To view  FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS in pdf

FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The ACT Energy Wise program is an ACT Government Climate Change initiative. The ACT Energy Wise program provides subsidised home energy audits to identify priority areas for energy efficiency improvement, and then a $500 rebate on the complete Improvements to the value of at least $2000.

Who is eligible for assistance

·        Owners of existing homes in the ACT built before the requirement for a 4 star home energy rating was introduced in 1996. The dwelling can be owner-occupied or rented and includes all types of detached and attached houses;

·        Tenants may have an energy audit undertaken;

·        Tenants must arrange for homeowner to sign the rebate application form for the homeowner to be eligible for a rebate for improvements in a tenanted house and the rebate payment will be made to the homeowner only;

·        Only one audit and rebate can be provided per dwelling over the life of the program;

·        Where the dwelling is owned jointly, only one owner may apply for the rebate;

·        Owners of individual apartments are not eligible for assistance under this program. However, where there is scope for joint improvements to the apartment building as a whole, special arrangements may be made for owners of groups of apartments upon request; and

·        The homeowner or tenant must provide household energy bill information to the program for the 12 months  immediately before and 24 months after the audit being undertaken.  Where the homeowner has not owned the property for the past year, or tenant has not lived in the house for a year, a connection notice or a partial bill is sufficient.

Eligible Home Energy Efficiency Improvements

1.      Ceiling insulation, where not currently insulated or to top up existing insulation;

2.      Underfloor insulation;

3.      Cavity wall insulation;

4.      Window pelmets;

5.      Lined blockout curtains (or equivalent blinds), where the curtain provides better insulation than the window covering it replaces, if any; 

6.      Double glazed windows, including window treatments that achieve a similar effect, eg plastic film;

7.      Insulation of hot water pipes;

8.      Permanent external awnings or other shading on east, west and/or north facing windows to allow in winter sun but shade the house from summer sun; or insulated shutters to the same effect. However, only the first $1,000 of the cost can be used to calculate the $2,000 expenditure on improvements eligible for the rebate;

9.      AAA showerheads (or better), where a showerhead rebate has not been separately received from the ACT Government;

10.  Draft sealing around windows and doors (installation must be verified);

11.  An insulation cover for external electric or gas storage hot water tanks, where the hot water heater is no more than 10 years old;

12.  Fluorescent lighting, either compact or linear, where replacing other types of existing lights;

13.  The removal of downlights that currently compromise ceiling insulation.

14.  Gas or solar space heating systems that replace an electrical heating system. However, only the first $1,000 of the cost can be used to calculate the $2,000 expenditure on improvements, and only if the house already has ceiling and wall insulation or is installing this insulation as part of the improvements;

15.  Construction of trombe walls or similar constructions that increase the thermal mass of a house;

16.  Self-sealing exhaust fans that are replacing an existing non-sealed exhaust fan;

17.  Passive or near passive modifications or appliances to improve summer ventilation eg. ceiling fans; and

18.  Insulative cladding(external), only for concrete walled (monocrete) dwellings

19.  Five star gas, electric heat pump, or solar hot water services that replace an electrical hot water service are eligible for a rebate, however, only the first $1000 may be used to calculate the $2000 expenditure on improvements

The terms and conditions for the ACT Energy Wise energy audit and rebate program are as follows:

1. The ACT Energy Wise home energy audit and rebate program commenced on 15 December 2004 and is not retrospective. The Home Energy Advice Team (HEAT) will carry out the energy audits for the Territory.
2. The homeowner or tenant must contact HEAT on Ph 02 6260 6165 or email: info@heat.net.au to arrange for an Audit.
3. The homeowner or tenant must:

• provide the  program with evidence of energy usage from power bills for the house 12 months prior to the date of the energy audit (if house was owned for more than 12 months).  If the house has been owned or tenanted for less than 12 months, a connection notice or a partial bill must be provided to the auditor,
• pay $30 to the auditor before or at the time of the audit (concession card holders are not required to pay this fee but are required to provide their card number), and
• obtain a receipt for this payment, (even concession card holders should be issued with a receipt with their number on it), and, attach it to the rebate application, if not, produce it for the ACT Government if requested.

