This month, AGL launches the AGL Home Energy Check Up, an inhome service to help Victorians to reduce their energy usage and save money on their energy bills.

Recent independent research commissioned by AGL suggests that nearly half of all households are concerned that becoming more energy efficient means a less comfortable home¹. AGL’s Home Energy Check Ups help dispel this myth with practical and affordable lutions that will make homes more comfortable and could save customers hundreds of
dollars off their energy bills.

The research also reveals that consumers are becoming increasingly active in managing their household energy usage and bills, with 65 percent of households claiming they want to be educated on ways to save on their energy bills and 78 percent agreeing that it’s worthwhile investigating ways to save energy².

AGL General Manager, Marketing & Retail Sales, Mark Brownfield said, “We know customers have a keen interest in learning how to reduce their energy consumption and we’ve designed Home Energy Check Ups to ensure customers receive advice that takes into account their budget and lifestyle. We want to show customers how to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, without compromising on comfort or stretching their budget.”

“There are small improvements people can make to their homes, such as draft proofing that will make a home more comfortable and can reduce energy usage by up to 25 percent.³ Switching halogen downlights over to LED downlights may require an initial upfront investment, but the payback can be relatively fast and it could potentially save people hundreds of dollars off their energy bills every year,⁴” said Mr Brownfield.

The Home Energy Check Up is undertaken by an expert assessor who conducts a tailored, one hour energy audit in a customer’s home, focusing on the five key areas that impact energy usage: insulation, lighting, drafts, appliances (including heating and cooling systems) and window glazing. Homes can also be assessed for solar, if the customer is interested in this option.

Throughout the audit, the assessor provides simple suggestions on how to save energy in the home, alerting the customer to ‘hot spots’ in their home for energy usage, pointing out ways to minimise energy wastage and providing hints on maximising the effectiveness of heating and cooling.

A detailed report is then sent to the householder within 24 hours outlining the key issues around energy usage and any recommended corrective action. While some actions add little to no costs, such as draft proofing,others, such as LED lighting, may require an initial investment but offer attractive, ongoing annual savings. In these cases, a calculation showing pay back times and forecasted future savings is included to help consumers assess the value of the investment.

¹ Independent research conducted by Colmar Brunton and commissioned by AGL Energy, May 2014. Sample size of 1015 Australians across Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland
² Independent research conducted by Colmar Brunton and commissioned by AGL Energy, May 2014. Sample size of 1015 Australians across Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland
³ Source: Australian Government - Living Greener:http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/energy/heatingcooling/windows-doors-skylights/draught-proof-home
⁴ Actual savings will vary between households. For a more detailed estimate, see: http://aglsmarterliving.com.au/victorian-led-calculator/.

About AGL
AGL is one of Australia's leading integrated renewable energy companies and is taking action toward creating a sustainable energy future for our investors, communities and customers. Drawing on over 175 years of experience, AGL operates retail and merchant energy businesses, power generation assets and an upstream gas portfolio. AGL has one of Australia's largest retail energy and dual fuel customer bases. AGL has a diverse power generation portfolio including base, peaking and intermediate generation plants, spread across traditional thermal generation as well as renewable sources including hydro, wind, landfill gas and biomass. AGL is Australia's largest private owner and
operator of renewable energy assets and is looking to further expand this position by exploring a suite of low emission and renewable energy generation development opportunities.