Have you ever received your energy bill, examined it closely and thought, “Wait a minute, this can’t be right—there must be an error!”? Well, calm down; you are not alone.
According to findings by RMIT University, at least one in every four Australians face challenges with their utility bills because they live in old inefficient homes built before building energy standards were introduced.
Others live in houses with outdated, power-hungry appliances that drain too much energy.
Whatever the case, there are important steps you can take to bring your energy costs down.
One sure way is conducting regular home energy audits with the help of accredited professionals. Read on to discover what a home energy audit is and the benefits it can provide.
What is a Home Energy Audit?
Simply put, a home energy audit is a detailed evaluation of your home, focusing on uncovering all the elements that could be wasting energy and identifying potential areas of improvement in your energy frameworks.
The process is conducted by professionals using their special tools and expertise to assess insulation, windows, heating systems, cooling systems, ductwork, appliances, and any other key aspects of your home.
Following the inspection process, home energy inspectors provide information on specific improvements needed to save money on utilities without sacrificing comfort in your home.
Benefits of Home Energy Audit
Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
The main purpose of performing a home energy audit is to find (with a professional’s help) hidden ways through which your home is wasting energy and upgrade it for better efficiency.
During the audit, a professional home energy auditor looks at things like insulation, air leakage, and appliance efficiency within the home.
After the audit process, your energy auditor will present a detailed report showing faulty areas where your energy potentially goes to waste.
Maybe you have inadequate insulation, and your home is losing precious heat or cool to the outside. Or perhaps some appliances and lighting are now outdated, guzzling more power than necessary.
Depending on the findings, your energy auditor will advise regarding the most appropriate action to take.
For instance, in the case of poor insulation, simple recommendations would be improving ceilings, sealing air leaks around windows and doors, etc. This significantly reduces energy loss and eases the burden on your heating/cooling system so it works less saving more energy.
Similarly, if the problem was the lighting, recommendations would be upgrading appliances and lighting to more efficient options like LED bulbs.
Achieve Lower Utility Bills
After conducting a home audit and becoming aware of all the areas that need improvement, you now stand the best chance to lower your utility costs.
This audit provides a chance to do away with inefficient appliances and deal with everything in between, which could be causing energy waste and higher utility bills in your home.
Here are some quick actions your energy auditor might recommend following a home energy inspection to bring your costs down.
- Installing Energy Star Appliances and Lighting: Replacing appliances with Energy Star appliances will reduce your energy consumption by 10%-30%, while Energy Star lighting sees you save up to 80%.
- Sealing the Leaks and Upgrade to More Efficient Insulation: This move will have you lower your energy use by about 40% to 50%.
- Window and Door Upgrades: Replace all the old single-pane windows and doors with energy-efficient, double- or triple-pane windows and doors to reduce nearly 30% of heat loss or heat gain.
Reduce Carbon Footprint with Efficient Gadgets
Another important long-term benefit of a home energy audit is that it helps you conserve the environment.
Through this energy audit, you identify areas and actions that can increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption, thereby lowering your carbon footprint.
Since most appliances and gadgets in the home use electricity delivered from fossil fuels, they require burning more fossil fuel to meet their energy requirements. Burning fossil fuels contributes large proportions of greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere causing environmental degradation.
With a proper energy audit, you easily pinpoint such appliances and replace them with more efficient ones thus sparing the environment. For instance, if you replace a traditional, inefficient heating system with a heat pump, you can reduce your carbon emissions by around 50% – 90%.
Increase Home Comfort
An energy audit in your home can also help make your living space more comfortable.
Poor energy usage in a home can lead to cold and hot spots around the house and uneven heating or cooling. Fixing these problems will help you make your home a much more pleasant and comfortable place.
For instance, sealing air leaks and adding insulation helps to keep the temperature consistent and prevents drafts and cold spots.
Similarly, having more efficient windows reduces summer heat gain and winter heat loss thus creating a much more stable climate indoors.
Moreover, proper ventilation and sealing would reduce the penetration of many allergens and air pollutants into homes, leading to improved respiratory health and, hence, better well-being.
Promote Your Overall Safety
Home energy audits help protect homeowners from potential dangers caused by poor energy use and neglected home maintenance.
Professionals inspect everything in your home, discovering hidden risks before they become severe issues. This includes spotting fire hazards, health risks from mold, and unsafe air quality due to faulty ductwork.
By finding these problems early, you can fix them quickly, reducing the chance of accidents and saving money on extensive repairs.
Plus, addressing these issues could even lower your insurance premiums, since some providers offer discounts for safer homes.
Additionally, keeping your home well-maintained according to expert guidelines reduces legal risks. If any disputes arise concerning tenant rights or livable conditions, having documented proof of proper care can strengthen your case.
Take the First Step with a Free Energy Audit
Curious about what a home energy audit can really do for you?
Let e-Green get you jump-started on the path to an efficient home with a free house energy audit. The professional auditors will guide you through the process, walking you through valuable insights and recommendations specific to your residence.
This free energy audit will help you discover exactly where your energy goes to waste and where improvement can be made.
It will enable you to adopt better remedies to restore energy efficiency in your home, lower your increasing utility bills, improve quality of life, and help save the planet.
Book your free energy audit with e-green on our website, or call us today +1 300-326-636. We have a professional team waiting to assist you by pointing out how your energy goes wasted and recommending the best remedies to save more.
Let’s make a greener future together!
In the rapidly growing Australian real estate landscape, a new trend is shaping the search criteria for house buyers. Most Aussie home investors, particularly those in the colder states of Tasmania, Victoria, and South Australia want to invest their resources only in the most energy-efficient homes.