3. If requested by the homeowner or tenant, the auditor must provide evidence of employment with HEAT to the homeowner.
4. The auditor will produce a prioritised list of Improvements for the homeowner.  Rebates will be made available for the high priority Improvements, with rebates only being offered for lower priority Improvements where the high priority improvements have already been installed. 
5. The ACT Government may in unusual circumstances approve a priority improvement that is not listed on the ‘Eligible Home Energy Efficient Improvements’ list. These improvements will be recorded on the Energy Saving Report with the special approval noted.  
6. To be eligible for a rebate, the homeowner must:
   
   • complete Improvements to the value of at least $2,000;
   • provide documentary evidence of such Improvements, to the satisfaction of the ACT Government, and attach such evidence to the rebate application; and
   • lodge the relevant rebate application form with the ACT Government within six months from receipt of the energy audit.
7. The rebate may be claimed by the homeowner, or by the installer with the homeowner’s written approval where the installer has already deducted the rebate from the charge for the work.
8. Within 28 days of notification by the ACT Government of its approval of the homeowner’s rebate application, the ACT Government will pay $500 to the homeowner or approved installer.
9. Rebates are not payable to homeowners for Improvements that have been bought, ordered or for which a quote has been accepted prior to the energy audit being undertaken.
10. Rebates are payable for Improvements identified at the time of the home energy audit. Rebates are not payable for Improvements that are a result of a house extension or renovation that are not completed at the time of the energy audit.
11. Original receipts (or copies of receipts with a statutory declaration) for purchases between the date of the home energy audit and a 6-month period after the audit must be provided with the rebate application.  Receipts that are dated earlier than the audit date will not be eligible for a rebate. Receipt dated more than 6 months after the energy audit will not be eligible for a rebate without written approval for an extension from the ACT Government.
12. The rebate will only be paid for installed Improvements, with the exception of a small number of identified high priority Improvements, including window film, weatherproofing and pelmets.  Where materials or products are installed by the homeowner (eg. window film or weatherproofing) the homeowner must agree to the installation being inspected by an ACT Energy Wise auditor prior to rebate approval.
13. The Improvements must be installed in accordance with all relevant Australian Standards, building codes, government requirements and manufacturers’ recommendations.
14. Replacement of similar existing materials or fixtures that have been damaged, worn or have failed will not constitute Improvements for the purpose of assessing rebate applications;
15. Five star gas, electric heat pump, or solar hot water services that replace an electrical hot water service are eligible for a rebate, however, only the first $1000 may be used to calculate the $2000 expenditure on improvements.
16. The ACT Government reserves the right to inspect at a reasonable time all installations for which a rebate has been claimed within 5 years to verify the accuracy and/or eligibility of the rebate claim.
17. The homeowner or tenant agrees that energy bill data for the dwelling covering a period of up to a year before and two years after the date of the audit, will be made available to the ACT Government and / or HEAT for the purposes of evaluating program outcomes. This undertaking includes consent to approach relevant energy retailers to access such data. 
18. Where the installation is required by a licensed plumber or electrician, the plumber’s or electrician’s certificate of compliance number must be provided with the application.
19. An ACT Energy Wise rebate may only be claimed for an appliance or Improvement where the homeowner has not already received a rebate under this or another program.
20. Delivery and installation charges can be included as part of the total purchase price.
21. The homeowner must repay the rebate if any of these terms and conditions are breached.
22. The ACT Government reserves the right to vary the list of eligible Improvements and the minimum level of expenditure before the homeowner agrees to the terms and conditions of the ACT Energy Wise program. Rebate applications will be assessed against the conditions in existence at the time that the home energy audit is completed.
23. The ACT Government reserves the right, at its sole discretion to change any or all of the terms and conditions of the program including the rebate component. 
24. A decision by the ACT Government on whether a particular improvement for which a rebate is claimed is eligible will be final and not appealable.
25. Energy audit and rebate recipients consent to and recognise that the ACT Government or HEAT may conduct research about the Improvements installed and may contact the homeowner to undertake this research.
26. In accordance with Privacy legislation we advise you that information collected as part of the audit and subsequent rebate application (if any) will be used by the ACT Government or HEAT to provide you with information about services and products on matters relating to the rebate program and to analyse program effectiveness.

Definitions

The following words have these meanings unless the contrary intention appears.

Audit                         means an energy efficiency assessment of a Dwelling which identifies areas where the energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction of that Dwelling could be improved.

Auditor                      means a qualified energy efficiency auditor employed by HEAT.

Business Hours         means 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Dwelling                    means detached and semi-detached houses constructed on leased Territory Land, before 1996, it does not include apartments or units on that land.

HEAT                        means the Home Energy Advice Team. 

Homeowner               The registered proprietor of a parcel of Territory land. This excludes the ACT Government, Commonwealth Government or any other Government.

Improvements           that part of the Recommendations effected by the Crown Lessee, these are to be independent of any renovations or extensions to the Dwelling (prior to the Audit) which are subject to development application approval from the ACT Planning and Land Authority.

ACT Government      means Sustainability Policy and Programs, the ACT Government agency which has carriage of the ACT Energy Wise program, contactable at PO Box 144 Lyneham ACT 2602.

Recommendations    means the prioritised list of energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction improvements that could be made to a Dwelling to reduce energy use and greenhouse emissions which are included in the auditor’s report.

Territory                    means:

(a)   when used in a geographical sense, the Australian Capital Territory;

(b)   when used in every other sense, means the body politic established by section 7 of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (C’th).