiency in Home Renovation: The 7-Star Standard
The minimum thermal performance rating has risen from 6 to 7 stars under the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). To achieve this, your "building envelope" (roof, walls, windows, and floors) must work harder to minimise artificial heating and cooling.
High-Performance Glazing: Standard aluminium windows are often insufficient. Renovators will likely need double glazing or thermally broken frames to comply.
Orientation & Shading: Designs must prioritise northern orientation for living areas and use eaves to block summer sun while admitting winter light.
Insulation: Higher levels are required, for example, R6.0 for ceilings and R2.5 for walls in NSW.
Roof Colour: Light-coloured roofs are encouraged (and sometimes mandated in warmer zones) to reflect heat.
State Variations:
NSW (BASIX): The Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) targets have been raised to align with or exceed the 7-star national standard. This includes stricter reporting on "embodied carbon" for building materials.
Queensland: You can claim optional credits (up to 1 star) for outdoor living areas equipped with ceiling fans, acknowledging the outdoor lifestyle.
The "Whole-of-Home" Energy Budget
Beyond the building shell, there is now a "Whole-of-Home" energy usage budget. This creates a cap on the energy use of major appliances, including:
Hot water systems
Heating and cooling
Lighting
Pool pumps.
The Trade-off: Designers can balance less efficient appliances with renewable energy. For instance, installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system can help offset your energy budget score.
Livable Housing Design Standards for Home Renovation
Mandatory Livable Housing Design (LHD) standards now ensure homes are accessible for people with mobility limitations, families with young children, and older Australians.
Step-Free Access: Home renovations must aim for a continuous step-free path from the boundary or parking area to the entry, plus at least one step-free entrance.
Corridors: Ground-floor corridors must be wider (typically min. 1000mm) for wheelchair navigation.
Doorways: Internal doors on the entry level require a minimum clear opening of 820mm.
Sanitary Compartments:
There must be a toilet on the entry level with specific circulation zones (900mm x 1200mm clear space).
At least one shower must be step-free and hobless.
Walls surrounding the toilet, shower, and bath must be reinforced (e.g., with noggings or plywood) to allow for future grab rails.
Are there exemptions? Yes. Recognising the difficulty of retrofitting, exemptions exist:
Repairs and maintenance do not trigger these standards.
Exemptions apply to steep blocks where a step-free path isn't feasible, narrow lots (frontage under 12.5m), and small pre-built dwellings (under 55m²).
Condensation and Health in Your Home Renovation
To combat mould and improve air quality, new condensation management provisions are in effect.
Ventilation: Exhaust fans in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundries must now vent directly to the outside (via a shaft or duct) rather than into the roof space.
Vapour Permeability: In certain climate zones, external wall wraps must meet specific vapour permeance standards to allow moisture to escape the building structure.
Future Standards: Plumbing and EVs
The code also looks ahead to future technologies and health standards:
Lead-Free Plumbing: Commencing 1 September 2026, copper alloy plumbing products (taps, mixers) in contact with drinking water must have a weighted average lead content of no more than 0.25%.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness: While primarily for apartment buildings (Class 2), new regulations require electrical distribution boards to handle the future installation of EV charging infrastructure.
NSW Home Renovation Approval Pathways
In NSW, choosing the right approval pathway is critical:
Complying Development Certificate (CDC): A fast-track process (10–20 days) for projects that strictly meet numerical standards. It is cost-effective but offers zero design flexibility.
Development Application (DA): Required for complex designs or heritage items. It is slower (3–9 months) involving council merit assessment but allows for variations.
Part 2: The Reality of Modern Home Renovation (The "So What?")
Regulations can feel dry, but these changes actually offer a massive opportunity to improve the feel and function of your home. Here is how these technical rules translate into luxury and lifestyle.
The "Invisible" Luxury of an Accessible Home Renovation
When clients hear "accessible standards," they sometimes fear their home will look clinical. The reality is the opposite.
Spaciousness: The requirement for wider corridors (1000mm) and wider doors (820mm) makes a home feel grander and more open. It’s better for moving furniture, navigating with prams, and generally creating a sense of flow.
Seamless Bathrooms: The "hobless shower" rule aligns perfectly with the current design trend for seamless, hotel-style wet rooms.
Future-Proofing: You might not need grab rails now, but having the walls reinforced is a "hidden asset". If you ever need to retrofit them later, you won't have to rip tiles off the wall—saving you thousands in future demolition costs.
Comfort vs. Cost: The Glazing Debate in Home Renovation
Meeting the 7-star standard often means spending more on glazing. This is usually where the budget "ouch" factor comes in. However, think of this as buying thermal comfort rather than just glass.
A 7-star home holds its temperature. It means you aren't waking up to a freezing kitchen in winter or sweating through a dinner party in summer.
Design Tip: We can reduce the cost of high-tech glass by getting the design right—prioritising northern orientation for living areas and using eaves to block summer sun. Smart design saves money on materials.
Home Renovation Ventilation: The Kitchen Change
The rule about venting exhaust fans to the outside is a game-changer for kitchen layouts.
In the past, we could put a cooktop anywhere. Now, if you want a cooktop on a kitchen island, we need to plan exactly how that ducting will get outside (which can be tricky in a two-storey home).
The Upside: No more lingering cooking smells in your roof cavity and a significantly healthier home with less risk of mould.
Summary
The NCC 2022 isn’t just red tape; it’s a blueprint for a better quality of build. Whether it’s the comfort of 7-star energy or the seamless flow of wider halls, these rules ultimately result in a home renovation that feels solid, comfortable, and welcoming for the long haul.
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Julie Evans Design is a Newcastle based interior design studio and creator of beautiful spaces. We service the New South Wales areas of Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens. Our goal is to make the potential of your space come to life, so much that it makes your heart sing when you're in it. Check out my interior design services, my bathroom design projects, learn more about me, kitchen design or bathroom design or contact me to have a discussion about your space and your needs.
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