Home sustainability assessments

Households are often overwhelmed by the amount of information available describing the best actions to save energy and water and to reduce greenhouse gases. It can be difficult to decide what action to take.

Free, independent assessment

Through the Green Loans Program, householders are able to access a free, comprehensive Home Sustainability Assessment to reduce their energy and water bills, increase the comfort of their home and help reduce damaging carbon pollution.

This independent assessment by a qualified expert assessor will provide advice from the smallest behaviour change to major investments such as a solar hot water system or photovoltaic panels.

What will you get?

From this assessment, householders get a tailored, expert report listing the most effective changes for their home.

The assessment is valid for six months.

What is involved?

The assessment involves the physical inspection of major energy and water systems relating to thermal comfort, water heating, lighting, refrigeration, cooking, entertainment, water efficiency and outdoor consumption, and waste management.

The data is entered into a sophisticated assessment software tool to allow environmental impact calculations.

How long does it take?

The length of the inspection is influenced by the amount of information readily available, the size of the property and the number of energy and water systems to be considered.

Each assessment should take around 1.5 hours to complete.

Who Is Eligible for a free Home Sustainability Assessment?

• The applicant must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia.
•  The applicant must be aged 18 or over.
• The applicant must have a taxable income no greater than $250,000 per annum. Suitable evidence of income may include the most recent Notice of Assessment produced by the Australian Taxation Office.
• The applicant must be either an owner of the Home or a trustee of the Home (as shown on the current title) or listed on the current lease of the Home.
•  The Home being assessed must be in Australia or its territories, and be the principal place of residence for a household.
• The Home being assessed must have been completed and occupied for at least 12 months (not necessarily by the applicant).
• The applicant must give the Department permission to access (through their energy and water suppliers) energy and water    consumption information for a period of 12 months (where available) preceding the Assessment, and up to 24 months after the Assessment
• Government owned dwellings are not eligible.
•  Dwellings owned by corporate organisations or companies are not eligible.

Click here to request a Home Sustainability Assessment
 

The HSA Process

Assessment Booking

Eligible Households will be able to book an assessment by calling one of our friendly staff, or by filling in the request form online.

Assessment

The Home Sustainability Assessment is conducted by an expert Assessor, contracted by the Department to undertake Assessments for the Program. The Assessment will involve the physical inspection of major energy and water systems relating to thermal comfort, water heating, lighting, refrigeration, cooking, entertainment, water consumption, and waste management. Data about each of the energy and water systems and about how the Household interacts with those systems is collected during the Assessment and provided to the Department. The length of the Assessment will be impacted by the amount of information available, the size of the property and the number of energy and water systems to be considered.

Initial advice will be provided through a conversation between the Household and the Assessor. This conversation will help the Assessor build a picture of the Household's environmental aspirations and current practices and behaviours.

Assessment Report

Within approximately ten Business Days the Household should be provided with a written Assessment Report describing the Assessment findings, recommending actions, and providing details of where to get further services or information. For the purposes of seeking a subsidised Green Loan, the Assessment Report remains valid for 6 months from the Assessment Report Date