Energetic Communities Association

How about this heat? It affects those of us in poor quality homes, often renters and low-income families, but of course First Nations in remote communites. People living in poorly designed homes could face indoor temperatures of over 45 degrees on the hottest days. And while some can afford to pump air conditioners and fans to stay cool, others will be risking heat stroke and going without food and medicine to pay their energy bills.  ACOSS is running a survey in partnership with the First Nations Clean Energy network and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association to understand the impacts of heat on people experiencing financial stress. Will you complete the survey to tell your story and help advocate for change? https://lnkd.in/gK5zc3xJ

QCOSS, along with Neighbourhood Centres Queensland and Energetic Communities Association are partnering on a project called Charge-Up!, funded by the Department of Energy and Climate’s Enable Grants Program. Charge-Up! will improve accessibility of the information households need to understand their energy use and reduce electricity bills, and support Neighbourhood Centres and community organisations to ensure this information reaches Queensland’s most vulnerable households. This is a three-phase project delivered over two years. Congratulations to the 20 successful Neighbourhood Centres that will deliver the project across Queensland: ⚡ Childers Neighbourhood Centre and Gin Gin Neighbourhood Centre, Bundaberg ⚡ Maryborough Neighbourhood Centre, Fraser Coast region ⚡ Graham House Community Centre, Wide Bay Burnett ⚡ Blackall Neighbourhood Centre Hub, Central Qld ⚡ East Creek Community Centre, Toowoomba ⚡ Care Goondiwindi, Darlings Down South West ⚡ Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre Inc, Hinchinbrook, Ingham ⚡ Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre, Burdekin Shire, North Qld ⚡ Carinity Fassifern Community Centre, West Moreton, South East Qld ⚡ Varsity Lakes Community Resource Centre, Gold Coast ⚡ Community Plus+ Queensland Yeronga Community Centre, Brisbane ⚡ Kingston East Neighbourhood Centre, Logan ⚡ Caboolture Neigbourhood Centre , Moreton Bay ⚡ Rosewood Community Centre, Ipswich ⚡ Redland Community Centre, Capalaba, Redlands ⚡ Mareeba Community Centre Inc, Mareeba Shire, Atherton, FNQ ⚡ Manoora Neighbourhood Centre, Cairns ⚡ Port Douglas Neighbourhood Centre, Douglas Shire, FNQ ⚡ Mount Isa Neighbourhood Centre, North West Qld ⚡ The Neighbourhood Hub, Mackay

The last thing Queenslanders need right now is chaos and uncertainty around energy generation, supply, and prices. That's why we've joined 20+ other groups to publish an open letter in today's Courier-Mail, asking all parties and candidates to commit to a well-planned, swift transition to cheap, safe renewable energy to keep power prices down and protect Queensland jobs and communities. Read the open letter: https://loom.ly/8g8qJT4 signed by us and Australian Conservation Foundation, Australian Marine Conservation Society, Smart Energy Council, Climate Energy Finance, Cairns and Far North Environment Centre (CAFNEC), North Queensland Conservation Council, Energetic Communities Association, RE-Alliance, Anglican Church Southern Queensland, Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod, Communify, Mt Gravatt Community Centre Inc, Climate Action Network Australia, Gecko Environment Council, Sunshine Coast Environment Council, Capricorn Conservation Council, Climate Council

Capping rent increases is an important step in the successful implementation of energy efficiency minimum standards for rental homes.

This report found that two out of five renters in QLD were "too hot almost all the time" in their homes. We need politicians to consider renters' wellbeing and introduce energy efficiency minimum standards and disclosure for rentals ASAP.

We spoke to the ABC last week about the urgency of energy efficiency minimum standards for rental homes and social housing to protect us from heatwaves. Extreme heat is not just about feeling uncomfortable or planning to go to the pool or beach – for many people it is about planning how they are going to stay alive.

Victoria has proposed energy efficiency standard for rentals. This is a huge win for renters and the environment. Well done to all the advocates that have been pushing for this. When will Queensland follow suit? Queensland Government Steven Miles Meaghan Scanlon MP Mick de Brenni https://lnkd.in/gP4PvqTU

That's exactly right. Same goes for heat pumps, shading (how good are retractable awnings!?!), and the whole supply chain for net zero homes really. https://lnkd.in/g4gKH6Tu

Designing our homes for their local climate is vital for keeping us healthy and keeping energy costs down. But climate change threatens to leave our homes hotter and more dependent on air conditioning.   Our latest research in partnership with Sweltering Cities finds that the energy needed to cool homes built today is set to sharply increase in the decades ahead. We found that even a new home in Brisbane would need twice as much energy for air conditioning by 2050; older homes without energy efficiency features like insulation would be worse off still. Our research used projected CSIRO climate data to model energy use and indoor temperatures in new and old homes from 2030 to 2090. NatHERS energy ratings currently use historical weather data from 1990-2015 – but unfortunately this is already out of date, with the nine years from 2015 the hottest ever recorded globally. Read the full report at https://lnkd.in/gs9U7kMW