When a home is more energy-efficient, the occupants benefit from free energy: instead of occupants having to pay to heat their home, the structure of the dwelling itself provides greater thermal comfort. Conversely, people in inefficient homes are being denied this benefit. In this paper we attempt to quantify the dollar value of this benefit to highlight what renters in inefficient homes in NSW are missing out on. We estimate that NSW has over 700,000 rental homes with poor energy efficiency, and that improving the efficiency of these properties would achieve benefits worth $1.199 billion, or $1683 per affected household. As energy prices continue to rise, the value of this benefit becomes greater. This represents a huge untapped opportunity to address cost of living impacts on vulnerable households.
You can download the report here in pdf format.