IMPROVING CONSUMER INFLUENCE IN POLICY DECISIONS FOR CLIMATE RESILIENT HOMES

More and more Australians are living in sustainable homes that not only use much less energy and water, but are also comfortable, healthy and affordable to live in.

But many more live in inefficient homes that are cold and damp in winter, dangerously hot in summer or cost a fortune in bills to keep at a healthy temperature.  Energy waste also adds to Australia’s carbon emissions, while climate change impacts such as heatwaves will increasingly expose vulnerable people living in poor quality housing to serious health risks.

The Climate Resilient Homes project is a national coalition of community, consumer and environment groups calling for action to raise the energy and water performance of all Australian homes – new and existing.

ISSUE

In Australia, construction and use of the built environment accounts for 45% of annual energy consumption and 18% of Australia’s carbon footprint. New housing construction accounts for much of this, making improving housing sustainability critical to addressing climate change. Building codes and regulatory frameworks have traditionally been developed between government and industry with little or no consumer input. They do not adequately incorporate or incentivise energy efficiency in residential home construction resulting in poor energy efficiency and higher household running costs.

RESPONSE

Renew is spearheading an innovative collaboration between environmental and anti-poverty organisations, including the Australian Council of Social Service, to advocate for stronger adoption of energy efficient housing and developed a consumer advocacy strategy to promote residential energy efficiency in new and existing homes.