The EUAH project is a consortium of government, industry, partner programs, and academic institutes working together to make it easier for Australian households to upgrade the comfort and energy efficiency of their homes.
It aims to to enable energy upgrades for 1 million Australian homes by 2030. These upgrades will improve thermal comfort and manage energy bills whilst reducing energy usage and household emissions, helping Australians move towards a more sustainable future.
The project will address policy and market barriers that exist at multiple levels, and put communities at the heart of a rapid scale-up of energy upgrades in Australian homes.
Addressing legislative and governance frameworks to enable scalable home energy upgrades.
Unlocking sustainable funding mechanisms to support household energy efficiency.
Empowering local councils, community groups, and households to drive change.
Most Australian homes perform poorly in energy efficiency, with over 80% rated two stars or less, leading to higher energy bills, poor thermal comfort, and increased vulnerability to extreme weather. While local councils and community groups are stepping up to drive household energy efficiency, the lack of tools, resources, and scalable models makes launching and sustaining programs challenging.
Alongside Monash University, Climate KIC Australia co-convenes the Energy Upgrades for Australian Homes (EUAH) project. EUAH is addressing this challenge by developing an online platform with evidence-based tools and resources to help program coordinators design and implement tailored home energy upgrades for their communities.
Led by Climate KIC Australia and Monash University and and funded by RACE for 2030 Cooperative Research Centre, this three-year research collaboration brings together five research institutions and diverse industry partners to co-design a scalable approach. Currently supporting community programs in Geelong, Victoria, and Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, South Australia, the initiative will expand to six diverse communities across Australia.
This place-based research is ensuring that tools are practical, scalable, and adaptable to diverse housing types, climates, and community needs, creating a framework to reduce household energy bills and emissions, and enhance household comfort and resilience across Australia.
The EUAH approach is based on the following principles:
As co-convenors of the project, Climate KIC Australia is also working directly with state governments, peak bodies, and private industry to determine longer-term sustainability pathways and delivery models for implementation of the platform.
Over the past year, EUAH’s core focus has been developing the comprehensive evidence base to ensure the platform provides program coordinators with the tools and insights needed to design and deliver tailored and robust home energy upgrade programs.
This evidence base spans three key areas: policy and regulatory settings, implementation and delivery models, household and community behaviours, supported by supply chain insights and cost-benefit analysis of upgrades. Critically, these insights are now being tested through the collaborations with Geelong Sustainability and the APY Lands initiative, creating a dynamic feedback loop where research informs program delivery, and real-world insights flow back into research.
In Geelong, EUAH has supported evaluation, outreach strategies, and analysis to improve uptake. In the APY Lands, it is helping refine retrofit strategies, training, and household education to enhance energy performance in remote, extreme climates. Alongside EUAH’s Industry Reference Group of government and industry advisors, this collaborative process with upgrade program coordinators is keeping the project focused, grounded, and geared for broader impact.
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As Lead – Strategic Projects, Melinda specialises in climate change adaptation and resilience. She delivers applied, collaborative research and innovation across Australia, Europe and the Pacific. Melinda draws on on her legal and policy background, as well as qualitative research and co‑design to support place‑based and systems‑focused resilience outcomes.
As Director – Strategic Initiatives at Climate KIC Australia, Belinda brings her global experience in accounting, marketing, strategy and innovation for financial services to develop strategies to build greater resilience.
As a Project Officer, Clare brings her background in project management and research administration to enable seamless convening and coordination a complex collaboration of researchers, industry participants and affiliated projects. An environmental biotechnology major, Clare is passionate about helping organisations adapt to the evolving needs of the environment, and brings to this project relevant experience analysing the impact of urban environments on the health of people and the natural environment.
As Lead – Marketing and Communications at Climate KIC Australia, Sophie brings her background in strategic communications and media production to partner with knowledge experts and craft compelling content and strategy. Sophie is passionate about the role of storytelling in elevating brands and solving complex environmental problems.