A home energy assessment shows how your home uses energy and where you can improve energy efficiency.
It can help you find ways to reduce your energy bills by hundreds of dollars a year and make your home more comfortable to live in.
What is a home energy assessment
A home energy assessment is a detailed report of how your home uses energy.
An accredited energy assessor visits your home and looks at:
- fixed appliances, including heating, cooling and hot water
- insulation, ventilation and draughts
- walls, windows, roofs and shading
- which way your home and living areas face.
After the visit, the assessor enters the data into specialised software to calculate your home’s energy use. This helps you understand what’s working efficiently in your home, and what could be improved to make it more comfortable and cheaper to run.
Recommended approach
There are different types of energy assessments. We recommend getting a Home Energy Rating assessment from an assessor accredited by the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). NatHERS is the only scheme recognised in NSW for in home energy assessments.
What is a Home Energy Rating
A Home Energy Rating is the result you get from your home energy assessment, under the NatHERS scheme.
This rating helps you understand how much energy your home uses and what improvements could make the biggest difference. It supports decisions about upgrades and helps reduce running costs and greenhouse gas emissions. It can also provide valuable information when selling, buying, or renting.
After your assessment, you get a Home Energy Rating certificate, which includes:
A star rating between 0 and 10
This shows the amount of heating and cooling your home needs to stay comfortable year-round. It factors in your home’s design, materials and construction, including floors, walls, windows, and roof. It also considers the local climate.
A Home Energy Rating between 0 to 100
This rating is broader than the star rating and shows your home’s overall energy use. It factors in fixed appliances like air conditioners, hot water heating, solar and batteries.
Tailored guidance
This guidance will help you understand the most effective energy upgrades for your home.
Visit the Home Energy Rating website to learn more about ratings.
Find out how we’re rolling out Home Energy Ratings across NSW.
Who it's best for
Owners should consider a home energy assessment if you are looking to:
- cut energy bills
- plan upgrades
- improve comfort
- increase the value of your home.
Renters should consider a home energy assessment if you are looking to:
- understand the energy performance of your home
- ask for upgraded fixed appliances like a hot water system or air conditioner.
If you are building a new home or undertaking a major renovation, you might need a separate certification called a BASIX certificate, which cover water use, energy use and thermal performance. Find out more about BASIX.
How you will benefit
A Home Energy Rating assessment can help you:
- see where your home loses heating or cooling
- identify upgrades to improve energy efficiency
- get practical tips to improve comfort and lower costs.
You could save hundreds on your energy bill every year by making small changes. Savings will vary depending on your home and the upgrades you choose. Talk to your assessor about how much you could save in your home.
Get started with your Home Energy Rating assessment
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Choose a Home Energy Rating assessor
- Find an assessor in your area using the Home Energy Rating assessor register.
- Provide basic information like your address and availability.
- You may want to ask your assessor these questions to make sure you get an accurate quote:
- What is the total cost and are there any additional fees, like travel or certificate revisions if I make an upgrade?
- What other services do you offer as part of the assessment? For example, thermal imaging or recommendations report to help me prioritise upgrades.
- You may want to contact multiple assessors and compare quotes before choosing an assessor to find the one that’s right for you.
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Prepare for your assessment
- Arrange to be home during the assessment.
- Make sure there is safe and clear access around your home.
- Confirm with the assessor what information and documentation they need. This could be manuals, approvals or proof of purchase for things like your solar PV, heating and cooling system, hot water system or insulation.
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Get your energy assessment
- During the assessment the assessor will visit your home and walk around to collect information. This could take them up to 2 hours, depending on size of your home.
- They will return to their office to calculate how much energy the home uses using accredited NatHERS software.
- You will then receive your Home Energy Rating Certificate showing your Home Energy Rating and upgrade guidance.
- Now is your chance to ask your assessor about what they found. You may want to ask them:
- What are the quick wins I can do right now?
- What are the larger upgrades I can plan towards?
- Should I be upgrading in a specific order to get the most benefit?
- Was there any missing information, and did that impact your calculations?
- Can I review the draft document before it is finalised?
- Can my certificate be upgraded later once I’ve made improvements? How much will this service cost?
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Getting the most out of your assessment and rating
- Review the advice in your certificate (see the Home Energy Rating certificate guide for more information about what the certificate contains)
- Start small, with low cost or no cost improvements.
- Use the rating to plan future upgrades over time.
- Check for government rebates or incentives before starting major work.
How to get financial help
Subsidised Home Energy Ratings program
Get a discount of $330 off the total cost of your Home Energy Rating assessment.
- Who it’s for: Homeowners in NSW looking for a discounted Home Energy Rating assessment.
- What you get: A discount of $330 off the total cost of your Home Energy Rating assessment.
- How it works:
- We match you with an accredited assessor in your area.
- The assessor completes an onsite assessment and gives you a Home Energy Rating certificate.
- You pay a flat fee for the assessment, minus the subsidy.
- You complete a feedback survey.
- How to get it
Book in online by completing this form
Please note: Availability in some areas may be limited, however, assessor availability is expanding rapidly.
NSW Government’s Home Energy Saver Loans
Get a zero-interest loan for a Home Energy Rating assessment and to install new energy saving technology to lower your energy bills.
Who it's for: NSW homeowners or landlords looking to undertake a Home Energy Rating assessment.
You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident and have a combined, annual, taxable household income of up to $210,000.
- How it works: Get a zero-interest loan of up to $15,000. These loans are funded by the NSW Government and delivered by selected finance providers.
- How to get it: Check your eligibility and choose your upgrade. Then you’ll need to select a finance provider, gather quotes and apply for a loan.
Learn more about Home Energy Saver
The Australian Government's Home Energy Upgrades Fund covers out-of-pocket costs with low-interest green loans from participating banks and lenders.