Energy Modelling Services — BEO Science
BEO Science — Building Science Services

Energy modelling that resolves
compliance and performance at design stage

H1 Verification Method, Passive House PHPP, Green Star, Homestar, and thermal performance analysis — modelled accurately so design decisions are informed before anything is built.

H1 Verification Method Passive House PHPP Green Star · Homestar NZ & AU
Book a consultation →
The Problem

H1 has three compliance pathways — and most buildings use the weakest one

The Schedule method checks R-values against a table. It's being phased out entirely by November 2026 — so if your practice is still defaulting to it, that clock is ticking. The Calculation Method is a step up: it handles some trade-offs, and we've built a free tool for it if that's what you need. But it's entry level — it doesn't model actual energy demand, it doesn't account for real occupancy or mechanical systems, and it won't tell you whether the building will be comfortable. The Verification Method is where energy modelling sits. It's the most rigorous H1 pathway, it's required for Passive House and high-performance projects, and it's the only method that produces numbers you can actually design around.

Schedule method: obsolete by November 2026

The R-value lookup table is being withdrawn. If your team is still using it as the default compliance pathway, you'll need to move — and sooner is better than at the next consent lodgement.

Calculation Method: entry level, not performance data

Better than Schedule, but it's still a simplified compliance check — not a model of how the building performs. Trade-offs are limited and it gives you no insight into energy demand, overheating, or HVAC sizing. Try our free Calculation Method tool →

Oversized HVAC from guessed loads

Without verified heating and cooling load calculations, mechanical systems get over-specified. The building complies and then costs more to run for its entire lifespan.

Glazing that causes overheating in summer

Solar gain is a significant comfort and energy risk — particularly in NZ's mixed climate zones. Neither the Schedule nor Calculation method captures it. The Verification Method does.

What We Do

Energy modelling across the full compliance and performance spectrum

We work across all major NZ and AU energy compliance and certification pathways — from H1 calculation method through to full Passive House PHPP and Green Star energy credits.

H1 Verification Method Modelling

The Verification Method is the most rigorous H1 compliance pathway — and the only one that produces verified energy demand data. It's required for Passive House projects, high-performance buildings, and any project where the Calculation Method doesn't provide enough resolution.

  • Full H1/VM1,VM2 energy verification modelling
  • Whole-building energy demand — heating, cooling, lighting, DHW
  • Climate zone configuration across all NZ territorial authorities
  • Trade-off analysis — envelope, glazing, mechanical systems
  • Compliance report suitable for building consent submission
Passive House PHPP Modelling

PHPP (Passive House Planning Package) is the certified energy balance tool for PHI and PHIUS certification. Accurate PHPP modelling underpins every compliant Passive House project.

  • Full PHPP 10 energy balance modelling
  • DesignPH 3D geometry import and verification
  • NZ climate dataset configuration (NIWA / meteonorm)
  • Heating demand, cooling demand, and primary energy
  • Certification submission support (PHI / PHINZ)
Green Star & Homestar Energy Credits

Energy modelling is a core input for Green Star and Homestar rating submissions. We produce the modelling outputs the rating tools require — and help the design team understand what the numbers mean.

  • Green Star NZ energy credit modelling and documentation
  • Homestar energy and heating demand analysis
  • NABERS-aligned energy performance assessment
  • Renewable energy integration — solar PV yield and offset
  • Carbon footprint and operational energy reporting
Thermal Performance & Comfort Analysis

Energy compliance and occupant comfort are related but not identical. We model the performance factors that compliance pathways don't capture — overheating, solar gain, ventilation, and thermal bridge impact.

  • Overheating risk analysis and summer comfort assessment
  • Solar gain optimisation — glazing area, orientation, shading
  • Heating and cooling load calculations for HVAC sizing
  • Thermal bridge identification and psi-value input
  • Ventilation strategy review and mechanical system sizing
Deliverables

What the modelling produces

Energy modelling is only useful if the outputs are in a form your design team and consenting authority can actually use. Every commission is delivered with documented inputs, verifiable outputs, and a results call.

