Homestar is a holistic tool that awards points across various credits to rate a home’s performance and environmental impact. There are mandatory minimum requirements focused on keeping the home, warm, dry, well-ventilated, and operating efficiently. Otherwise, the tool is flexible. The credits are open to various combinations to reach the points required to achieve the desired rating.
The home needs at least 60 points to achieve a 6 Homestar rating, which is the minimum standard that can be certified. Depending on its location across Aotearoa, a 6 Homestar rated home will be easier to keep warm and healthy, more cost effective to run, and more environmentally friendly than a home built to the Building Code. A 10 Homestar rating indicates a market-leading home.