Donate

Insights for a future model

Lessons from Climate Safe Homes can provide guidance for future, large-scale, models for energy upgrades.

Climate Safe Homes provided substantial benefits to program participants. A significant majority reported improved health and wellbeing and many also reported improvements to indoor temperatures and energy-related financial hardship.

Based on the pilot and BSL’s experience with other programs we recommend a future model make the following considerations.

Targeting and recruitment

  • Prioritising households with low income and a chronic health issues or disability is resource intensive but essential, as this cohort benefits greatly from energy efficiency and solar interventions.
  • A larger program should maintain this priority group as part of a health focused stream, using partnerships (e.g. councils, energy retailers) to improve reach.
  • Recruitment should use multiple channels, including health services and culturally appropriate strategies to reach underrepresented groups such as First Nations households and people with limited English.
  • Additional methods are needed to better support people with psychosocial or cognitive challenges.

Program design and support

  • Embed lived experience in program design through co design.
  • For many people, ongoing, personalised support is essential to overcome financial, trust, information and access barriers. Support needs vary widely and are significant for households without internet access.
  • In a universal scheme, making higher rebates available for people with a low income would facilitate access for those who need only the financial support (not the navigation support).
  • Maintain co-contributions towards upgrade costs for outright homeowners, alongside full funding for those experiencing severe persistent financial hardship.
  • No-interest loans are important for households without access to up-front capital to access energy upgrades.

Upgrade options

  • Core upgrades (reverse-cycle air conditioning (RCAC), solar panels, insulation) were effective, but some households require additional upgrades (e.g. batteries, shading, additional RCAC).
  • Many participants were interested in electrification and retailer comparison. A future program should broaden upgrade options and include weather sealing and selective battery support.
  • Help households plan for electrification for when appliances need to be replaced in future.

Advice and broader support

  • Expand optional, low or no-cost in-home energy assessments.
  • Continue providing complementary supports such as help with concessions, utility relief grants (URGs) and equivalents in other states, energy market offers, extreme weather preparedness and referrals for non-energy supports including aged care or financial counselling referrals.

Project management and staffing

  • Use trusted community organisations or local governments as program leads to build confidence and reduce fears of scams.
  • Staff require both energy expertise and strong empathetic, participant-centred skills.

Complementary initiatives

  • Large scale grants (Solar Victoria, Victorian Energy Upgrades, Small-scale Renewable Energy Schemes) were critical to the pilot and should continue or expand to reach more households with low income in any future program.
  • Renters require support, including stronger minimum energy efficiency standards and funded upgrades in private rental housing, community housing and public housing.