What is the Residential Efficiency Scorecard?

It’s a way to know what and how to improve the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of your existing home.

This is Part 1 of my conversation with Melanie Lupis from Sustainability Certified.

Hello! This is Episode 262, and in it, I’m speaking with Melanie Lupis, from Sustainability Certified about the Residential Efficiency Scorecard for existing homes.

Melanie is a NatHERS Accredited Assessor, Passive House Certified Consultant and Residential Scorecard Accredited Assessor. She owns her own business, Sustainability Certified, and is passionate about helping homeowners and designers achieve more sustainable, energy efficient and thermally comfortable outcomes in their designs and finished homes.

In this episode, Melanie talks with us about the Residential Efficiency Scorecard Assessment process – or Scorecard, and her work as a Residential Scorecard accredited assessor.

What is Scorecard? Scorecard is a national energy efficiency rating program for existing homes, the first of its kind in Australia. Scorecard rates your home’s energy efficiency and comfort. 

Getting a Scorecard rating from a government-accredited assessor will help you make the best choices by providing targeted information to ensure that any money you spend on upgrades will lead to a cheaper to run, more comfortable home. 

The rating is like an Energy Star rating like you would see on a dishwasher or washing machine, and the more stars, the cheaper the home is to run. 

The Scorecard assessment reviews the building shell, including glazing, insulation, building materials, air leakage and then also examines your appliances, heating and cooling systems, hot water heating, any pool equipment and solar panels. 

If you’re wanting to improve your existing home either before you renovate, or as part of your renovation, and you’re keen to access more information about what to focus on specifically, this episode will be super helpful for you.

Now, let’s dive in!

Melanie Lupis is an environmental enthusiast, nature lover and mum. She works as a Home Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Consultant and heads up her own company Sustainability Certified Pty Ltd. 

Her mission statement is to “demystify the challenges of sustainable  building and make it accessible and desirable to mainstream homeowners and designers.”  

Melanie has a Bachelor of Science (Hons) majoring in environmental studies. As I mentioned in the intro, she is a NatHERS Accredited Assessor, Passive House Certified Consultant and Residential  Scorecard Accredited Assessor. 

She is trained in BERS Pro, FirstRate5 and Hero Software  packages. She balances her field work with office based advice and modelling for residential architects and designers.  

Her unique perspective on home energy efficiency and thermal comfort derives from the  combination of Melanie’s science background; her first-hand experience in assessing current [and outdated!] building stock; and her design-work off the plan for future builds.  

Melanie has a wealth of knowledge to share about the work she does to help homeowners in both their existing homes, and those planning renovations and new builds. 

Tune into this conversation and also Part 2 in the next episode, as Melanie shares how you can make informed decisions when designing for energy efficiency and thermal comfort in your existing home, renovation or new build.

In this episode, I ask Melanie questions such as:

• A bit about her background, and how she came to be doing this work (especially with all of her many certifications and skills!)
• What is the Residential Scorecard Scheme, and what’s involved in being a Residential Scorecard Accredited Assessor
• How does a Residential Scorecard Assessment go, and what kind of things are being reviewed and assessed
• How is the star rated determined
• What happens once the homeowner has that information and how recommendations are reviewed
• What suggestions she has for homeowners concerned about the upcoming changes to National Construction Code and increase to 7 stars

LISTEN TO THE EPISODE NOW.

RESOURCES: 

Sustainability Certified Website >>> https://sustainabilitycertified.com.au/

Residential Scorecard >>> https://www.homescorecard.gov.au/

Find an accredited assessor >>> https://www.homescorecard.gov.au/find-a-scorecard-assessor

Access the support and guidance you need to be confident and empowered when renovating and building your family home inside my flagship online program >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/the-home-method/

Learn more about how to get started with your home design with the Happy Home Design mini-course >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/courses/happy-home-design

Access my free online workshop “Your Project Plan” >>> https://undercoverarchitect.com/projectplan