Potential participants within the program's target areas, were contacted by their local council or community health provider and referred to the program if they expressed interest and met the eligibility criteria.
EnergySmart Public Housing Project – Concluded in 2020
Energy Savvy Upgrades Program
Victoria
Vic Department Health and Human Services (HSS) Australian Energy Foundation
Victoria
Vic DELWP
The project replaced inefficient electric water heaters and electric heaters in 1,300 public housing properties and delivered tailored upgrades that included roof insulation to a further 200. The project achieved substantial benefits for tenants and reduced environmental impact for the state of Victoria and was a finalist in the Premiers Sustainability Awards 2020.
The Victorian Government is providing assistance to households experiencing energy stress. The program is partnering with community organisations to offer subsidised energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to a limited number of households struggling to pay energy bills. Participating households can expect to receive:
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an in-home energy assessment. The cost of the assessment is $100, however households conducting upgrades as a result of the assessment will have the fee credited against the cost of the upgrades
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free guidance on the best energy plan to suit their needs
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free assistance to participate in the solar homes package
a generous Government subsidy towards the cost of a home retrofit, which could include renovations such as sealing draughts, improving insulation and upgrading appliances to more energy efficient models. Upgrades will be performed by licensed and qualified tradespeople, and arranged by program staff on behalf of participating households
The programs pre and post upgrade energy data collection progression is currently being impacted by COVID.
Appendix D Key Messages from the IRG Interviews and Workshops A successful scheme will need to have clear and demonstrable goals and target market that have been adapted from other programs learnings
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‘Use learning from other successful or failed programs’ ‘A lot of this depends on the specific goals of the program as well, is it increasing the speed and scale of retrofits within a period of time or widespread take up’
Pathways to Scale: Retrofitting One Million+ Homes
