Average savings of $1,500 per home as local families cut energy bills, adapt to extreme weather, boost climate resilience, and inspire neighbours.
16 April 2026 - Climate-smart home upgrades such as solar panels, batteries, insulation, heat pumps and passive design are already saving Australian households an estimated $3 billion a year, with average savings of around $1,500 per year, per home (Clean Energy Council, 2025; energy.gov.au). Adding EVs to a home’s energy ecosystem can further cut fuel costs, with households potentially saving up to $1,000-$1,500 per year on petrol depending on driving patterns.
These climate-smart and practical solutions will be on show across the country next month as hundreds of homes prepare to open their doors, showcase clever upgrades, and inspire their neighbours and local community as part of this year’s Sustainable House Day (17th May 2026).
Beyond cost savings, upgrades can make homes more climate-ready to better cope with extreme heat, storms, and blackouts. The majority of Australia’s housing was built before energy standards were introduced, making retrofits a vital way to cut energy bills, increase comfort, and strengthen homes against future climate risks.
Hosted by not-for-profit organisation Renew, Sustainable House Day has grown to become Australia’s largest national, community-driven celebration of climate-smart living. This year will showcase Australians who have retrofitted, renovated, rebuilt or electrified their homes, perhaps even switching to an EV, to share, inspire and showcase practical solutions for effective climate living.
Tickets are now available for an all-day flat $15 ticket fee, giving visitors access to see as many homes as they like and learn practical ways to cut energy bills and strengthen climate resilience.
Helen Oakey, CEO of Renew, said: "Australian households are leading one of the fastest clean energy transformations in the world. Families are installing rooftop solar, embracing home batteries, retrofitting insulation, and adopting passive design to save on bills and improve the safety of their homes in the face of extreme weather events.”
Oakey continued: “Seeing solutions in action inspires neighbours to act too. Small changes add up, and people leave feeling empowered rather than overwhelmed. Sustainable House Day is where it all comes to life. It’s the neighbour-to-neighbour learning that drives real change."
Research shows Australians spend almost 90% of their time indoors, most of it at home. Residential buildings account for around 24% of national electricity use and more than 10% of Australia’s total carbon emissions.
Oakey added: “People are feeling the impacts of extreme heat, rising energy costs, and unreliable power, and they’re looking for practical ways to respond. Climate action doesn’t just start in Parliament, it starts in our living rooms, kitchens and on our rooftops. Sustainable House Day gives people the chance to see those solutions up close, to walk through a home, ask honest questions, and understand what’s actually achievable for them. That’s when it shifts from a concept to something real. It becomes a powerful way to drive change and build understanding of what's possible.”
Neighbourhoods inspiring neighbourhoods
Sustainable House Day isn’t just about upgrading home appliances and technology, it’s about people sharing what works in their own homes. Visitors don’t just see homes, they also learn from the people who’ve brought them to life. Visitors walk through, ask questions, and see first-hand how practical changes make a big difference. Research shows that when households see their neighbours adopt solar and efficiency measures, they are more likely to take action themselves.
Workshops, expert panels, and local tours will run alongside open homes, creating spaces for communities to share ideas and explore practical solutions together. The full Sustainable House Day program will be available in coming weeks.
In 2025, more than 240 homes participated nationwide, including 150+ open in person. 70% of attendees reported making changes to their own homes within six months, proving the power of seeing climate-smart solutions in action.
2026 Core Themes
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Lower bills, smarter homes: Practical upgrades that ease cost-of-living pressures
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Resilience matters: Designing for fire, flood and heat in a changing climate
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Retrofit within reach: Affordable improvements that transform existing homes
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Community power: Neighbours inspiring neighbours to take action
Jane Kern, Head of Impact Management at Bank Australia, said: “At Bank Australia, we believe everyone deserves to live in a comfortable home that contributes to a safe climate future. We know that switching to an all-electric home is better for the environment, and can be better for your health and your hip pocket. We’re committed to providing tools and information for our customers to support making the switch, which is why we’re proud to be supporting Sustainable House Day in showcasing practical solutions - both to save on energy bills, as well as reduce household emissions.”
Tickets are available to purchase at www.sustainablehouseday.com
Sustainable House Day 2026 is proudly partnered with Bank Australia, highlighting homes taking practical steps towards energy efficiency, comfort and climate resilience.
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CASE STUDIES:
We have a number of case studies from across the country available for media opportunities. Please get in touch with any enquiries.
