Free Home Assessment
Important notice - program changes as of 19 Feburary 2010
Latest News
The Minister announced that the loans component of the program will be discontinued next month. Loans will be discontinued from 22 March 2010. Note that eligibility for loans under the Green Loans program is determined by financial institutions subject to the lending criteria of the financial institution being satisfied.
Assessments will continue to allow you to make informed decisions about how to improve the energy and water efficiency of your home.
Home sustainability assessments
Households are often overwhelmed by the amount of information available describing the best actions to save energy and water and to reduce greenhouse gases. It can be difficult to decide what action to take.
Free, independent assessment
Through the Green Loans Program, householders are able to access a free, comprehensive Home Sustainability Assessment to reduce their energy and water bills, increase the comfort of their home and help reduce damaging carbon pollution.
This independent assessment by a qualified expert assessor will provide advice from the smallest behaviour change to major investments such as a solar hot water system or photovoltaic panels.
What will you get?
From this assessment, householders will get a tailored, expert report listing the most effective changes for their home.
The assessment will be valid for six months.
What is involved?
The assessment will involve the physical inspection of major energy and water systems relating to thermal comfort, water heating, lighting, refrigeration, cooking, entertainment, water efficiency and outdoor consumption, and waste management.
The data will be entered into a sophisticated assessment software tool to allow environmental impact calculations.
How long will it take?
The length of the inspection will be influenced by the amount of information readily available, the size of the property and the number of energy and water systems to be considered.
Each assessment should take around 1.5 hours to complete.
Green Loans is a new Australian Government initiative to help Australians tackle climate change. The Green Loans Program will assist Australian families to install solar, water saving, and energy efficient products.
Green Loans has two main components of support from the Australian Government:
1. a free Home Sustainability Assessment and report (valued at over $250); and
2. access to a Green Loans subsidy provided to participating financial institutions to cover up to four years interest for borrowing of up to $10,000, to implement changes recommended in the assessment report.
Green Loans Subsidy
To assist these households, the Australian Government will lower the cost of finance by providing a loan subsidy to participating financial institutions.
This subsidy will cover the interest on borrowing of up to $10,000 for a period of up to four years.
The household can chose which participating bank, credit union or building society they wish to apply for a loan with.
Participating financial institutions will have to agree to national requirements for passing on the subsidy. This agreement will include safeguards to ensure that the full subsidy is passed on to the household through reduced cost finance.
The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts is currently consulting the finance sector on the final arrangements. It is hoped that an interest free period of up to four years on eligible borrowing can be negotiated. Further details about the loan subsidy will be available soon.
What areas do I cover?
I service the Geelong and surf coast and bellarine area of Torquay, Jan Juc, Angelsea Winchelsea Colac Barwon Heads, Queenscliff and surrounding areas. If you live further away, I am happy to travel to your area. So get together with your neigbours, friends or local community group and organize an energy Blitz for your homes and see who uses the least energy and water.