Our Services

Zone Zero works with architects, designers, builders and homeowners across Australia, offering a range of environmentally sustainable design (ESD) services, including assessments (NatHERS), consultancy and support.

We’re passionate about creating responsible, inspiring homes that have a positive impact on people while caring for the planet.

Jemma is a certified Thermal Performance Assessor (Energy Assessor) with expertise in passive design and energy efficiency strategies. Drawing on a background in both architecture and construction management, Zone Zero supports professionals and homeowners throughout the design and compliance process, with a focus on creating homes that are beautiful, comfortable and sustainable.

Feature green wall in comfortable sunny bedroom design

Sustainability Assessments
to Suit Every Project

7-Star Energy Ratings and Beyond

Zone Zero provides a range of Sustainability Assessments tailored to your project needs. Whether it’s meeting building approval requirements, enhancing performance to maximise comfort and reduce running costs, or aiming for a 10-star, zero-energy home., we customise our services to help you achieve your goals.

Over the past year, several Australian states and territories, including Victoria, have introduced more stringent energy efficiency requirements for new houses. As of May 2025, Western Australia has adopted these changes too, now requiring a minimum 7-star NatHERS rating or equivalent and a Whole of Home (WoH) assessment for new dwellings.

As a qualified energy rating (thermal performance) consultant, Jemma can help you reach 7-stars and beyond.

This is most common way to meet the minimum 7-star energy efficiency requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC) and gain building approval. The rating is scored out of 10 and predicts how much heating and cooling the home will need to stay comfortable year-round, based on its climate, design, materials, and construction.
Whole of Home Assessments measure the energy use of the entire home – including heating, cooling, hot water systems, key appliances, lighting, pool and spa pumps, as well as on-site energy generation and storage like solar panels and batteries.

They can be used to demonstrate compliance with the updated energy efficiency requirements in the National Construction Code (NCC). The rating is scored out of 100, with a minimum of 60 required for houses and 50 for apartments.
An As-Built Assessment provides peace of mind for new homeowners by confirming that all required energy-saving features and compliance measures have been installed as expected – or better- so you can be confident you’re getting what you paid for.

Get in touch

Natural passive timber house with sunny deck and pergola

Sustainable Design Consultancy

Advice for Architects, Designers + Building Professionals

Meet your clients’ goals and deliver thoughtful solutions that respond to evolving sustainability and compliance requirements.

With growing awareness of the environmental impact of housing, and the introduction of new minimum 7-star energy ratings and Whole of Home requirements, sustainability and energy efficiency are no longer just a late-stage compliance task. More than ever, they need to be embedded early in the design process.

Get the much-needed professional support and be confident that you’re creating a home that’s not only functional and beautiful but also environmentally responsible.

The earlier in the building design process that a thermal performance assessor becomes involved, the more scope there generally is to improve the energy efficiency of the building in simple, low-cost ways. Moving through the design process without testing and optimisation, runs the risk of costly additions to the project down the track when compliance comes around.

Jemma’s background in architecture and construction management means you’ll have a sustainability specialist on board who also has a deep understanding and respect for the design process, as well as the competing objectives that must be balanced to make your project a success.

Zone Zero provides specialist advice in sustainable and passive design principles that can be seamlessly integrated into your existing design process, to help guide decision making and ensure your project achieves the best possible outcomes.

- Site analysis support – Assess orientation, layout, and existing features and built form to make the most of your site’s opportunities and respond to its constraints.
- Passive solar design guidance – Maximise natural heating and cooling by responding to your site’s climate and topography.
- Early design reviews and performance modelling – Compare different floor plan layout options through performance simulations to inform better design decisions.
- Detailed passive design advice – Support for optimising thermal mass, glazing orientation and size, eaves, and shading elements.
- Material and construction system advice – Compare options to suit your project goals, climate, and budget.
- Non-regulatory thermal performance simulations – Understand how the building will perform in real life by modelling client-specific behaviour, occupancy patterns, and natural elements like vegetation - not taken into account in general compliance modelling.
- Planning and building compliance support – Navigate regulatory requirements with confidence.
- Interior specification input – Assist with appliance and systems selections to help meet the client’s brief and Whole of Home efficiency targets.

Talk to us about your project

Zone Zero consulting with a client on sustainable architecture

Design Support

Advice for Homeowners

Many property owners today are taking a hands-on approach—designing their own homes, opting for owner-builder projects, or working with a draftsperson instead of an architect or designer. While creating your own home is an exciting journey, navigating the process without support can be overwhelming. At Zone Zero, we believe everyone should have access to good design advice, no matter the approach they choose.

With my background in residential building design, coupled with specialised knowledge in energy efficiency and the principles of passive design, I provide tailored advice to empower you to make confident, well-informed decisions about your home. Zone Zero offers the benefit of professional input at the points you need it, without the commitment of hiring a consultant for the entire project.

Whether you're questioning the flow of your floor plan, concerned about its energy efficiency and compliance, or feeling overwhelmed about where to even begin with your property, this is where you find clarity.

Let us help you create a home that works beautifully for you, your unique site and the planet.

Ideal for those just starting out, feeling lost or overwhelmed.

This package helps you gain clarity and confidence from the beginning, with a strong foundation for making informed design decisions.
Includes:
- Desktop site analysis – We’ll review your existing site conditions to determine the constraints and opportunities for your orientation and layout, including sun path and prevailing winds, to make the most of passive solar design and natural ventilation.
- Introduction to Residential Design Codes - This overview will help you navigate essential design standards—such as setbacks, site coverage, building height, and privacy requirements—and how they apply to your specific project.
- Planning and approvals overview – We cut through the jargon to identify relevant planning controls and approval pathways for your specific site and project.
- On-site or online consultation – A personalised session (in-person for Southwest WA or online Australia-wide) to explore your goals and design criteria to formulate a clear project brief.
- PDF summary – All findings and recommendations compiled in a concise, easy-to-reference document to guide your next steps.
Have a design drafted but not sure if it works?
This is a great way to catch design flaws early and improve your home’s long-term performance and liveability.

I’ll review your plans with both a designer’s eye and a sustainability lens, offering constructive feedback on:
- Layout, flow, and spatial functionality
- Passive solar design, ventilation, and comfort
- Opportunities to reduce future energy use and costs
For homeowners who are further along in the process.

If you’re close to finalising your design—this service helps fine-tune for performance, comfort, and compliance before it’s too late (or costly) to change.
Includes:
- Discovery & alignment consultation – A personalised session, on-site or online, designed to delve into your project’s specifics and for us to understand your goals.
- Modelling & analysis – Using thermal performance software, we create a digital model of your home to assess its passive performance and energy efficiency, based on its climate, design, materials, and construction.
- Preliminary NatHERS & Whole of Home ratings - A clear summary of your home’s current thermal performance. Know where you stand before submitting for compliance. This step helps avoid unexpected redesigns or upgrades at the end of your project.
- Performance based decision making – Once we’ve assessed your project’s current energy rating and thermal efficiency, we identify key areas for improvement. Utilising the digital model, we simulate various design scenarios —such as different cladding materials, roof and wall colours, window placements, shading devices, and skylight options—to illustrate their impact on your home's performance. This process empowers you to make informed, data-driven decisions, ensuring your design choices enhance comfort and energy efficiency.