Standard deliverables — all commissions
  • Full model files with documented inputs and assumptions
  • Energy demand summary — heating, cooling, DHW, total
  • Written compliance report in consent-ready format
  • Design sensitivity analysis — what changes move the result and by how much
  • Review call with your design team to walk through findings and answer questions
  • Follow-up support for design iterations arising from the review
Our Process

From design brief to consent-ready report

01
Project brief and pathway selection
We start with your drawings, specifications, and project goals. The right modelling pathway — H1 Verification Method, PHPP, Green Star, or a combined approach — depends on the project type, certification target, and where in the design process you are. We confirm the scope before any modelling begins.
02
Energy model build and simulation
The model is built from your geometry, envelope specification, glazing schedule, mechanical systems, and occupancy data. For PHPP projects, DesignPH geometry is imported and verified. For H1 Verification Method projects, climate zone and construction inputs are configured to the H1/VM1 requirements. Simulations are run iteratively — not once and filed.
03
Results review and design iteration
Results are reviewed against the target — compliance threshold, Passive House criteria, or rating tool credit threshold. Where the design doesn't meet the target, or where significant improvements are available at low cost, we identify the specific changes that move the result. This is where modelling earns its fee — not in the final report, but in the iteration.
04
Report delivery and design team review
The final report is structured for architects, engineers, and consenting authorities — compliance findings in plain language, with full technical appendices. A review call is included to walk the design team through findings, discuss what the numbers mean for the building, and agree on any outstanding actions before consent submission.
Who We Work With

Across the design and construction team

Architects & Designers
Energy modelling gives you the data to make confident design decisions — glazing ratios, orientation, insulation trade-offs — before those decisions become expensive to change. We work as a specialist input into your design process, not a compliance exercise at the end of it.
Builders & Developers
The H1 Verification Method often unlocks envelope trade-offs that aren't available through simpler compliance pathways — which can mean a better-performing building at the same or lower cost. We can model the options and tell you where the specification budget is best spent.
Homeowners
Whether you're building a new home or specifying a major renovation, energy modelling confirms that the design will actually perform — and that the heating system is sized for the building you're building, not a generic one.
Commercial & Institutional Clients
Green Star, NABERS, and bespoke performance specifications all require documented energy analysis. We produce the modelling outputs the rating tools require, and we can support the full rating submission process alongside your project team.
Compliance Pathways

Which modelling approach fits your project

Pathway When it applies What BEO delivers
H1 Verification Method NZ residential and commercial — the most rigorous H1 pathway, required for high-performance and Passive House projects. Schedule method withdrawn November 2026; Calculation Method is entry level only. H1/VM1 energy model, compliance report, consent-ready documentation
Passive House PHPP PHI or PHINZ certification — residential and commercial Full PHPP model, certification submission support
Green Star NZ Commercial building rating — energy credit modelling Energy credit documentation and rating support
Homestar Residential sustainability rating Energy and heating demand analysis for rating submission
NCC / NABERS (AU) Australian commercial projects — NCC Section J or NABERS pathway Performance Solution modelling and compliance documentation
FAQ

Common questions

What's the difference between the three H1 compliance methods?
H1 has three pathways. The Schedule method is an R-value lookup table — fast, simple, and being withdrawn entirely by November 2026. If you're still defaulting to it, that deadline is approaching. The Calculation Method sits in the middle: it handles some envelope trade-offs and gives a basic energy estimate. It's entry level — useful for straightforward projects, and we've built a free tool for it at beoscience.com/h1-calculation-method. The Verification Method is where energy modelling sits. It produces verified energy demand figures using a full building simulation — heating, cooling, DHW, mechanical systems, occupancy, and climate all modelled together. It's the most rigorous pathway, required for Passive House and high-performance projects, and the only one that gives you data you can actually design around rather than just a compliance tick.
When in the design process should we commission energy modelling?
As early as possible — ideally at concept or developed design, when envelope decisions are still being resolved. The later modelling is commissioned, the less flexibility you have to act on the findings. That said, we can model at any stage — including checking a near-final design for compliance or identifying why an existing design isn't hitting its target. Earlier is cheaper; later is often still worth it.
Does PHPP modelling cover PHI certification, or just the energy analysis?
Both. The PHPP model is the certification submission document for PHI. We build and verify the model, produce the energy balance outputs, and can support the full submission process alongside your Passive House designer or certifier. If you're working toward PHINZ registration, we work within that process too.
Do you work on Australian projects?
Yes. BEO operates across NZ and Australia. For Australian projects, we model to NCC 2022 pathways — Section J for commercial compliance and Performance Solution pathways for projects that go beyond the Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions. PHPP and Green Star modelling apply equally across both markets.
Can energy modelling help with an existing building or renovation?
Yes — retrofit modelling is a distinct discipline but we cover it. We model the existing building baseline, then assess the energy impact of proposed upgrades in order of cost-effectiveness. This is particularly useful for homeowners and building owners trying to prioritise a renovation budget, or for commercial buildings targeting a NABERS or Green Star existing building rating.
Commission energy modelling at design stage — not at consent
Book a consultation to discuss your project pathway and scope. We'll confirm which modelling approach applies and what the commission will cover.
Book a consultation
denise@beoscience.com · +64 210 239 4980 · beoscience.com