What is Energy Efficient Design?
Home-owners pay hundreds of dollars more than they need to each year in heating and/or cooling bills because they are not taking advantage of free heating and cooling from energy efficient building design and using energy efficiently.
Energy efficient design is all about the creation of homes that are comfortable for people to live in all year round. That is, naturally cool in summer and warm in winter without the need to use costly and time consuming energy sources. Temperature and light are maintained at comfortable levels with a minimum requirement for active systems such as heaters, air conditioners and daytime lighting.
Using energy efficiently is the best way to reduce energy bills and environmental impacts while maintaining or even improving comfort levels. Some solutions cost nothing at all. Most investments in energy efficiency will pay for themselves through lower energy bills.
Energy efficiency has many benefits for home owners:
- Given that Tasmania is connected to the National Electricity Grid via Basslink, energy savings through energy efficient design and efficient use of energy now have a direct greenhouse gas reduction benefit;
- Save money if the sun heats and lights your home, your power bills are significantly reduced;
- Less effort if passive design features heat your home; tasks such as wood stacking and splitting are significantly reduced.
Energy Efficient Design Guidelines
In April 2001 Hobart City Council launched a new initiative aimed at encouraging energy efficient new houses and home extensions.
A set of Energy Efficient Design Guidelines is available for prospective home builders and designers. The guidelines cover the range of considerations from an analysis of the site and the opportunities it presents for energy efficient design, through to building orientation and layout, ventilation/cooling, insulation and landscaping.
The guidelines identify the key principles in using the sun's energy and are intended to promote understanding of how to use the sun's energy during the building design stage to achieve energy efficiency. The practice of energy efficient design will help reduce demand on non-renewable energy resources consumed by the heating and cooling of buildings.
Printed guidelines are also available (at no cost) from the customer counter of the Hobart Council Centre, on the corner of Elizabeth and Davey Streets.
Heritage Places and Solar Technology Guidelines
With the increasing demand for environmentally sustainable energy options, and the introduction of the Council's financial incentives, there has been a corresponding increase in planning applications and enquiries involving the installation of solar panels etc. on heritage-listed places.
Our Heritage & Solar Technology Guidelines have been prepared to help you plan for the installation of a solar system on your heritage
listed property. They include information on solar heat pumps as a viable alternative to solar hot water systems in appropriate circumstances.
If you are contemplating the installation of solar technology you are urged to read the guidelines and to seek informal advice before committing to a particular site and design proposal.
Rebates
To encourage existing home owners and home builders to pursue energy efficient options, Hobart City Council offers the following rebate schemes:
- The Solar and Heat Pump Hot Water Rebate offering Hobart ratepayers a $500 incentive to install a solar hot water system into their homes has been extended to include heat pump hot water systems purchased and installed onwards from 1st November 2008 until 29th February 2012. [Solar hot water systems purchased and installed onwards from 1st July 2007 continue to be eligible]. In those instances where the installation of an eligible hot water system is the only development involved, planning, building and plumbing fees will be waived .
- The Energy Efficient Development Rebate for new buildings or additions meeting a set of energy efficient criteria aimed at encouraging the adoption of the energy efficient building design principles has been extended to include a rebate of the plumbing fees until 29th February 2012.
- Council has introduced an Insulation Rebate for landlords installing ceiling insulation into their rental properties for 30% the cost of the installed ceiling insulation, up to a maximum of $300. The period for insulation purchased and installed in rental properties in the Hobart Municipality to be eligible for the rebate is from 3rd February 2009 until 29th February 2012 when it will be reviewed in line with the Council's Solar & Heat Pump Hot Water Rebate.
By continuing to offer such incentives, the Hobart City Council is maintaining its active and leading role in tackling the effects of Global Climate Change at a local level in Tasmania by promoting the use of more efficient design, systems and renewable energy for domestic hot water heating.