Design Principles

BASIX encourages you to reduce your energy use and greenhouse gas emissions through the following strategies:

• Hot water systems – reducing the demand for hot water (by improving water efficiency) and meeting the demand with less greenhouse-gas-intensive water heaters
• Heating and cooling – reducing the heating and cooling demand (by improving thermal comfort performance) and meeting the demand with less greenhouse-gas-intensive appropriate heating and cooling systems
• Ventilation and exhaust – using natural ventilation where appropriate, and reducing the operation of mechanical ventilation with suitable controls
• Lighting – using direct natural lighting where appropriate and energy-efficient lighting
• Pools and spas – choosing less greenhouse-gas-intensive water heating and pumping systems
• Alternative energy sources – such as photovoltaics, wind turbines and cogeneration
• Other energy uses – choosing less greenhouse-gas-intensive cooking facilities, refrigeration, clothes drying and appliances (appliances are an option in multi-dwellings only – not single dwellings)
• Central systems (in multi dwellings only) – central hot water, central heating, central cooling, lifts, saunas and other measures