360 info
17 Mar 2023, 03:40 GMT+10
A deadly combination of rising summer temperatures and inefficient homes is making life tougher for renters in some of Australia's biggest cities, data shows.
Renters across Brisbane, the NSW North Coast and eastern Melbourne are more likely to be uncomfortable in summer heat than in the cold of winter, a 360info analysis of thousands of surveyed renters in those regions shows.
The results come as climate change is expected to tip the balance of energy needs in houses across the country toward cooling.
The survey of over 13,000 renters showed that, nationally, about a quarter struggle to make themselves comfortable in both the cold of winter and the heat of summer.
About one quarter of renters surveyed nationally struggle to stay comfortable in both summer and winter. But more renters in Brisbane, North Coast and eastern Melbourne report discomfort in summer heat than in the cold of winter.
However, in Brisbane, the North Coast and eastern Melbourne, summer heat was a challenge for significantly more people in rental accommodation.
This gap has the potential to widen and spread in the coming decades as a warmer climate forces people to use more energy on cooling. Without action to mitigate climate change, parts of Australia that previously needed a mix of both may shift to predominantly require cooling, while areas where cooling was of little concern may soon need more of it.
Climate projections suggest that more cooling will be required in homes across the country in coming decades, especially if greenhouse gas emissions are not curbed.
The National Construction Code, which controls the minimum standards for new and renovated homes, is being updated this year to mandate a 7-star energy star standard. This will require homes to use less energy for heating and cooling.
But there are no such standards governing older homes that have not been renovated, and research from the CSIRO suggests those homes are unlikely to have anywhere near the same energy efficiency.
The Australian Housing Dataset measures the energy efficiency of homes and apartments built since 2016, which are covered by mandated energy star minimums.
The stakes are high. CSIRO researchers Michael Ambrose and Melissa James estimate that just 15-20 per cent of current homes have been built since the first energy star mandates in 2001, meaning the majority are not covered by any standard at all. Even by 2050, nearly half of Australia's buildings will still have been built before 2019.
Without action to reduce the carbon footprint of older buildings, houses may continue be a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions - and a burden on the health and hip pockets of renters living inside.
Originally published under Creative Commons by 360info.
Editors Note: In the story "Hot house" sent at: 14/03/2023 11:37.
This is a corrected repeat.
The post Renters in older homes feeling the heat. appeared first on 360.
Get a daily dose of Australian Herald news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Australian Herald.
More InformationEVERGLADES, Florida: Over the weekend, a diverse coalition of environmental activists, Native American leaders, and residents gathered...
BEIJING, China: China's national soccer team may struggle to stir excitement, but its humanoid robots are drawing cheers — and not...
]LONDON, U.K.: A World Health Organization (WHO) expert group investigating the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic released its final...
DOVER, Delaware: California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken legal aim at Fox News, accusing the network of deliberately distorting...
FRANKFURT, Germany: Germany has become the latest country to challenge Chinese AI firm DeepSeek over its data practices, as pressure...
TORONTO, Canada: Harvard University and the University of Toronto have created a backup plan to ensure Harvard graduate students continue...
SYDNEY, NSW, Australia - , Australian Federal Police (AFP) have shut down a secret drug lab in Sydney's west and seized more than 100kg...
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin believes England will focus on playing cautiously against...
Birmingham [UK], July 1 (ANI): As Team India gears up for the second Test in Birmingham against England, there would be worries about...
Washington DC [US], July 1 (ANI): Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday highlighted the Quad's significance, stating that...
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 1 (ANI): NMDC, India's largest iron ore producer, marked a significant milestone with the inauguration...
Washington, DC [US], July 1 (ANI): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday emphasised the importance of diversifying the global...