I often hear, “I’ve never felt so cold in my life!” from people who have moved to Australia from overseas. These are people who used to live in places like America, Canada, the UK, and Sweden, yet now live in Melbourne. You'd think Melbourne, with its warmer climate, would be more comfortable, but many of them say they feel colder inside their homes than outside during the winter.
This might come as a surprise, but it highlights a common issue in Australia: our homes just aren’t as energy efficient as they could be. Many Australian homes, especially older ones, were built with limited focus on insulation, airtightness, and other energy-saving features. As a result, people often feel uncomfortably cold or hot inside their homes, despite living in a relatively mild climate. So, why is this the case? Let’s explore the key reasons.
Older Building Standards
A significant number of homes in Australia were built before energy efficiency measures were introduced into the building codes in early 2000. Many of these homes are drafty, have little insulation and single-glazed windows with rotten timber frames under 2 star energy rating. Modern building codes now require better insulation and higher energy efficiency ratings, but many older homes are still catching up.
Design Not Suited to Climate
Australia has diverse climates, from tropical heat to cool temperate zones. Older homes were designed without considering for the climate, such as Queenslanders on stilts and country properties with wide verandas. Since the 1960’s blocks have become smaller, homes bigger and built to a price without considering local conditions. Homes in hotter areas may have large, unshaded windows that cause overheating, while those in cooler climates might lose heat too easily through gaps and drafts. Designing homes with climate-specific features like proper window placement, shading, and ventilation can significantly improve energy efficiency, but is often neglected until it’s too late.
Inadequate Building Materials
Many homes are built using materials that offer poor thermal insulation. Single-layer brick veneer homes are common but don’t provide the same energy-saving benefits as higher-performance materials like insulated brick or double-glazed windows. This leads to homes that less energy efficient and harder to heat in winter and cool in summer.
Limited Regulation and Retrofitting
While building standards for new homes have improved, many older homes don’t meet modern energy efficiency requirements. Retrofitting older homes with energy-efficient features like insulation, double glazing, or solar panels is often overlooked due to the upfront cost, even though it can lead to long-term savings. Many homeowners are unaware of the benefits and are hesitant to invest in upgrades.
Cultural Preferences
We Australians love open plan living, large windows, and outdoor spaces, but these design choices can increase energy consumption if not managed properly. For instance, large windows that face the sun can make homes overly warm in the summer, while open-plan areas can be harder to heat or cool. By combining modern energy-efficient features with these design preferences, homeowners can enjoy their space while reducing energy use.
While many Australian homes were not built with energy efficiency in mind, there are plenty of opportunities to improve. By retrofitting with better insulation, double glazing, and climate-specific designs, homeowners can not only reduce their energy consumption but also increase their comfort levels. As building standards continue to evolve and awareness of sustainability grows, Australian homes are slowly becoming more energy-efficient, paving the way for a greener future.
Contact us via m@mlwindows.com.au or learn more about ML Windows at https://www.mlwindows.com.au
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