Trust is key: why home energy upgrades need more than rebates

AnVr/Getty Many Australian homes were not built to cope with a rapidly changing climate.

Compared to new homes, established houses tend to consume – and waste – significant amounts of energy.

That’s where home energy upgrade programs come in.

These programs help households boost the energy efficiency of their houses while cutting power costs, emissions and grid demand.

They are mainly run by state and federal governments, but community-led programs are multiplying across Australia.

However, our recent research shows not all Australians can currently benefit from these programs.

Let’s unpack why.

Top down or bottom up In Australia, home energy upgrade programs are largely developed and delivered by state, territory and federal governments.

These programs assume that if households are given the right information and a financial incentive, they will decide to upgrade.

This approach allows them to reach large numbers of people, with Victoria’s scheme alone delivering more than 180,000 upgrades to households in 2025.

However, government-run programs tend to benefit households that can pay the residual cost of upgrades, are motivated to change and have the skills to navigate any practical or legal hurdles.

This is because energy upgrades can be costly and complex to install.

Community-led programs are gaining traction in Australia.

These programs – run by either communities or local government – are often much more attuned to what residents want and worry about.