Media release: Home energy ratings to help families cut bills and emissions 21 April 2023
The Energy Efficiency Council welcomes today’s announcement that the Albanese Government is ramping up support for critical home energy performance ratings that will help Australian families cut bills and emissions.
Millions of Australians live in substandard housing that exposes them to needlessly high energy bills and impacts their health.
EEC CEO Luke Menzel said the Government’s commitment to deploying a single, national scheme for rating home energy performance is a critical step towards ensuring every Australian home is healthy, comfortable and net zero-ready.
“Without a home energy rating, homeowners have no idea how much much they’ll need to spend to keep a house warm in winter and cool in summer,” said Mr Menzel. “This is basic information you get when you walk into a Harvey Norman to buy a fridge, but not when you make the biggest purchase of your life, the family home.”
The Government also announced a pilot of the NatHERS Ready Rate tool, using publicly available data to provide a rapid estimate of a home’s energy performance. The tool gives homeowners and house-hunters a basic understanding of the energy performance of a property, informing their decisions.
Mr Menzel noted that while these initiatives are an important step forward, there’s still much work to do. He congratulated the Assistant Minister Jenny McAllister for her leadership, and urged state, territory and the Commonwealth to continue building momentum towards a national system for disclosing the energy performance of homes, and support for renters and other vulnerable households to make the transition.
“Fixing the millions of poor performing homes is a big task, and residential disclosure will help unlock the finance and the ecosystem of skilled professionals we need to get the job done.”
“We also have to invest in healthy housing for the most vulnerable in the community. All levels of government and industry need to work together to ensure that every Australian has access to safe, comfortable and energy-smart housing.”
Media enquiries:
Tim Fisher, Head of Engagement, Energy Efficiency Council
0414 893 313
tim.fisher@eec.org.au