Australian households can now reduce their energy bills, slash greenhouse gas emissions and improve home comfort after a household energy efficiency rating system developed by the Victorian Government received national support under a joint Commonwealth, state and territory initiative.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced the adoption today of Victoria’s Residential Efficiency Scorecard, which has provided a way for Victorian households to understand, compare and improve their home energy performance since 2016.

The scorecard was endorsed by the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) with strong support provided by all jurisdictions.

Since 2016, the scorecard star rating has provided a consistent and impartial way for Victorian households to understand, compare and improve their home energy performance.

Householders are seeing the benefit from eight, nine and even ten-star homes with low or no energy bills, and home improvements focusing on hot and cold weather.

The new national scorecard rating is now available to all Australian households and will help national businesses use the rating as a mark of home quality, including builders, developers and financiers.

Trained and accredited national scorecard assessors provide a star rating and detailed certificate to the householder, plus advice on opportunities for improvement.

More than 5,150 Victorians have already benefited from the scorecard, including renovators using the rating to improve their home, builders offering ten-star homes and landlords advertising high rating properties.

The finance sector is also getting involved with Bank Australia’s Clean Energy Home Loan using the scorecard to determine eligibility for discounted home finance.

For more information see vic.gov.au/energyscorecard or NatHERS see nathers.gov.au/InHome

Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio

“We are proud to see our Australian-first Victorian Residential Efficiency Scorecard Program adopted and expanded into a new national initiative to tackle home energy efficiency and comfort.”

“The NatHERS endorsed National Scorecard means every home can now be rated to show energy cost, comfort and greenhouse gas emissions – and what we can measure, we can more easily improve.”