Bathroom fans and sliding glass doors: new research shows how those cold draughts sneak into your home
August 27, 2024
Michael Ambrose, CSIRO Winter is now well upon us, and many of us – especially those living in old homes – are discovering just how draughty they are. In fact, Australia has some of the least air-tight homes in the world. But there’s good news. New research by CSIRO, which I led, shows Australia’s newly […]
Australian homes are getting bigger and bigger, and it’s wiping out gains in energy efficiency
March 18, 2024
Kate Wingrove, University of Wollongong and Emma Heffernan, University of Sydney New Australian homes are being designed bigger and so require more energy for heating and cooling, wiping out potential gains in energy efficiency, according to our new research. The increasing energy demand is inconsistent with global efforts to tackle climate change and suggests Australia’s […]
Budget’s energy bill relief and home retrofit funding is a good start, but dwarfed by the scale of the task
May 11, 2023
Trivess Moore, RMIT University and Ralph Horne, RMIT University The quality and performance of our housing have big impacts on the environment, cost of living and our health and wellbeing. The 2023-24 federal budget’s announcement of $1.6 billion for energy-saving upgrades to housing recognises the broad importance of retrofitting Australian homes. Until now, much of […]
We need a ‘lemon law’ to make all the homes we buy and rent more energy-efficient
April 27, 2023
Trivess Moore, RMIT University; Lisa de Kleyn, RMIT University, and Ralph Horne, RMIT University A long-awaited increase in energy-efficiency requirements for new homes is part of revised Australian construction standards taking effect on May 1. All new homes must achieve a minimum 7-star whole-of-home energy rating from October, following a six-month transition period. It’s a […]
RapidRate: AI-powered home energy insights
April 21, 2023
The challenge Making sense of home energy efficiency The case for energy efficient housing in Australia is clear. There is growing demand for residential energy efficiency data in Australia. Residential houses and apartments account for 23 per cent of Australia’s total electricity use and 11 per cent of carbon emissions. Energy efficient homes are more […]
7-star housing is a step towards zero carbon – but there’s much more to do, starting with existing homes
September 19, 2022
Gill Armstrong, Climateworks Centre; Alan Pears, RMIT University; Margot Delafoulhouze, Climateworks Centre, and Trivess Moore, RMIT University Energy-efficiency standards for new homes in Australia are being upgraded for the first time in a decade. New homes will be required to improve minimum performance from 6 stars to 7 stars under the Nationwide House Energy Rating […]
In an energy crisis, every watt counts. So yes, turning off your dishwasher can make a difference
June 22, 2022
Anna Malos, Monash University and Emi Minghui Gui, Monash University Australia’s east coast energy market has been on a rocky road for the past few weeks. It begs the question: how could the market change to avoid the next crisis? To date, discussion has largely focused on the need to generate more energy. But there’s […]
Keen to retrofit your home to lower its carbon footprint and save energy? Consider these 3 things
June 17, 2022
Nimish Biloria, University of Technology Sydney If you’re anything like me, you’re increasingly working from home, one that was built before energy efficiency measures were introduced in Australia. With temperatures along the east coast plunging and power bills skyrocketing, heating (and cooling) our homes is an energy intensive, expensive affair. Almost 8 million homes across […]
Analysis of 5,500 apartment developments reveals your new home may not be as energy efficient as you think
May 12, 2022
Michael Ambrose, CSIRO Apartment living is booming in Australia. Many people choose apartments for their good energy efficiency, which reduces the need for heating and cooling and leads to lower power bills. But not every apartment is as energy efficient as the development advertises. All proposed new dwellings, including apartments, require an energy rating certificate. […]
One million energy rating certificates on Australian Housing Data portal
December 1, 2021
By Kate Cranney The Australian Housing Data portal has now collected one million energy rating certificates from Australian homes, giving researchers, regulators, and industry associations an unprecedented snapshot of the energy efficiency of the nation’s housing stock. How do we know whether new homes in Australia are becoming more energy efficient? Every new home in […]