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.

The Australian Government is offering a FREE independent assessment to help guide households towards reducing 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 ranging from the smallest change in household behavior, to a major investment such as a solar hot water system.

From this assessment, householders get a tailored, expert report listing the most effective changes for their home.

The assessment involves 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 is entered into a sophisticated assessment software tool to allow environmental impact calculations.

The length of the inspection is 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 approximately 1.5 hours to complete.

To receive a Home Sustainability Assessment the applicant must:

• Request a Home Sustainability Assessment via an assessor contracted to provide services for the Program.
• Agree to the terms and conditions in the Householder Application which will be provided on booking the assessment
• Provide details of the Home and Household, including contact details for the applicant and the names of other household members
• Allow the Assessor reasonable access to the Home to conduct the inspection and collect the Assessment data
• Actively participate in the Assessment process by answering all reasonable questions about the Household's interaction with the energy and water systems, as requested by the Assessor.

Applicants are eligible to apply for a subsidized Green Loan if the following criteria have been met.

• The applicant must be the recipient of a valid Assessment Report for the Home. The Assessment Report is valid for 6 months.
• The applicant must be either the owner of the Home or a trustee of the Home (as shown on the current title) or listed on the current lease of the Home at the time of applying for the Green Loan.
• The applicant must have a taxable income no greater than $250,000 per annum. Suitable evidence of income may include the most recent Notice of Assessment produced by the Australian Taxation Office.
• The applicant is eligible for only one Green Loan per Assessment Report.

If you are interested in having a Home Sustainability Assessment, call the team from GREEN IDEAS on (08) 8270 4028 or register your interest via the Online Contact Form.

Yes, the loan exists to support the Household in adopting the recommendations outlined in the Assessment Report. Only those recommended actions from the report will be covered by the loan.

Yes. Eligibility for the loan subsidy is not affected by other available subsidies and incentives for the same items or actions

The Green Loans Program has a target upper threshold of $250,000 annual income for the applicant. Suitable evidence of an applicant's taxable income may be requested and may include the most recent Notice of Assessment produced by the Australian Taxation Office.

The Home Sustainability Assessment has a nominal value of $250 but is FREE to the Household as it is fully subsidized by the Australian Government. No fee should be paid by the Household to the Assessor for a Home Sustainability Assessment.

The Australian Government is subsidizing the cost of the Home Sustainability Assessments because it recognizes that charging a fee immediately restricts the uptake of the service and introduces issues of equity. Those in most need of support to reduce their operational energy and water costs are those least likely to have discretional income available to contribute to the cost of the Home Sustainability Assessment service.

Yes, providing they are listed on the current lease. Of course, you must adhere to the requirements of your lease in making any changes to the property.

The Green Loans Program is aimed at increasing the efficiency of existing homes. The dwelling being assessed must have been completed and occupied for at least 12 months (not necessarily by the applicant). Suitable proof may include a certificate of occupancy or similar issued by a local or state government agency.

Other policies exist to address the energy and water performance of new homes. These policies include regulations such as BASIX in New South Wales, and minimum performance standards incorporated in the Building Code of Australia in all other states and territories.

List of participating financial institutions