Existing homes

The Australian Government is working with all state and territory governments to develop energy performance assessments for existing homes. 

Work is underway to expand the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS), which is currently used in 9 out of 10 new home building approvals, to also cover existing homes from mid-2025.

Expanding NatHERS ratings

In April 2023, the Australian Government announced funding to design an expansion of NatHERS to enable energy ratings for existing homes. Currently, the scheme offers design ratings for new homes and major renovations only.

NatHERS for existing homes will offer home energy ratings that will help Australian households better understand their home’s energy performance, identify cost-effective upgrades to improve the comfort of their home, and reduce their energy bills.

Banks may be able to use the ratings to verify green loans, helping them access green capital markets to lend money for home upgrades, and help drive energy performance improvements in Australia’s existing housing stock. 

NatHERS will be expanded to existing homes from mid-2025. Trials are underway with the finance sector, property valuers and energy assessors.

Delivering existing home ratings

In March 2025, Energy Ministers agreed the model for delivering NatHERS to existing homes. It is designed to provide reliable, consistent and comparable ratings for existing homes while reducing administrative complexity and managing risk. 

Consultation on expanding NatHERS to existing homes was held in August 2024. Over 40 submissions were received from assessors, community and advocacy groups, industry peak bodies and individuals and over 750 individuals participated in a series of webinars. 

The consultation provided an opportunity to hear directly from stakeholders. Feedback received through the consultation process has helped to shape the delivery model. 

More information on how the delivery model will be implemented will be made available ahead of the expansion of NatHERS to existing homes from mid-2025.

Residential Efficiency Scorecard

The Residential Efficiency Scorecard, which builds on the Victorian Government’s successful state-based program, offers assessments of the energy efficiency of existing homes.

Scorecard assessments are available now. The assessments rate your home’s energy use and comfort and provide tailored recommendations for improvements.

Scorecard is not currently accredited under NatHERS and cannot provide a NatHERS assessment.

The Scorecard assessment tool, assessor training and assessor accreditation are being delivered by the Victorian Government on behalf of all Australian governments.

Get a NatHERS endorsed Residential Efficiency Scorecard assessment.

RapidRate

CSIRO developed RapidRate, an artificial intelligence powered tool that estimates energy ratings for existing homes. RapidRate is not NatHERS accredited and does not provide a full NatHERS assessment or rating. Instead, RapidRate provides an estimate of the NatHERS rating and energy required for heating and cooling, based on the results of past NatHERS assessments.

In 2023, the Australian Government provided CSIRO funding to undertake a trial of RapidRate alongside the NatHERS for existing homes tool with the housing data provider, CoreLogic. The trial insights will initially be available to CoreLogic’s banking and finance customers, with plans to make RapidRate available to all Australians in the future.

For more information on RapidRate, visit the Australian Housing Data portal and the CSIRO research website.