A thermal performance study of common Australian residential construction systems in hypothetical modules

Australia’s harsh climate places a large demand on electricity for heating and cooling of buildings. Hence, a significant proportion of the electricity used in Australia is for space heating and cooling. Recent data indicates that space heating and cooling accounts for over 40% of total residential operational energy consumption (AGO 2004; CANA 2005). This has led to a growing concern about energy conservation and the sustainability of our living standards (CANA 2005). As a result, achieving better energy efficiency in buildings has become one of the major challenges faced by Australian builders and architects in recent years (Gregory 2007).