According to a survey from PropTrack Origin Australian Home Energy Report, as many as 59% of Australian home buyers say that the energy efficiency number is one of the first considerations they look for when buying or renting a new house.
Additionally, in another study by Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, 86% of Australians believe making homes more energy efficient is the most popular home improvement action at the moment.
Looking at this data, you might be wondering why there is a spike in the demand for energy efficient homes across Australia. But worry not, in this article, we will take a closer look at the five key reasons behind this trend.
So, read on and you will soon want an energy efficient home too!
1. Lowering Energy Bills
The main reason why Australian buyers are prioritizing efficient homes is to reduce their energy bills. This is supported by a survey conducted by the realestate.com.au Residential Audience Pulse Survey alongside the Origin Customer Data.
Both surveys interviewed a total of 6000 Australian renters and buyers and found that up to 77% of buyers believe that energy efficient homes would help them bring their energy costs down.
But is it achievable?
Yes, it is achievable with a combination of strategic design and the use of energy-efficient technologies.
For example, the use of special insulation keeps temperatures comfortable, which in turn reduces the need for heating and cooling systems that consume a lot of electricity.
Furthermore, energy efficient homes are designed to use energy star rated appliances like refrigerators, washers, and dishwashers that use less power compared to conventional models. This lowers electricity costs for homeowners.
Additionally, smart homes have high-tech solutions for cutting energy costs. For example, programmable thermostats let you control the temperature more precisely. You can schedule heating and cooling, access settings remotely, and track usage.
This helps use energy more efficiently and avoid waste.
Similarly, smart lights can switch on/off based on room occupancy or light levels also preventing wasted electricity. Lastly, solar panels and heat pumps offer sustainable alternatives, reducing dependence on conventional power grids and subsequently lowering utility expenses.
2. Environmental Concerns and Sustainability
According to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, residential homes account for over 10% of Australia’s total carbon emissions. With this information, more eco-conscious Australian homebuyers feel the need to play an active role in protecting the environment.
One effective solution is embracing energy-efficient homes.
First, these residences often incorporate renewable energy sources like solar panels and heat pumps, reducing reliance on fossil fuels – a major pollutant. According to Statista data, Australia’s fossil fuel emissions reached 393.2 million metric tons in 2022.
By utilizing clean energy alternatives, energy-efficient homes help mitigate these emissions, fostering a cleaner, more sustainable environment.
Furthermore, residences designed for energy efficiency tend to utilize water-saving appliances and fixtures aiding in conserving a vital resource: water.
In various parts of Australia, where climate and geography exacerbate water scarcity concerns, this aspect holds particular significance – it helps preserve the local ecosystems and reduce the energy required for water treatment and distribution.
Lastly, energy-efficient homes utilize environmentally friendly materials and methods. Recycled steel, bamboo, and paints containing minimal volatile compounds are examples.
Such options tend to originate from sustainable sources or undergo manufacturing processes that minimize environmental harm. Their impact contrasts with conventional materials associated with greater ecological damage.
3. Resale Value and Investment
Another reason why buyers prefer homes with energy-efficient features is that these homes boast significant resale value and investment potential. They are perceived as valuable assets that enhance a property’s long-term value.
Buyers recognize that investing in such a residence is a financially wise decision as it will not only cut on costs but also fetch higher returns if they ever decide to resell. According to RCenergy buyers who invest in energy-efficient properties may expect up to 2 – 9.4% profit if they decide to resell.
On top of this, energy-efficient homes often come with lower running costs due to reduced energy consumption. This appeals to future buyers, who understand that the higher investment will be paid back over time.
As a result, they are willing to pay a premium for these homes, knowing that the initial investment will be offset by reduced ongoing expenses.
4. Government Incentives and Policy Support
Another reason why buyers prefer energy efficient homes is because the Australian authorities encourage and support them.
The authorities recognize the environmental and economic advantages of sustainable living, so they encourage its adoption through various initiatives.
These include grants, rebates, and tax incentives – all aimed to reduce the upfront costs associated with energy-efficient technologies, appliances, and home improvements.
For instance, The Energy Efficient Homes Package offers rebates for homeowners to install ceiling insulation and purchase new energy-efficient appliances.
Under this program, households receive 50% of the total installation cost, up to $2,500, for both ceiling insulation and rooftop solar panels. This makes energy-efficiency upgrades more accessible and affordable.
Moreover, government policies that promote renewable energy sources like feed-in tariffs, which provide financial incentives for homeowners who generate excess clean energy and supply it back to the grid, further encourage incorporating energy efficient residences.
5. Comfort and Wellbeing
Energy-efficient homes provide benefits beyond financial and environmental aspects. They offer enhanced comfort and well-being, attracting Australian buyers. These residences maintain stable indoor temperatures year-round, minimizing excessive heating or cooling needs.
This design creates a comfortable living environment throughout various seasons at no extra energy costs.
Additionally, energy-efficient homes often feature improved air quality through better insulation and ventilation systems. This can lead to reduced exposure to pollutants, allergens, and other airborne particles, benefiting the health and overall wellbeing of residents.
On top of that, noise levels are typically lower due to enhanced insulation blocking external sounds. This contributes to a more peaceful and relaxing living experience, allowing occupants to enjoy a higher quality of life.
Conclusion
So, there you have it—a deep dive into the key factors driving the demand for energy-efficient homes in Australia.
With this knowledge, you too should consider joining the growing movement towards energy-efficient homes. Not only will you be reducing your energy bills, but you will also be making a smart investment with long-term rewards.
Think about it and make the right move now!
