Energy Upgrades for Australian Homes

HomeRACE for HomesEnergy Upgrades for Australian Homes

Why energy upgrades?
The solution
Our approach
Impact to date
Our work
Project partners

Chief Investigators

Why energy upgrades?

Australia’s ageing housing stock, volatile energy costs, and increasing climate extremes are placing pressure on households and communities alike. Most homes were not built for the conditions we face today – or those ahead. But targeted, energy efficient upgrades can change that.

Improving the energy performance of Australian homes is one of the fastest, most impactful ways to lower energy bills, reduce emissions, and improve comfort and health outcomes—particularly for vulnerable households. While local governments and community organisations are eager to drive household energy efficiency, the lack of tools, resources and scalable models makes launching and sustaining programs challenging.

Over 80% of Australian homes have a NatHERS rating of 2 stars or less, meaning they are expensive to heat and cool, and often uncomfortable year-round.

Households living in 1.7-star homes can pay up to 6x more in energy bills than those in modern, efficient homes.

Retrofitting existing homes could cut energy bills by up to 40%, reduce emissions, and significantly improve resilience to heatwaves and cold snaps.

The solution: A national platform built for local impact

What we’re building

EUAH is developing an online platform that will give local governments and community organisations the tools and resources to design and deliver localised home energy upgrade programs.

Built in collaboration with Australia’s leading researchers and tested through active energy upgrade programs, this platform will bridge the gap between community ambition and delivery – making energy efficiency upgrades easier, faster, and more effective.

The platform will provide:

Tailored tools for program design and delivery

Step-by-step guidance, templates, and implementation resources to help program coordinators design, plan and run effective, locally relevant energy upgrade programs from start to finish.

Place-based upgrade guidance

Customisable insights and strategies based on climate, housing stock and ownership models – helping coordinators select the right solutions for their communities.

Behaviour Change Insights

Research-backed strategies and messaging frameworks that support household participation, reduce uptake barriers, and strengthen community engagement.

Cost-benefit and supply chain analysis

Up-to-date modelling and data to help coordinators assess upgrade benefits, compare options, and connect with quality suppliers for products and services.

We aim to enable energy upgrades for 1 million Australian homes by 2030, improving thermal comfort while reducing energy bills and household emissions.

How we’re doing it

Our research spans six interconnected focus areas, each feeding into the platform design. These are:

Policy and regulation
Community implementation models
Household and community behaviour change insights
Building stock analysis and cost-benefit modelling
Supply chain development
Platform development and testing with active programs

Each area ensures that the platform is grounded in what communities need, what households will respond to, and what the market and policy landscape can support.

We’ve established an Industry Reference Group – bringing together government, industry and sector leaders to guide strategic direction and ensure the platform is shaped by on-ground experience.

Outcomes

Scalable solutions: Develop a flexible, community-focused program model adaptable to different home ownership structures, climates, and regional needs.

Climate resilience and comfort: Enhance household comfort and resilience to extreme weather through efficient heating and cooling, and electrification.

Empowered communities: Equip community groups and local governments with the knowledge and resources to implement successful energy upgrade programs.

Lower energy costs and emissions: Achieve energy savings of up to 40% per household while significantly reducing household emissions.

Our approach

We’re taking a holistic, systems innovation approach to ensure the platform is practical, scalable and grounded in real community needs.

Social and behavioural insights

Understanding household decision-making and community readiness to enhance participation and uptake.

Place-based applied research

Working directly with communities to understand needs for different climates, housing types and regions, and testing research findings across diverse places.

End-to-end program delivery design

Helping program organisers enhance current, or establish new, upgrade programs by developing best-practice community implementation models, providing policy and regulation insights, and providing understanding of building stock and supply chains.

Impact to date

6 research areas contributing to a national platform

Testing research insights with community programs in VIC and SA

Industry and government engagement via our Industry Reference Group

View our Year 1 Impact Report

Our work

Our research spans six interconnected focus areas—each contributing to the design of the tools and resources embedded in the EUAH platform. These areas were selected to ensure the platform is grounded in what communities need, what the market can deliver, and what will drive real, lasting change.

Explore the research areas

Research areas Learn More

Geelong pilot Learn More

APY Lands energy efficiency retrofit pilot

APY Lands pilot Learn More

Media release Learn More

EUAH in the news Learn More

Work with us

We’re looking for partners who want to join us in enabling energy-efficient, climate-resilient, and affordable homes for Australians.

If you’re an investor, local government or community organisation looking to support energy upgrades in your community, or if you’re an industry leader or policymaker who would like to help guide the project through our Industry Reference Group, we’d love to hear from you.