NCC 2022 Section J

J1V3 verification, without the guesswork

The performance pathway for Section J. Model your building against a compliant reference, show it uses less energy, and stop letting a glazing calculator dictate your façade.

Reference building generated straight to the DTS provisions
Whole building annual simulation on NCC climate zone weather data
Trade off glazing, envelope and plant across the whole design
Reports laid out for certifiers, not for you to reformat
3D building model showing geometry with blue walls, teal roofs, and orange adjacent structures in a grid layout within a design software interface.
Still called JV3 by most of the industry

When DTS says no, J1V3 says maybe

J1V3 is the Verification Method in NCC Section J that lets you demonstrate energy efficiency by modelling rather than by matching a checklist. You build two models: the proposed building as designed, and a reference building that meets the Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions exactly. Both run a full year of simulation, and if the proposed building consumes no more energy than the reference, you have a compliant Performance Solution. It is the same method the industry has called JV3 for years. NCC 2022 renamed it, and not everyone got the memo.
Digital floor plan highlighting Diesel Tank Room in green, adjacent to Diesel Pump Room and MSB Room, with navigation and editing tools on the interface.
Reference Building

The reference model is generated to the DTS provisions for your climate zone and building class, so you are not hand-assembling a baseline and hoping the certifier reads it the same way you did.

Digital architectural floor plan interface showing Level B1 layout with highlighted Access Room and editing tools for opacity and color on the blueprint.
Climate Zones

Simulations run against the NCC climate zone weather file for your actual site. Get this one wrong and every number downstream is wrong with it, which is why it gets set once and left alone.

Screenshot of betterbuilding software showing a tags panel with categorized building elements like windows, walls, floors, roof, and retail, alongside a level navigation menu on the left.
Envelope Trade-offs

Walls, roofs and floors can move away from the DTS values as long as the building still lands under the reference. That flexibility is the whole reason the method exists.

Screenshot of a building management software interface showing a list of building levels with options to edit, duplicate, or access roof geometry for Level 03.
Glazing

Model the glazing you actually specified, not the glazing the DTS calculator is willing to tolerate. A large façade is usually the reason a project ends up on this pathway in the first place.

3D building model in Betterbuilding software showing color-coded wall shading and window elements with controls and a simulations panel on the right.
Shading

Overhangs, fins, screens and neighbouring buildings are modelled as real geometry. Shading then earns its keep properly instead of being approximated into a fudge factor.

User interface of Betterbuilding software showing solar panel renewables settings including surface coverage 100%, cell efficiency 18%, azimuth 0°, tilt 5°, and row size 1.55 meters, with a rectangular solar array preview on the right.
HVAC Systems

Assign real system types and efficiencies to the proposed model while the reference holds the DTS baseline. Plant selection is one of the larger levers available to you here.

Betterbuilding interface showing Wall tags and detailed settings for External Wall and Internal Wall, including R-value, solar absorptance, exposure, thickness, density, and heat capacity sliders.
Occupancy & Profiles

Lighting, equipment and occupancy schedules stay matched across both models. The comparison only means something if the loads on each side are identical.

Betterbuilding software interface showing Spaces tab with building zones and settings for Occupants including Design Level, Activity Level, Air Velocity, Work Efficiency, and Clothing Method.
Annual Simulation

Both models run a full year at hourly resolution through EnergyPlus. It takes minutes, not the overnight run you might still be bracing for.

Betterbuilding software interface showing energy consumption summary for Example Building with proposed versus reference data, including bar charts and tables of electricity use by category and monthly energy breakdown.
Compliance Reporting

Results come out as a side by side energy comparison with the assumptions documented alongside them, which is what the certifier will ask for regardless.

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