Wireless Energy Monitor 

Green Loan Lenders

Independent financial institutions offering 'Green Loans' with variable and fixed loan rates. These loans can be used to purchase:

• Solar hot water systems.
• Energy efficient white goods and appliances.
• Insulation.
• Rainwater tanks.
• Double glazing.
• Photovoltaic (PV) panels and systems.
• Grey water treatment system.

Bendigo Bank - Generation Green Personal Loan : Loan from 1-7 years with fixed rate.

Community First Credit Union : Loan up to 5 years with variable rate.

Community CPS Australia - Enviro Loan : Loan up to 7 years with fixed rate.

Hunter United Credit Union - Green Saver Loan : Loan from 2-20 years with variable rate.

MECU - goGreen® Home Improvement Loan : Loan from 3 years with variable rate.

Savings And Loans - Green Personal Loan : Loan up to 7 years with fixed rate.

$50 Green Rewards

This voucher was originally promised by Peter Garrett to be included with the Green Loans Report. Another of the failings due to mismanagement, it simply never arrived! Minister Wong has recently announced that eligible households will be sent a Green Reward claim form in the new financial year. Note, as announced as part of the 2010-11 Budget, the Government has taken a decision to only provide Green Rewards for households that had a home sustainability assessment completed on or before 11 May 2010.

Householders who had their home sustainability assessment completed on or before 11 May 2010 are eligible for a $50 Green Reward under the Green Loans Program, even if their assessment report is delivered after 11 May 2010.
Eligible households will be sent a Green Loans Program - Green Rewards explanatory letter and claim form via post from the department through the month of July 2010.

People are not restricted to claiming a refund for initiatives recommended in their Home Sustainability Assessment report. To receive the $50 Green Reward, eligible households will need to have purchased one or more items from the approved Green Rewards list and provide their itemised receipt(s) from a retailer (which will usually be in the form of a tax invoice) as proof of purchase. More information (including a list of eligible items) is available in this media release and on the Green Loans Program website.

Solar Bonus Scheme For NSW

Solar Bonus Scheme For NSW - The NSW Government's scheme that commenced on 1 January 2010. - Includes the Premier's Media Release of 10 November 2009

The Solar Bonus Scheme will credit participating customers with a "gross" feed-in tariff rate of 60 cents per kilowatt hour for all the electricity that their eligible solar photovoltaic (PV) system or wind turbine generates. The Scheme will operate for seven years.

If you are an existing AHI Home Sustainability Assessment Client with any further questions, please call our office for help and assistance. - CONTACT US

Solar Hot Water & NEW Energy Efficient Washing Machines

If you are intending to install either Solar Hot Water or a NEW Washing Machine - READ THIS - Some of the latest front loading washing machines, ONLY have a cold water input. The manufacturers state it is more efficient to heat the small amount of water in a front loader, using the heating element of the washing machine! This may be so if you have a large or inefficient / gas or electric HW Heater. And the same may apply when compared to the larger amount of water, a top loader uses!

But what is not taken into account here, is the fact that more households are using and installing Solar Hot Water to be more efficient.

A NEW trendy front loader with only a cold water connection, will simply leave your Solar heated HW on the roof! It cannot access it, as there is no plumbing! If you wash on cold water all the time then these front loaders are a great solution! But where you use a hot water program, you will in fact be using more energy and not the Solar HW already on your roof!

Our suggestion is too install a washing machine with ONLY cold water input when:

• You have an inefficient HW system.
• You have NO SOLAR HW.
• You are not intending to install Solar HW.
• You only wash frequently with the COLD WASH program.

If you are going to be using hot water and it is already on the roof, then you need to make sure your washing machine choice will use that water! - This is also discussed on our Home Sustainability Australia Forum

Single Water Connection Dishwashing Machines

With some of the latest models it is an option to connect to either hot or cold water. If you intend to maximise use of your Solar HW, advise your plumber of this fact.

Town Water & Rain Water Tanks : Information For Nambucca Shire Residents : $500 Rebate

Did You Know You Can Get A Rain Water Tank $500 Installation Rebate From The Council?

This is additional to any Federal / State rebate! Council introduced a Rainwater Tank Rebate Scheme Policy which took effect from 1 July 2008. This was revised on 15 April 2010. To claim a rebate you simply need to provide Council with a copy of the Rainwater Tank Rebate received from the State Government along with a completed application form. Click here to learn more about Federal / State rebates and here for Nambucca Shire Council's rebates.

Reducing Your Town Water Bill - Where you have a clean drinkable rainwater tank supply, it would make sense to opt for this supply to be used first. Automated systems are available which switch your home over to town water, when your rain water tank reaches a minimum level. Of primary concern for the council would be the installation of a one way valve to stop any rainwater entering the town water supply and the clarity of your home's rainwater. Surely this would be option #1 where a council wishes to conserve its town water supply!

The Council Saves Town Water & You Use Your Tank Water First!

A common sense solution for the above scenario is the Grundfos Pump Genie. A device that allows you to save precious town water, by using your harvested rainwater first. The system can easily be plumbed into the town water feed to your home. A one way valve would need to be installed to make sure your rainwater does not enter the town's water supply. Always prioritising the use of tank water, the Pump Genie will automatically switch over to a mains water source when your rainwater tank is running low, or during electrical failure. The pump itself is only active when the rainwater is being drawn from the tank. It does not operate when the Pump Genie has switched to mains water. The pump controller automatically starts and stops the pump when a demand is sensed.

• Easy to install.
• Does not require any regular maintenance.
• Dual check valve for back-flow prevention.
• Suitable for above or below ground rainwater tanks.
• Automatically switches to mains water in the event of a power failure.

How Much Town Water Could The Council Save If More Of These Systems Were Installed?

A home in Coffs Harbour reduced their town water demand from 75KL to 20KL. With the addition of another tank, it could reduce the demand for their town water to ZERO! Multiply that saving by only a quarter of the homes in any shire and it is a lot of town water saved!

Encouraging the installation of rainwater tanks to reduce the demand for town water could be a cheaper option than spending $$$$$$ on evaporative dams! What do you think?

Always contact the experts first. Your chosen plumber and your local council for up to date information.

Un-Flued Gas Heaters - Are You Putting Your Health At Risk?

There is no question according to research found easily on the internet, about un-flued gas heaters producing several by-products which are harmful to human health. Of these by-products the most noxious are:

Carbon Monoxide : Nitrogen Dioxide : Carbon Dioxide : Formaldehyde

A document by the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS), on the pollutants released by these heater, should make you think twice.