HEET: Housing Energy Efficiency Transitions
Researcher
Funding Partner: Australian Research Council, LINKAGE
Project Timeline: 2019 - 2022
The Household Energy Efficiency Transitions (HEET) project was an Australian Research Council Linkage project led by RMIT University that investigated how low-carbon home retrofits could improve household energy efficiency while addressing energy poverty in Australia. Conducted between 2019 and 2024 in partnership with the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and other industry partners, the project examined the social, economic and practical factors influencing the adoption of energy-efficient home improvements.
The research explored the lived experiences of households undertaking—or seeking to undertake—low-carbon retrofits, alongside the perspectives of businesses and organisations delivering retrofit services. Drawing on evidence from eight global urban sites, including Australia as well as comparative case studies from the United Kingdom and Europe, the project examined how housing retrofit practices were shaped by household circumstances, industry capabilities and policy settings. Particular attention was given to understanding the experiences of households facing energy poverty and the barriers preventing equitable access to energy-efficient housing improvements.
Using interviews and qualitative research methods, the project gathered the experiences of 160 households across Victoria and South Australia and documented the perspectives of more than 45 stakeholders working across the retrofit sector. The research found that low-carbon retrofit was not yet embedded within everyday home improvement practices, that there was limited shared understanding of what constitutes an affordable and thermally comfortable home, and that opportunities to undertake retrofits were unevenly distributed across different households and communities.
The project produced a significant evidence base on the relationship between housing retrofit, household energy costs and social equity. Working closely with government, industry and community stakeholders, the research informed the development of policy recommendations and long-term strategies to support the equitable scaling of retrofit services. The findings contribute to improving household energy affordability, reducing emissions from the residential sector and supporting Australia's transition to a more sustainable and inclusive low-carbon future.
Partner Organisations include Department of Energy, Land, Water and Planning, Master Builders Association of Victoria, Australian Energy Foundation Ltd, Brotherhood of St Lawrence, University of Melbourne, University of Adelaide, Lancaster University, and Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.
Partner Researchers:
Bhavna Middha
Ralph Horne
Trivess Moore
Nicola Willand
Sarah Robertson
Emma Baker, University of Adelaide
Francisco Azpitarte Raposeiras, Loughborough University
Gordon Walker, Lancaster University