My Energy Efficiency Journey - Step-By-Step to a Sustainable Home
In the past, my home was a typical 1990s Australian house: large, drafty, and gas-reliant. Winter meant high heating costs, and summer brought an uncomfortable, energy-draining reliance on air conditioning. My energy bills were high, and I wasn’t confident about my home’s environmental impact either. With a growing awareness of sustainability and rising energy costs, I decided to embark on a journey to turn my home into an energy-efficient, all-electric, and sustainable haven.
Over the years, I’ve made a number of upgrades—some small, some major—that have transformed my home from a leaky, gas-dependent property to a warm, stable, and cheap-to-run sustainable home. If you’re looking to improve your home’s energy efficiency, lower your heating costs, and reduce your carbon footprint, here’s the step-by-step journey I went on, along with some insights I gained along the way.
Getting a Professional Residential Energy Efficiency Scorecard Assessment
My journey started with a professional residential energy efficiency scorecard assessment. I needed to understand exactly where my home was losing heat and what areas had the most potential for improvement.
The scorecard is a great way to get a comprehensive look at your home’s energy performance, providing a score out of 10, alongside recommendations for improvements. It also identifies the biggest areas of energy wastage—valuable information when you’re planning energy-saving upgrades.
This step is crucial for anyone wanting to make informed decisions about their home’s energy efficiency. While DIY efforts can be effective, having a professional assessment helped me pinpoint the specific weaknesses in my home, allowing me to prioritise improvements that would yield the highest return on investment.
Planting Deciduous Plants for Passive Cooling and Heating
One of the most sustainable (and cost-effective) changes I made was planting deciduous plants to shade my western-facing windows. As I live in a region with hot summers, these plants provide much-needed shade in the summer months, keeping the house cooler and reducing the reliance on air conditioning.
What’s great about deciduous plants is that they drop their leaves in the winter, allowing sunlight to warm the home when it’s needed most. By strategically planting them along the western-facing walls of my home, I’ve dramatically improved the home’s energy efficiency—no need for added air conditioning or excessive heating.
This simple, nature-based solution not only lowers energy consumption, but it also enhances the aesthetic and biodiversity of the property, contributing to a greener environment.
Draught Proofing External Doors and Non-Conditioned Spaces
One of the most important steps in improving a home’s energy efficiency is sealing up draughts. Like many homes of its age, mine had a lot of gaps around external doors and in areas like the garage, laundry, and other non-conditioned spaces.
While it’s tempting to rely on DIY solutions like adhesive foam strips, I chose to have these areas professionally draught-proofed. Why? Because it’s more durable and effective in the long term. Permanent, custom-fit draught-proofing solutions—designed to work with the specific architecture of your home—provide better insulation and last longer than quick fixes.
The improvement in comfort was immediate. The cold winds no longer entered through the gaps, and my heating system didn’t have to work as hard to maintain a stable temperature.
Upgrading Ceiling Insulation to R5
Another major upgrade I made was to the ceiling insulation. My home originally had outdated and insufficient insulation, which meant heat was constantly escaping through the roof. I decided to upgrade to R5 insulation, which is a significant improvement in thermal performance compared to the standard R2 insulation typically found in older homes.
Ceiling insulation is a highly effective way to improve your home’s thermal efficiency. It’s a cost-effective upgrade that will pay for itself over time through reduced heating and cooling costs. Not only did this upgrade reduce energy use, but it also enhanced the comfort of my home year-round. In summer, the house stays cooler, and in winter, it retains more heat.
Installing a Split System Heat Pump for Heating and Cooling
A key part of my home’s transformation involved installing a split system heat pump air conditioner. This dual-purpose unit provides both heating and cooling and is highly efficient in both modes. It uses electricity to move heat rather than generating it through combustion, making it far more energy-efficient than gas-powered heating systems.
Unlike traditional electric heaters, heat pumps provide far more heating (or cooling) than the amount of electricity they consume. Installing this system not only made my home more comfortable year-round, but it also allowed me to fully transition away from gas for heating and cooling.
Removing Gas Central Heating and Sealing the Ducts
The next step in the process was removing my old gas central heating system. Not only was it inefficient, but it also meant relying on fossil fuels. To make sure my home remained heated, I sealed the ducts to prevent heat loss and combined this with my new heat pump system.
Removing gas appliances was an important step toward my goal of an all-electric home. While it did take some time to adjust, the benefits—reduced reliance on gas and a more energy-efficient system—were well worth the effort.
Replacing My Gas Hot Water System with a Heat Pump Hot Water System
Another major upgrade was replacing my gas hot water system with a heat pump hot water system. A heat pump hot water system works by extracting heat from the air and using it to warm the water, which is far more efficient than traditional gas-powered systems.
I also used my solar power to run the heat pump, reducing the overall energy consumption. The system is cheap to run and provides ample hot water even during the cooler months.
Switching to an Induction Cooktop
My gas cooktop was replaced with an induction cooktop, which is far more energy-efficient and provides faster cooking times. Induction cooktops use electricity to create a magnetic field that directly heats the cookware, ensuring that no heat is wasted.
In addition to being more efficient, induction cooking is much cleaner and safer than gas cooking. With the addition of solar power, my entire cooking process became completely electric and environmentally friendly.
Maximising Solar Energy Use with Behavioural Changes
Finally, a simple but effective change I made was adjusting my behaviour to maximise the use of solar energy during daylight hours. I began running energy-intensive appliances like the dishwasher and washing machine during the day when my solar system was generating the most power.
By being mindful of when I use electricity, I’ve reduced my reliance on grid power and further lowered my energy bills. This small shift in behaviour has had a noticeable impact on my overall energy consumption, making my home more self-sufficient and sustainable.
The Results: Almost Zero Energy Bills
After all of these upgrades, I’m proud to say that my home now has next to no energy bills. My energy bills are no more than $200 a year—often less. By switching to all-electric solutions, maximising the use of renewable solar energy, and improving insulation and draught-proofing, I’ve drastically reduced my environmental footprint while also increasing my home’s comfort and lowering its running costs.
If you’re looking to make your home more energy-efficient, this journey can serve as a guide. While some upgrades require professional help, many can be done yourself—especially if you take the time to plan and prioritise. Start with energy efficiency assessments, and focus on simple, cost-effective improvements like draught-proofing, insulation, and behavioural changes. Over time, these small steps add up to a home that is not only cheaper to run but also more sustainable and comfortable to live in.
