If you’re a builder, designer, architect, or homeowner working on a new home, don’t overlook the garage door in your NCC & NatHERS 7-star energy rating strategy. Since 1 October 2023, most states have begun enforcing the uplift to NCC 2022 minimum 7-star ratings for new homes, with NatHERS as the main compliance pathway. Factoring in compliant, tested garage door insulation early helps de-risk certification and avoid costly redesigns.
Under Australia’s National Construction Code (NCC 2022):
This is the same framework your energy assessor applies in performance modelling. This means including a tested garage door R-value can make the difference between reaching and not reaching 7-star targets – especially when margins are tight.
That’s where ThermaDoor garage door insulation stands out.
ThermaDoor is the only Australian garage door insulation brand that publishes dual-season, door assembly R-values -R1.48 (winter) / R1.43 (summer) – now a requirement under AS/NZS 4859.2:2018.
Australia’s original, and still the only purpose-built garage door insulation, designed for sectional and tilt doors and tested specifically for garage door conditions provides the best R-value for garage door insulation in Australia.
Read more about fire ratings and garage door insulation.
ThermaDoor Premium garage door insulation helps achieve NCC 2022 and NatHERS 7-Star outcomes. Select your role for specific guidance, including our dual-season door-assembly R-values (R1.48 winter / R1.43 summer) calculated to AS/NZS 4859.1 & 4859.2:2018.
Specify ThermaDoor garage door insulation in the architectural drawings and specification schedule to ensure a compliant, purpose-built solution.
Avoid re-purposed wall or roof products, and generic insulation materials that can create performance gaps at certification.
Attach the test report to the design compliance set.
Model the garage door as bulk insulated using ThermaDoor’s verified door-assembly R-values: R1.48 (winter) / R1.43 (summer) (calculated to AS/NZS 4859.1 & 4859.2:2018).
Incorporate ThermaDoor into the NatHERS software model to reflect true thermal performance.
Reference the official test report in your compliance documentation.
Coordinate early with the energy assessor and designer so ThermaDoor’s tested values are included in the approved compliance set.
Use installation practices that maintain the air gap, avoid gluing to the door skin, and ensure safe operation (including spring re-balancing where required).
Provide the Spec Pack and installation guide to site supervisors and trades.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application | Sectional and tilt garage doors — new builds and major renovations |
| Panel Thickness | 35mm |
| Declared R-Value (Winter) | R1.48 |
| Declared R-Value (Summer) | R1.43 |
| R-Value Type | Dual-season door assembly (system) values — not material or wall values |
| Standards Framework | AS/NZS 4859.1:2018 (materials and test methods) and AS/NZS 4859.2:2018 (total/system R-value determination) |
| Fixing Method | Mechanical fixing — no adhesive or glue |
| Flammability | Flame-retardant EPS core — tested to AS 1530.2 |
| NCC Compliance | Aligned with NCC 2022 building fabric provisions |
| NatHERS Support | Declared values suitable for NatHERS 7-Star design inputs |
Thermal bridging makes garage doors a special case – see our detailed blog on Why Your Garage Door Has An R-Value of Zero – And How to Fix it
If you require a copy of our official thermal test data we invite you to contact us.
No. NCC 2022 and NatHERS require standard‑aligned inputs. Use garage‑door specific, tested values determined under AS/NZS 4859.1 & 4859.2 to avoid rating errors.
ThermaDoor’s dual-season R-values were calculated by James M Fricker Pty Ltd, a Registered Professional Engineer (Victoria, PE0005355), in accordance with AS/NZS 4859.1:2018 (materials and test methods) and AS/NZS 4859.2:2018 (total/system R-value determination), expressly for garage door assembly conditions. (Reports available on request).
It can. The 7‑Star uplift places tighter budgets on heating/cooling loads; improving a large, conductive surface like the garage door often helps projects meet targets.
Yes. NCC 2022 Volume Two Part 13.2 requires insulation to comply with AS/NZS 4859.1 and uses AS/NZS 4859.2 for total/system R‑value calculations in relevant building‑fabric elements.
A material R-value measures the thermal resistance of the insulation product in isolation. It does not account for the real-world assembly it is installed in. For a garage door — a metal structure subject to thermal bridging, air movement, and seasonal temperature variation — the material R-value will almost always overstate actual performance. This is why AS/NZS 4859.2:2018 requires total system R-values to be calculated for the specific assembly. ThermaDoor’s declared values are system R-values, not material values.
Got more questions? Read our Garage Door Insulation FAQ’s to learn about the original, and still the only purpose made garage door insulation in Australia
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