BASIX Certificate

Required with new applications

Changes to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 has required certain development and complying development applications to submit a BASIX certificate demonstrating the development has been designed and will be built to use 40% less potable water and produce 25% less greenhouse emissions.

What is BASIX?

BASIX, or Building Sustainability Index, is a Web based tool designed to assess the potential performance of residential developments.

What are the legal requirements behind BASIX?

BASIX has been introduced as a mandatory component of the development assessment approval process under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, through the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Building Sustainability Index) Regulation 2004 and State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) - BASIX.

What processes does BASIX require?

Applicants are responsible for undertaking their own BASIX assessment through the program established on the BASIX web site, administered by the Department of Planning. A BASIX certificate will be issued on completion of your assessment, confirming compliance with the various energy and water targets and listing the commitments that must be incorporated into your application.

A BASIX certificate must be submitted with either a development application or complying development application. Failure to do so will render the application invalid. Applicants have some flexibility to change commitments at various stages of the development approval process. The commitments recorded in an approved BASIX Certificate are checked against plans and specifications before a Construction Certificate can be issued and then on-site before an Occupation Certificate can be issued.

What developments will be affected and when?

BASIX has commenced for:

• Single dwelling houses
• Dual occupancies
• Guest houses, boarding houses, backpackers' hostels etc.
• Multi Unit Housing
• Residential Flat Buildings
• All Other Residential Developments
• Alterations and additions to existing residential developments 

How does BASIX affect Council's existing planning policies, codes and instruments?

Marrickville Council has been one of the leading councils throughout NSW in its planning policies relating to energy and water assessment issues, mainly through its Development Control Plan (DCP) No. 32 Energy Smart Water Wise. However, the BASIX SEPP requires that any "competing provisions" in Council's planning controls, relating to potable water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, or the thermal performance of buildings, will be overridden by BASIX. Consequently, various provisions of DCP No. 32 (and associated documents) wil be suspended coinciding with the staged release of BASIX for different residential development types.

The general provisions on energy and water efficiency in DCP No. 32 will still be a relevant information source for applicants. Council intends to formally amend DCP 32 after the full implementation of BASIX by the Department of Planning. Until that time, applicants should note that the provisions of the following documents shall be suspended, and applicants will need to refer to the BASIX program for assessment.

Note: Remember to check the section "What residential developments will be affected and when?" for details on when BASIX takes effect for different development types.

Marrickville Development Control Plan No. 32 - Energy Smart Water Wise

• Part B-The Approvals Guide
• Development Types 1, 2, 3 and 6 in 'The Assessment Table'.

Marrickville Development Control Plan No. 35 - Urban Housing Volume 1 (Controls for new houses & alterations and additions to existing houses)

• Part 2A-Sustainable Development Design
• A1-Solar Access, Energy and Water Efficiency
• C4 and C5-Energy and Water Efficiency (Alterations and Additions and New Single Dwelling Houses and Dual Occupancies respectively)

Marrickville Development Control Plan No. 35 - Urban Housing Volume 2 (Controls for multi-unit dwellings & residential flat buildings)

• Part 2A-Sustainable Development Design
• A1-Solar Access, Energy and Water Efficiency
• C5-Energy and Water Efficiency

Marrickville Development Control Plan No. 28 - Urban Design Guidelines for Business Centres (residential part of mixed use development only)

• Part 4-Environmental Management 
• A15-Solar Access, Ventilation, Energy and Water Efficiency
• C5-Energy and Water Efficiency   

Sydney water rebate for rainwater tanks

Homes and Units that are required to install a rainwater tank to achieve a 40 per cent water efficiency rating through BASIX will not be eligible for a rainwater tank rebate. Sydney Water has amended the terms and conditions for the Rainwater Tank Rebate Program to extend it to July 2008 and exclude any homes or units required to have a rainwater tank to comply with a BASIX certificate. For more information contact Sydney Water.

Where to get further information on BASIX

The BASIX program, and information on how to enter your development details for certification, can be accessed through the BASIX website.

You should also consult with Council's Duty Planning or Building officers to clarify how BASIX matters relate to the details of your proposed development, and to determine what other planning and building provisions apply to your site. The officers can be contacted on phone 9335 2222, or by visiting the Council Administrative Centre, 2-14 Fisher Street, Petersham, Monday to Friday, 8.45am to 5.00pm.