Over 63% of City of Canada Bay residents live in multi-unit dwellings. There are lots of ways to reduce your energy consumption in your own unit whether you are a renter or an owner.

• Switch to energy efficient lighting such as LEDs and turn off lights when you leave the room
• Switch appliances off at the power point to avoid standby power usage
• Switch to energy efficient appliances that have a high energy star rating
• Wash your clothes in cold water and hang your clothes to air dry instead of using a dryer
• Use the energy efficient cycle on your dishwasher and only run when it is full
• Adjust your thermostat a couple of degrees higher or lower on your air conditioner/heater e.g. 23-26 degrees in Summer and 18-21 degrees in Winter
• Stop draughts by sealing gaps around doors, floors, windows and skirting boards

To empower our community to be more sustainable, Council is offering free strata energy audits to help apartment buildings save money on energy bills and reduce energy consumption in common areas.

A limited number of free strata energy audits are available for apartment blocks through a competitive application process.

Council works with specialist energy and solar consultants to prepare a report that identifies a range of opportunities to reduce energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. Our technical consultants have significant experience in delivering similar programs to apartment buildings across other councils in metropolitan Sydney.

Since 2019, Council has supported more than 10 apartment buildings with complete energy and sustainability assessments to identify what energy saving measures suit their buildings.

To be eligible for this program, applicants must:

• Be located in the City of Canada Bay Council area.
• Commit to implementing energy saving measures equivalent to the audit value that is paid by Council (between $1000 - $4000) within 1 year of receiving the report.
• Commit to participating in a Council run case study.

Buildings will be selected on the basis of their:

• Energy consumption.
• Size and complexity.
• Capacity of owners corporations to implement upgrades.

If you would like your building to be considered for a fully funded energy audit, please complete an online application.

Applicants require a written approval from their strata committee to participate in the program and a current copy of their energy bills.

Limited spaces are available for this program.

Resources:

1. SunSpot solar savings calculator
2. Solar Readiness for Strata
3. Solar on strata whitepaper
4. YouTube videos from Wattblock:

• 50 Solar on Strata Apartments Case Studies
• Going Deeper, understanding the financial argument
• Top 30 Solar Installers