A number of households in Baw Baw Shire will participate in a two-year scientific study to monitor and reduce their energy consumption.
Baw Baw Shire Council is one of seven councils implementing the $4.4 million project, overseen by the South East Council’s Climate Change Alliance (SECCCA). This activity received funding from the Department of Industry as part of the Energy Saver Study.
The households will be selected at random based on scientific parameters from Baw Baw Shire Council’s Home and Community Care (HACC) client database.
Each participating household will have its energy use monitored during the first year of the project by the CSIRO.
In the second year of the project a change process will be implemented. Participants will either be encouraged to make behavioural changes to reduce energy consumption or their homes will be retrofitted or a combination of both.
There will also be a control group who won’t need to do anything throughout that time. At the end of the study this group will still receive $500 worth of retrofits to help to reduce their energy consumption.
Baw Baw Shire Council Mayor Murray Cook welcomed the opportunity for Council to work in partnership with SECCCA to deliver the project.
“This study will be a practical way to gain an insight into ways to reduce energy consumption in the home, proving that small changes can make a substantial difference over time.
“It will be great to see the results of the study and hear first-hand from the participants about the differences it has made for them.”
Baw Baw Shire has appointed a HACC Energy Liaison Officer who will begin recruiting participants for the study, with the support of SECCCA.
