Rental Property Owner Report
Dear Mel,
Congratulations on completing your own home energy assessment. This is an important step towards improving the energy efficiency of your home.
Taking action on recommendations in this report will improve your comfort, save you money and help protect the environment.
This report focuses on actions you can take as the owner of the property. At the end is a link to a second report which focuses on actions that you and your household can take living in the home relating to specifics such as appliance use and your energy bills.
Your energy usage is likely to be similar to the graph on the right. You are likely to achieve the most savings by reducing heat loss during winter and using heaters efficiently.
When you’ve read your recommendations, check out the links and resources at the end of this report and at www.climatechoices.act.gov.au.
If you live in the ACT, you can get free expert advice on saving energy in your home including additional support implementing these recommendations or checking your bills, by calling the ACT Sustainable Home Advice line on 1300 141 777 or emailing SustainableHomeAdviceProgram@act.gov.au.
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Windows and draughts
Your recommendations
- Draughts waste a lot of energy. Stopping them is the most cost-effective action you can take to make your home more comfortable and can reduce heat loss in winter by up to 25%
You can find more detailed information about draught-proofing, window insulation and window coverings in the links at the end of this report.
Heating
Your heating recommendations
- It is important to service and undertake a carbon monoxide check of gas heaters annually.
There is more information about heating your home in the links at the end of the report.
Cooling
Your cooling recommendations
- Keep your home cooler in summer by opening your windows, doors and curtains when it cools down at night, then closing them in the morning as soon as it starts to get warm outside.
- Air conditioning units should be serviced annually. This will extend the life of the unit, saving you money in the long term
Appliances
Your appliances recommendations
- You can find out how much each of your appliances is costing you by getting a plug-in power meter (see photo). It will show how much power the appliance has used since it was plugged into the meter and will calculate the cost. You can buy power meters at hardware stores or online.
- When the time comes to buy a new appliance, check the energy star rating labels (see https://www.energyrating.gov.au/). More stars mean greater energy efficiency. Choosing a more energy-efficient appliance will reduce energy consumption and help lower energy bills.
- A new, efficient dryer could save considerably on running costs. It is now possible to buy heat pump dryers with 10 star energy rating.
Hot Water
Your recommendations
- Ask an electrician to check that the hot water storage tank thermostat is set at 60 degrees. Running costs will be higher if the temperature is set any higher. (To prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria in the tank, the thermostat should never be set lower than 60 degrees).
Insulation
Your insulation recommendations
- Not applicable (e.g. if your home has another home above it).
Occupier Report
The occupier report focuses on actions that the people living in the home can take to reduce energy costs – either your household, if you live there, or your tenants, if you have rented it out.
Links & Resources
- Energy in the ACT https://www.climatechoices.act.gov.au/energy
- Heating your home https://www.climatechoices.act.gov.au/energy/energy-efficiency/heating-for-your-home
- Staying warm on less energy https://act-hea.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Actsmart-Staying-warm-on-less-ACCESS.pdf
- Actsmart Energy Saving Guide (a detailed guide and action plan template) https://act-hea.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/ACTSmart-ESG-12-20.pdf
- Draught-proofing DIY videos https://www.climatechoices.act.gov.au/policy-programs/sustainable-home-advice-program and https://www.greenityourself.com.au/category/topics/draught-proofing
- Make the Switch from gas appliances to an efficient all-electric home https://maketheswitch.org.au
- Better Renting Energy Efficiency Guide for People Who Rent https://www.betterrenting.org.au/energy_efficiency_renting
- Renters Guide to Sustainable Living https://renew.org.au/publications/renters-guide-to-sustainable-living/
- Energy rating website https://www.energyrating.gov.au/
- The renting book https://act-hea.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/The-Renting-Book.pdf
- My Efficient Electric Home Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/MyEfficientElectricHome
For further information about your recommendations and how to implement them please contact:
For further information about ACT energy efficiency programs and technical advice, call the ACT Sustainable Home Advice line on 1300 141 777, email sustainablehomeadviceprogram@act.gov.au, or visit www.climatechoices.act.gov.au.