A Homestar Rating is an assessment of achievement within categories and credits that provide solutions to improving the health, comfort, sustainability and quality of New Zealand homes.
Eligibility
The Homestar tool allows all types of dwellings to be rated. To be assessed, a dwelling must be considered as being ‘self-contained’ with the following minimum requirements:[1]
- At least one bathroom with toilet and shower or bath.
- At least one kitchen or kitchen area which must include a cooking appliance (e.g. oven, stove, microwave), a food preparation area and food storage space.
- Constructed on permanent foundations.
Categories
The Homestar tool is divided into four categories that form the key foundations of Homestar. Within each category are credits that address specific areas relating to that category.
Efficient
This category rewards smaller dwellings and residential developments with smaller footprints that consequently require fewer resources to build, operate and occupy, and attributes that contribute to a reduction in energy and water use within the dwelling.
Healthy and Comfortable
Rewards dwelling attributes that contribute to occupant comfort and health, such as ventilation, moisture control, acoustics and natural light. It also recognises interior finishes that minimise the detrimental impact on occupant health from products that emit pollutants such as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
Liveable
Rewards safe, secure and adaptable dwellings.
Environmentally Responsible
Rewards dwelling attributes that contribute to having a lower environmental impact through responsibly-sourced materials, effective stormwater management and measuring and reducing embodied carbon.
Points and Star Bands
Homestar rates a home on a scale of 1 to 10 stars; however, only those achieving a 6 to 10 Homestar Rating can be ‘certified’. These stars correspond to the total number of points achieved against the Homestar credit criteria within each category, as well as the mandatory minimums met. There is a total of 130 points available within the tool for apartments and terraces, and 128.5 for standalone homes, as well as 10 innovation points.
| Star Bands | |
| Rating | Required Score |
| 6 Homestar | 60 – 69.9 points |
| 7 Homestar | 70 – 79.9 points |
| 8 Homestar | 80 – 89.9 points |
| 9 Homestar | 90 – 99.9 points |
| 10 Homestar | 100+ points |
The assigned weight of each category (i.e. the number of points allocated to each category) was developed in consultation with the Expert Reference Panel (ERP) and in consideration of national and international precedents set within other relevant frameworks. The weightings have been fine-tuned to reflect the New Zealand built environment and the objectives of Homestar.
| Category | Points Available | |
| Apartments and Terraces | Standalone Homes | |
| Efficient | 39 | 39 |
| Healthy and Comfortable | 49 | 47.5 |
| Liveable | 11 | 11 |
| Environmentally Responsible | 31 | 31 |
| Total | 130 | 128.5 |
| Innovation | 10 | 10 |
In order to ensure a baseline standard, a number of key areas have mandatory minimum levels that must be achieved for a particular star rating. These mandatory minimum levels are outlined in the section titled “Mandatory Minimums”.
Types of Homestar Assessments
Design Rating
A full assessment of a proposed dwelling based on detailed plans, specifications and any other documentation required to fully describe the build. A Design Rating is a checkpoint on the path to a Homestar Built Rating and expires two years after being issued.
Built Rating
A physical inspection of a completed dwelling by the Homestar Assessor. It can be conducted on an existing property without a prior Homestar Design Rating. If a Homestar Design Rating has been completed, the documentation may be used to streamline the process for a Homestar Built Rating.
Volume Assessment
Where a developer has standard house designs, aspects of these designs relating to various Homestar credits may be pre-assessed, thus making the assessment process significantly more streamlined when the dwellings are built.
Types of Homestar Professionals
NZGBC trains and accredits industry professionals to promote Homestar within the market, advise home builders and owners on what the scheme entails, design homes to meet Homestar requirements, and carry out assessments. There are three professional accreditations:
Homestar Practitioner
Homestar Practitioners have good knowledge of the fundamentals of Homestar and can communicate its benefits to the market, understand how their products or services will help achieve Homestar ratings and assist in the design and construction of Homestar projects.
Homestar Designer
Homestar Designers are trained to design and advise on the technical aspects of Homestar and the principles of sustainable design, so that they can apply this knowledge when working on a Homestar project.
Homestar Assessor
A Homestar Assessor may also design and advise, as they will have completed the Homestar Designer qualification, but they are also trained in the Homestar assessment process to lead projects through Homestar certification. For this reason, this is the only qualification that can carry out and submit a Homestar assessment. The first assessment submitted after qualifying as an Assessor will undergo a supervised assessment, which provides additional assistance during the certification process.
Homestar Auditors
Homestar assessments submitted to NZGBC are audited by an independent third party prior to the rating being confirmed – Homestar Auditors. This is not a separate accreditation; experienced Homestar Assessors are invited to become Homestar Auditors, and then oriented with audit process and language norms of audit comments.
They carry out a desktop audit of the claimed points and evidence provided to ensure that:
- The Assessor has carried out the assessment to a reasonable professional standard
- There is sufficient confidence that the assessed property has earned the targeted rating
The audit process is outlined in more detail within the Homestar Process section.
- More information about minimum requirements for dwellings, including sizes of kitchen areas (Clause 7) and bedrooms (Clause 8) can be found in the Housing Improvement Regulations 1947, http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1947/0200/latest/DLM3505.html ↑