PIAC responded to the Commonwealth Department of Energy and Environment’s Trajectory for Low Energy Existing Homes discussion paper (the paper).
PIAC strongly supports the detailed submissions to this process by RENEW and the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS). PIAC has worked closely with these and other organisations to develop a shared understanding of the crucial role that improved energy efficiency in residential buildings plays in household health and well-being, energy affordability, and the urgent climate challenge. In supporting the submissions from RENEW and ACOSS, PIAC highlighted the following:
- That an ambitious trajectory target for existing residential buildings must be the first priority
- That policy priorities implemented as a result of the trajectory process must be systemic and scalable, nationally consistent, and resistant to Governmental budget changes
As such, PIAC supports ACOSS and RENEW in strongly recommending that the Paper reframe the identified policies to prioritise:
- Development of a consistent, rigorous energy ratings system that can be applied to existing buildings
- Mandatory disclosure of efficiency ratings for owner-occupied homes as an interim stage towards mandatory minimum standards for homes at the point of sale
- Mandatory minimum efficiency standards for rental homes with disclosure of efficiency standards at point of lease
- Energy efficiency improvements to public and community housing that represent best practice in advance of the ultimate trajectory target