Case studies available include:
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Boodjidup Brook Barnhouse, WA: 9.2-star NatHERS rating, rooftop solar, battery, and water-efficient gardens
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Passive House on Canal, VIC: 9.6 kW solar, Tesla battery, heat-pump everything, resulting in near-$0 power bills
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Teal House, Green Head, WA: survived a four-day blackout entirely on solar and battery
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Cygnet, Tasmania - Cygnet Earthship:A bold, experimental new-build Earthship designed for extreme sustainability. The home integrates passive solar orientation, high thermal mass, rainwater harvesting, and off-grid energy systems. Built largely from recycled and natural materials, it demonstrates radical low-energy design principles while maintaining comfortable year-round indoor temperatures.
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Mylor, Adelaide Hills - Mylor Bush Retreat: An award-winning retrofit of a mudbrick and recycled-timber home, originally built in 1986. The extension added two bedrooms and upgraded the original home with solar panels, underfloor heating, double glazing, improved insulation, and airtight construction, delivering a comfortable, energy-efficient, and sustainable home while preserving character and using reclaimed materials.
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North Melbourne - Compact Nightingale Apartment: A small, sustainable apartment designed with a strong green outlook. Features include rooftop gardens, energy-efficient design, cross-ventilation, and all-electric systems. The compact unit demonstrates how sustainable, comfortable urban living can be achieved even in limited spaces while connecting residents to green spaces and community-focused amenities.
METHODOLOGY
$3 billion in household savings and growing
Climate-smart upgrades, from solar panels and home batteries to insulation, heat pumps, passive design, and electrification, are already saving Australians an estimated $3 billion per year in energy costs.
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Current rooftop solar uptake: 4.2 million households (Clean Energy Council, 2025)
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Average household savings: approximately $1,500/year on electricity (energy.gov.au)
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Total national savings: 4.2 million × $1,500 ≈ $3.15 billion/year
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Potential savings if more homes adopt solar and efficiency measures: $9-$10 billion/year (UNSW Solar Report, 2024)
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Additional savings via electrification & insulation: some households could save $2,000-$6,000/year depending on upgrades (ACOSS, 2024)
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Potential savings from home EV charging: households that charge an electric vehicle at home using rooftop solar could save an additional $500-$1,000 per year on fuel and electricity costs, depending on driving patterns and system size (Clean Energy Council, 2025; Energy.gov.au).
Please note: actual household savings vary depending on system size, usage patterns, and local conditions. A conservative estimate has been applied to reflect real-world variation across households. This includes factors such as system size, location, energy usage, feed-in tariffs, and whether households are home during the day to use solar generation.
About us:
ABOUT SUSTAINABLE HOUSE DAY:
Sustainable House Day is hosted by Renew, a national, non-profit membership organisation working to transform Australian homes for climate and energy resilience.
A national movement with deep local roots
What started as Solar House Day in the nineties, Sustainable House Day has grown from a handful of open homes to a nationally coordinated event featuring over 240 listed homes in 2025 - with more than 150 opening in person. The event is supported by local councils and grassroots community groups, all working together to build a healthier housing future. The day is a powerful way to make change, neighbour to neighbour.
SUPPORTED BY
SHD would not be possible without the support of our sponsors and council partners. Full list available at: sustainablehouseday.com
ABOUT BANK AUSTRALIA:
Bank Australia Ltd believes banking can be a force for good and together we can have a positive impact on our customers, communities and the planet. Following its merger with Qudos Mutual Ltd on 1 July 2025, Bank Australia Ltd continues to operate the Bank Australia and Qudos Bank retail brands. We are 100% customer-owned and aim to build on our position as Australia’s leading purpose-driven bank. We exist to inspire and empower our customers to use their money to create a world where people and the planet thrive. We support almost 320,000 customers and we’re custodians of more than $20 billion in assets.
Clean Energy Home Loan:
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Bank Australia’s Clean Energy Home Loan offers a reduced rate to reward eligible customers who buy or build new all-electric, highly energy-efficient homes
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Find out more about the Clean Energy Home Loan
Eco Pause:
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Bank Australia’s Eco Pause feature allows eligible home loan customers to temporarily pause or reduce repayments to invest in sustainable upgrades such as solar, batteries or water tanks.
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Find out more about Eco Pause
Contact details:
Rachel Harrison | [email protected]
