Renters reap rewards of electrifying
Josh lives in Austinmer with his wife and 2-year old daughter. With support from their landlords, they are the first tenants to take part in the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot. Josh explains why it’s so important for renters to be involved.
“As renters we are more susceptible to cost-of-living changes. Electrification helps with that.” - Josh.
What motivated you to join the pilot?
Having a child and thinking about what I can do personally to improve the future for my kid, for other kids, and for generations to come.
How were you able to get involved in the pilot as a tenant?
Our landlord is very engaged with electrification already so they actually knew about Electrify 2515 before we told them.
What did you get upgraded through the pilot?
We were lucky enough for our landlord to agree to upgrading the hot water system from instantaneous gas to a heat pump, and replacing our gas cooktop with induction.
What do you think the benefits will be?
Our power bills are going to go down. We now have a healthier kitchen without gas burning. The health of our daughter is paramount to us. We’ve also got a couple of pet birds, and they're really sensitive to noxious gases, so we can now bring them inside more often.
Why is it particularly important for renters to benefit from electrification? What are they missing out on?
As renters we are more susceptible to cost-of-living changes. Electrification helps with that. We've cut ourselves off from ongoing rising gas prices, and being somewhat self-sufficient with solar panels has helped.
And you have an EV?
Yes, I drive a lot for work, going out to sites quite often, and I was really conscious of how much pollution I was creating—and how much I was spending on petrol each week just to do my job.
What would you say to other renters who want to be part of the pilot or electrify?
Getting your landlord on board is the tricky bit, and it comes down to luck or the business case for electrification. Talk to them and let them know what information is out there.
This article was published in the Illawarra Flame magazine.
Are you a renter or landlord? Apply to be part of the Pilot here.
