Electrification savings kick in for thousands of social housing tenants

Tenants across more than a thousand social housing properties in New South Wales are starting to save on their energy bills thanks to the delivery of energy efficient upgrades as part of a program backed by the federal and state governments.

The federal Albanese and state Minns Labor governments committed a total of $175 million towards the Social Housing Energy Performance Initiative (SHEPI) which is delivering crucial upgrades to help social housing tenants reduce energy bills, keep homes more comfortable all year round, and lower emissions.

Launched in January, the SHEPI program has delivered a range of upgrades including new heat pump hot water heaters, solar sharing systems, ceiling insulation, electric stoves, and split system air conditioners.

Residents are also provided with information and guidance on how best to operate their home and new appliances as efficiently as possible.

Since the program was launched, a mix of state government-owned and managed homes, along with those managed by Aboriginal community housing providers, have benefited from these energy efficient upgrades.

Over 1,000 social housing properties have already been upgraded, with the SHEPI program aiming to upgrade approximately 24,000 social housing dwellings across the state by the middle of 2027.

“This program is a crucial initiative that demonstrates our commitment to improving the living conditions of social housing tenants in NSW,” said Rose Jackson, the New South Wales minister for housing.

“The installation of solar systems, heat pumps, and insulation across NSW social housing is a significant step towards creating homes that are more affordable to maintain and better equipped to withstand changing environmental conditions.”

Social housing residents cannot themselves apply for the program, but Community Housing Providers can apply now for grants to help upgrade the energy performance of homes they manage.

More information can be found here.