Regional Housing Retrofit II
Building on the success of the Regional Housing Retrofit pilot project run in 2004, the Regional Housing Retrofit II (RHR II) project aimed to develop a personalized-approach targeting local residents (1-on-1), which helped them save money and reduce their household's greenhouse gas emissions, and which is also transferable to other communities.
In total 200 homes throughout the Cities of Armadale and Gosnells and the Serpentine Jarrahdale Shire were given an Energy and Water Audit over a 3-month period (Apr - June 2005). Walk-through Energy and Water Audits were conducted by a qualified Energy Consultant.
200 households across the region received a free Energy and Water audit from a trained Energy Consultant in March - June 2005. Households also received a free switch your thinking!(syt!) ‘Retrofit pack' thanks to the support of program partners. ‘Retrofit packs' contained energy saving items including 3 compact fluorescent light globes (CFLs), a 5-min shower timer, an energy-smart thermometer, door snake, and optional worm farm, as well as special offers from syt! sponsors.
Western Power and Alinta Gas account details were collected by the Energy Consultant to enable effective monitoring of the programme.
Evaluation of the project indicated that 96% of participants learnt something new as a result of having the Energy and Water Audit.
100% of participants implemented one or more of the energy / resource saving items in their ‘retrofit packs', and 91% of participants indicated they had changed their energy use behaviour as a result of having the Audit and gaining new knowledge.
The project will reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions by 121.7 T -eCO2 p.a. (608 T -e CO2 over the next 5-years), whilst helping participating households save an average of $30 p.a. on their energy bills. Although financial savings averaged across all 200 households were not huge, results of data analysis from Western Power and Alinta Gas indicate that approximately 35% of participants will save over $350 p.a. on their electricity and gas bills in the first 12-months following the Audits.
This project was proudly supported by program sponsors Cool or Cosy, Solahart and the Sustainable Energy Development Office.
