Stop asking which tool is best
DES 70 framed rating tools as a snapshot, not a podium. The later papers — EDG 80 UR on residential tools, EDG 85 on non-residential tools, and the Section J façade updates — kept the same discipline.
One job each
- NCC / Section J — legal minimum for many commercial buildings.
- NatHERS — house thermal rating used in the regulatory pathway.
- BASIX (NSW) — state residential sustainability instrument.
- NABERS — operational performance, especially energy and water.
- Green Star — voluntary project rating with design, as-built and performance flavours.
- Passivhaus — international fabric and ventilation performance method.
A 6 Star Green Star Design plaque on a 2006 office is a historical fact, not a 2026 NABERS score. Write both if you mention CH2. Write neither if you have not checked a source.
See the glossary for short definitions and the design strategies hub for the notes that sit under the tools.
Questions, answered first
- What is this insight for?
- Comparing Australian sustainability rating tools is an original Environment Design Guide editorial — not a historical EDG note — written to help Australian students and practitioners use the catalogue.
- Does this replace the NCC?
- No. Insights point to notes, papers and current Australian agencies. They are educational.
Sibling notes
This independent editorial guide is not affiliated with the Australian Institute of Architects or any ratings body. Historical Environment Design Guide note IDs, titles and authorship are cited for attribution only. Summaries are original educational rewrites — not a substitute for the original peer-reviewed notes, current NCC / NABERS / Green Star documentation, or professional advice. Trademarks remain with their owners.