CPD requirements for NatHERS energy assessors

Accredited NatHERS energy assessors must complete annual Continuing Professional Development through their Assessor Accrediting Organisation (AAO). The three current AAOs are the Building Designers Association of Australia (BDAA), the Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA), and Design Matters National (DMN). CPD requirements typically include a set number of points per year covering software updates, NCC energy provisions, building science, and assessor practice. NatHERS protocol updates and software training count toward CPD when delivered by recognised providers.

Who accredits NatHERS assessors

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) is administered by the Commonwealth Government, with state and territory partners. Individual assessors are accredited not by NatHERS directly but by approved Assessor Accrediting Organisations.

The three current AAOs operate under the NatHERS Administrator’s framework. Each AAO sets its own CPD framework within the limits established by the NatHERS Protocol, which means there are differences between BDAA, ABSA, and DMN in points required, categories, and recognised activities.

What CPD must cover

NatHERS assessor CPD typically covers software training (AccuRate Sustainability, FirstRate5, BERS Pro), protocol updates issued by the NatHERS Administrator, NCC energy provisions including Section J for commercial buildings and the residential energy efficiency provisions, building physics and thermal performance principles, and assessor practice including data collection, quality assurance, and report preparation.

Each AAO publishes its current category breakdown. Practitioners should match their CPD planning to the specific framework of the AAO they are accredited under, not a generic assumption about NatHERS requirements.

BDAA, ABSA, and DMN: similarities and differences

All three AAOs require annual CPD as a condition of continued accreditation. All three recognise structured learning, software training, and conference attendance. All three require recordkeeping and audit on request.

Differences emerge in the point system, the proportion of structured versus informal CPD, the recognition of cross-disciplinary content (such as NCC provisions outside Section J), and the integration of new pathways like the NatHERS Existing Homes assessment stream.

BDAA in particular has emphasised practice-focused content for assessors recognising that the assessor role has evolved beyond software operation to include data collection methodology, site verification, and client communication.

Software training and protocol updates

Software updates and protocol changes count as CPD when delivered by recognised providers. The NatHERS Administrator periodically issues updates to the modelling protocols, software functionality, and accreditation requirements. Assessors must maintain currency with these changes and the AAOs recognise that maintenance as CPD activity.

However, software vendor training is not automatically CPD-recognised. It depends on whether the training meets the AAO’s criteria for structured learning. Practitioners should confirm with their AAO that a specific software course will count before booking it.

The NatHERS Existing Homes pathway and CPD

The introduction of the NatHERS Existing Homes assessment stream creates a distinct accreditation pathway and a distinct CPD trajectory. Assessors who add Existing Homes to their practice need to complete the relevant training and then maintain CPD currency for that stream as well as the New Homes stream they may already hold.

AAOs are integrating Existing Homes content into their CPD frameworks. The detail varies by AAO and is still developing as the pathway matures. Practitioners considering Existing Homes accreditation should check the current CPD implications with their AAO before committing to training.

Recordkeeping

Each AAO requires assessors to maintain CPD records and produce them during audit. Records typically include the activity name, date, hours or points, provider, learning outcome, and any certificate of completion.

AAO audits are conducted periodically. An assessor who cannot demonstrate CPD compliance faces accreditation consequences including suspension. This is not theoretical. It is part of the integrity framework that protects the scheme.

Common misconceptions

Software vendor courses do not automatically count. Recognition depends on the AAO’s criteria.

CPD requirements vary by AAO. There is no single NatHERS CPD standard that applies universally.

Existing Homes accreditation is not the same as New Homes accreditation. The CPD obligations follow each stream the assessor is accredited under.

Conference attendance counts only if it meets the AAO’s structured learning criteria. Attendance alone is not enough.

Quick reference

NatHERS CPD is administered through the AAOs: BDAA, ABSA, and DMN. Requirements are set by each AAO within the NatHERS framework. CPD typically covers software, protocol, NCC, building physics, and practice. Recordkeeping and audit response are part of accreditation. Existing Homes is a separate stream with its own CPD trajectory.

About CPD On Demand

CPD On Demand produces accredited courses for NatHERS energy assessors covering NCC energy provisions, protocol updates, software methodology, building physics, and the emerging NatHERS Existing Homes pathway. Courses are designed to meet the CPD frameworks of the major AAOs.