Cold Canberra weather prompts calls for more ambitious energy efficiency minimum standards for ACT landlords

"I'm quite happy to pay [higher energy bills] to be warm, but I don't want to pay and still be freezing cold and have no heating and to be wearing a ski jacket, gloves and a beanie while I sit on my couch watching TV," Ms Kentwell said.

Fed up with the situation, they left in search of a more energy-efficient home.

"We just couldn't hack it anymore. We'd done two winters in that house. Our electricity bill was so high," Ms Kentwell said.

"The cost of living on top of everything else, it's really stressful."

Renters like Ms Kentwell are set to benefit from a new minimum energy efficiency standard being introduced in the ACT this year.

But advocacy groups say the initial regulations don't go far enough to provide safe, healthy homes for Canberra renters.

Following a 12-month consultation process, the ACT government will announce a start date in the coming months for new ceiling insulation requirements in private and public housing rental properties.

Insulation in Australian homes is rated by an R value - the higher the R value, the more effective the insulation.

Under the proposed regulation, owners of rental homes with less than R2 ceiling insulation would be required to install or upgrade to a minimum of R5.

Tenant advocacy group Better Renting and the ACT Council of Social Service have supported the proposed minimum standard but say ceiling insulation improvements alone aren't enough.

Better Renting founder Joel Dignam said draught-proofing measures are critical to improving energy efficiency in Canberra's older housing stock.

"What's striking to me is that even people who do run their heater and accept that they are going to pay a bigger heating bill, their homes are still cold," he said.

"They sort of get the worst of both worlds - they're getting a higher bill and a cold home.

"So requirements for landlords to ensure those gaps and cracks are sealed up is one of the simplest, most effective things that you can do to actually help people stay warm in their homes in winter."

ACTCOSS CEO Emma Campbell said "a clear pathway to more ambitious minimum standards over the next five to 10 years" was crucial.

Dr Campbell said the standards would particularly benefit low-income households which are often faced with the "impossible choice between paying rent, keeping your children warm, putting food on the table, paying for your transportation ... and paying for health care".

"So I think it's really, really important that [energy efficiency standards] are implemented and, if possible, that we roll out more than just the ceiling insulation ... because anything that we can do to lower any aspect of the cost of living for Canberrans who are on low incomes is critical," she said.

Ms Kentwell said her previous rental was susceptible to mould as a result of poor insulation and cracked windows.

"We've had so many of our belongings just absolutely destroyed by mould," she said.

She welcomed measures to make rental homes more energy efficient, but agreed ceiling insulation was just one aspect that could be addressed.

"Sure it'll help, but I think our biggest problem probably was the windows and just the actual structure of the house," she said.

The ACT government sought feedback on the proposed standard late last year from renters and community advocacy groups.

The 134 survey respondents broadly supported the standard however many felt it was insufficient by itself. Many suggested the threshold of R2 insulation should be set higher or raised over time.

"They also told us they would like to see a more ambitious minimum standard that includes energy efficient heaters or even adoption of a performance-based standard," the listening report stated.

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ACT Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Shane Rattenbury said the ceiling insulation standard was one of many options explored and was found to "result in positive economic benefits for the ACT and bring a range of immediate benefits for renters".

He said additional measures would be considered "following review and evaluation of the implementation and impact of new regulation".

The regulation will commence in late 2022 and will be phased in over several years to give landlords adequate time to comply.

Mr Rattenbury said whether support would be offered to rental providers was being considered as part of the territory budget, to be delivered in August.

Dr Campbell said adequate support for community housing providers was critical.

"They are not-for-profit [organisations], they provide really essential community housing. They need to be supported to ensure that they have sufficient funds to upgrade the homes that they provide to their tenants," she said.

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