Knowledge/What earns a certificate/Activity 6 categories, 6A to 6H, and their kW bands
Activity 6 categories, 6A to 6H, and their kW bands
Activity 6 is the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) heating and cooling activity, listed as Part 6. It has eight categories, split by ducted or non-ducted, then by capacity. 6C and 6G are for business or non-residential premises only, because they cover the band above 39 kW. 6H is emerging technology and isn't specified yet.
- Ducted
- 6A, 6B, 6Cunder 10, 10 to 39, over 39 kW
- Non-ducted
- 6D to 6Gunder 4, 4 to 10, 10 to 39, over 39 kW
- Business only
- 6C and 6Gthe over-39 kW bands
- Upper limit
- 65 kWwhere Part 6 stops
What are the eight Part 6 categories?
| Category | Type | Capacity | Premises |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6A | Ducted | Under 10 kW | Any |
| 6B | Ducted | 10 to 39 kW inclusive | Any |
| 6C | Ducted | Over 39 to 65 kW | Business or non-residential only |
| 6D | Non-ducted | Under 4 kW | Any |
| 6E | Non-ducted | 4 to under 10 kW | Any |
| 6F | Non-ducted | 10 to 39 kW inclusive | Any |
| 6G | Non-ducted | Over 39 to 65 kW | Business or non-residential only |
| 6H | Emerging technology | Whatever the VEU Specifications set | Not yet specified |
Two numbers matter most. Above 39 kW, the job has to be on business or non-residential premises. Above 65 kW, Part 6 doesn't apply at all.
What does every category have to meet?
All eight categories share the same five basic requirements.
- It can both heat and cool
- It meets the minimum performance requirements
- Its refrigerant meets the refrigerant rules
- It meets the minimum warranty requirements
- It meets anything else the VEU Specifications require (the regulations call them the Secretary's specifications)
So getting the category right is only step one. A unit in the right band still has to clear the efficiency floor, the refrigerant rule and the warranty requirement, and any one of those can knock a product out.
Can you mix brands on a multi-split?
No. Here's the rule word for word, and it's short. "All indoor units installed as part of a multi-split air conditioner must be from the same original equipment manufacturer as the connected outdoor unit."
In plain terms, every indoor head has to come from the same manufacturer as the outdoor unit. So you can't hang a mixed set of heads off one outdoor unit and claim it. It might run fine, and it's tempting when you've got stock on the shelf. It still isn't claimable.
Also keep the multi-split cap in mind. On homes there's a limit on how much capacity a multi-split can count (the residential capacity input cap), so a big multi-head job only earns so much, however many heads you put on.
Not sure which activity your job sits under?
Getting the activity and the scenario right is what sets the money, and you need to get it right before you quote, not after you install.
If you're looking at a job and the answer isn't obvious, ask Kevin.
Who this is for: small and medium HVAC contractors in Victoria. If you're a homeowner after a rebate or a repair, you need a licensed contractor, not us, and yours can point you the right way.
Related
- The eleven Part 6 scenarios, and why they set the moneyWhat you take out decides how many certificates a job earns. All eleven scenarios, the caps on four of them, and how long the scheme assumes each lasts.
- The Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) efficiency floors, by categoryMinimum heating and cooling efficiency ratings for every Part 6 category, on GEMS Cold Zone figures, and why a GEMS 2013 registration rules a unit out.
- The Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) refrigerant rule and its 15 kW cut-offBelow 15 kW cooling, the refrigerant's global warming potential (GWP) must be under 700. R32 passes, R410A doesn't. At 15 kW or more, the rule doesn't apply.
- How many upgrades one address can ever claimOnce an address has had enough upgrades, Schedule 4 blocks any more claims there. The limit changes with the job type and whether the old unit came out.
Review date: 1 January 2027. Figures in this area change without much notice and this page carries some that will go stale. Every number above is dated and sourced so you can check it yourself. If you find something out of date here, tell us and we will fix it.