This project aims to provide an analysis of housing retrofit and its links with household energy costs.

  • Project dates: 2018–2023

The urgency of mitigating and adapting to climate change, meeting emissions reduction targets, and addressing energy poverty and energy vulnerability as systemic problems necessitates research into existing housing.

Funded by the Australian Research Council, the Housing Energy Efficiency Transitions (HEET) project has been researching energy efficiency retrofit since 2019 with industry partners including Master Builders Association of Victoria; Brotherhood of St. Laurence; Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning; and previously, Australian Energy Foundation.

The HEET team has researched experiences of housing and energy efficiency retrofit with diverse households. Household accounts reveal complex relationships between heterogenous housing, affective and changing relationships with home, retrofit capabilities, practices of homemaking, and place and time. People’s stories uncover how vulnerability and housing inequity are produced through structures associated with property, socio-economic disadvantage, access to information, infrastructure and services, and meanings.

Governance of energy efficiency retrofit has been analysed through interviews with a range of stakeholders to map the retrofit industry, understand the development and uptake of energy efficiency products and services over time, and identify opportunities and challenges that enable and constrain industry development – all part of retrofit transitions.

In 2023, the team is undertaking the final stage of the project, which is to build on this work and co-develop a 10-year policy plan to embed energy efficiency retrofit as a default practice in existing dwellings in Australia for a post carbon, socially equitable future.

Publications

Click on the links below to find out more about the team.

Key People

Lead researchers

Professor Ralph Horne

Professor Ralph Horne

Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation

Investigating energy efficiency retrofit for post-carbon and equitable housing

Associate Professor Emma Baker

The University of Adelaide

Investigating energy efficiency retrofit for post-carbon and equitable housing

Dr Trivess Moore

RMIT University

Investigating energy efficiency retrofit for post-carbon and equitable housing

Dr Francisco Azpitarte Raposeiras

Loughborough University

Investigating energy efficiency retrofit for post-carbon and equitable housing

Dr Nicola Willand

RMIT University

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Investigating energy efficiency retrofit for post-carbon and equitable housing

Professor Gordon Walker

Lancaster University

Dr Sarah Robertson

Dr Sarah Robertson

Research Fellow

Dr Bhavna Middha

Dr Bhavna Middha

Research Fellow

Ananya Majumdar

Ananya Majumdar

PhD Student

Investigating energy efficiency retrofit for post-carbon and equitable housing

Charmaine Thredgold

University of Adelaide

Dr Hector Manuel Padilla Gil

Dr Hector Manuel Padilla Gil

Researcher

Dr Lisa de Kleyn

Dr Lisa de Kleyn

Research Fellow

Partner Investigators

  • Mr Damian Sullivan, Brotherhood of St Lawrence

Related Content

Research Programs

Research Programs

Climate Change Transformations

Engaging with society’s climate change challenges

News & Blog

Stimulus that retrofits housing can reduce energy bills and inequity too

03 June 2020

Stay-at-home orders and the economic crisis have increased the burden of energy costs on lower-income Australians. Poor housing quality and unequal access to home energy efficiency are hurting our most vulnerable households.

News

New project investigates how COVID-19 impacts housing stress

28 May 2020

RMIT urban researchers have received funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute to investigate COVID-19’s impact on housing stress in Melbourne.

News

Meet the women helping to improve how we live in cities and with nature

05 March 2020

As our cities evolve, so too should our approach to building and planning our urban habitats. Here, six RMIT urban researchers share how their work is shaping how we live in our cities and with nature.

Blog

How can we improve our homes to be energy efficient?

04 October 2019

With rising energy bills the new normal, we need to focus on improving Victoria’s housing stock to help householders adapt. New research in Moreland is exploring the barriers and opportunities householders face in improving their homes.

Events

Past Events

Energising Rhythmanalysis with Professor Gordon Walker

2 December 2019, 5:00PM-6:30PM

Rhythm thinking, climate change and low carbon transition