TekNova Consult Sustainability has experience in delivering Green Star ratings for a wide range of developments. Our team of professional engineers are all formally registered Green Star Accredited Professionals under the GBCA Continuing Professional Development program.

Green Star rates a building based on its attributes and potential to reduce environmental impact across nine categories:    

Green Star rating tools help the property industry:

FirstRate5 is Victoria's leading  accredited residential thermal performance assessment software. The software tool generates ratings based on the NatHERS (National House Energy Ratings) 0-10 Star scale for homes with 6 Stars being the current regulatory requirement for new homes, major renovations and extensions.

TekNova Consult has the required knowledge and skills in providing advice on all compliance issues addressed in Section J of BCA Volume 1 and part 3.12 of BCA volume 2 for  Class 1 and Class 10 buildings, and Section J for class 2-9 buildings in all states and Territories of Australia. To perform this type of assessment, the design of the proposed building is checked and challenged versus all the clauses and requirements of the BCA Section J parts J0 to J8 and every referenced section in those parts, specifications J1.2 to J6 and BCA Volume One Appendices; Variations and Additions which specifies the state and territory specific requirements for each section of the BCA.  

TekNova Consult often recommending compliant design solutions to the architect during the concept design stage. Through our experience, we have noticed the importance of  coordination with Section J at development stage, to avoid potential project delays associated with redesign works and Development Application approvals. TekNova Consult Sustainability will issue a Section J Compliance Report at the completion of the assessment, which  summarizes how the building's shall meet Section J requirements.

Scorecard tool method is using to provide sustainability assessment for non – residential developments.

The Victoria council requires a STEPS report to be submitted as part of all new residential development applications. The aim of STEPS is to reduce the negative impact of buildings and improve the lifestyles of people living and using them.  Steps report address the following:   

One cannot speak of sustainable green building without taking into consideration energy efficient construction. The use of simulation and analysis software is becoming increasingly common at all stages of the building design process. Building Performance Modelling allows a building's operation to become better understood.
TekNova Consult Sustainability, supported by our multi-disciplinary engineering team, offers the following building performance modelling services:

Energy simulation model during the pre-design phase can help to identify a range of load reduction strategies associated with site shading, the building envelope, and management of building internal heat gains.
Energy modelling will help to evaluate opportunities for the form and orientation of the building to take advantage of passive heating and/or cooling, natural ventilation, and daylighting.

Thermal modelling can identify "hot spots" in the building, give the balance point temperature (envelope loads versus internal loads.Thermal comfort modelling illustrate how HVAC system concepts align with peak cooling load ranges and the potential opportunities and benefits from strategies such as night ventilation of mass, displacement ventilation, radiant cooling, VAV, etc

Modelling can help to develop strategies to control direct solar penetration and glare penetration, consider side lighting and top lighting daylighting strategies. Consider the various reason to choose between automated and manual lighting control.

Computation Fluid Dynamics modelling will help to give the answer for such questions: Which working fluid (air or water) will be more efficient? What performance gains might be achieved by separating the ventilation system from thermal distribution? What are the potential benefi ts from different ventilation system confi gurations, e.g., fl oor-based vs. ceiling-based?

The above simulation can then be compared with benchmark performance characteristics of new buildings and or existing.
Design modifications can then be implemented to improve the operational performance of a proposed building during the concept and detailed design stages. Additionally, improvements in equipment efficiency and building management control systems can be addressed in the retrofit or upgrade of an existing building