Book Review: The Energy Freedom Home

The book, The Energy-Freedom Home, draws heavily on a 2013 report, Zero Carbon Australia Buildings Plan. The aim of the report is to examine the 'the opportunities and challenges for Australia in how our buildings can help in the challenge of the radical decarbonisation of Australia’s energy system' (p. xv). The report is a collaboration of Beyond Zero Emissions, Melbourne Energy Institute and The University of Melbourne. This 223 page report is a comprehensive analysis of the Australian context and a plan that will:

• Halve Australia's building energy use

• Fully retrofit existing buildings for higher comfort

• Install 33GW of rooftop solar

• Raise the bar on appliance performance

• Protect against rising gas prices

• Go gas free by installing highly efficient electric technologies

• Give energy freedom to millions of home owners

• Create tens of thousands of new jobs (p. 223)

While there is inherent bias in the report, as there is an aim beyond information gathering, the report is written by experts in the field that are bound by rigorous research methods and ethics. As such, the individual bias of the authors will have a minimum impact on the data that is outlined.

In relation to the book, the authors, Beyond Zero Emissions, are drawing on rigorous data and are from a not-for-profit research and education organisation. It can therefore, be assumed the information is valid despite possible bias of individuals in the project.

The accuracy of the information is amber because of the date of publication. While the data was accurate for 2015, there have been many changes in the industry in the nearly ten years since publication. This means the reader should read with caution, in particular in relation to potential cost-savings, as the context has changed. Overall, this is a minor concern and will occur with any book publication, where the data will age overtime. It does not discredit the publication but it does require consideration for changing circumstances.

The book develops the concept of Energy Freedom and outlines how homeowners can get there. There is a specific focus on the Australian context, though much of the information is universal.

As the research in the report, Zero Carbon Australia Buildings Plan, is the basis for the book, the information in the book is backed by extensive data and the goal is similar. But the focus of the book is the homeowner and the changes that can be made to existing homes.

As such, the audience is homeowners wishing to undertake retrofits, where changes can be made without external structural changes to a home. This does not mean that the information does not relate to new builds or renovations, as most of the concepts are transferable.

The book is divided into nine steps that will take a homeowner to Energy Freedom, where Energy Freedom is based on three principles:

1. Energy efficiency

2. Harnessing solar power

3. Eliminating gas.

The first eight steps focus on energy efficiency and eliminating gas and then the final step is solar power:

1. Lighting

2. Draught proofing

3. Insulation

4. Windows

5. Appliances and cooking

6. Heating and cooling

7. Hot water

8. Energy monitoring and control

9. Solar power

While solar power is the last step, the book highlights, turns a homeowner into a consumer and a producer of energy.

In outlining the steps to Energy Freedom the book comprehensively works through the technology and the various options available to homeowners. There is a grounding throughout the book in cost- and comfort-benefits, which enables the homeowner to understand the impact of each step they complete.

The final section of the book focuses on the Energy-Freedom principles, concepts and case studies. The principles and concepts section explains much of the jargon that occurs in the home upgrades/efficiency space, while the case studies ground the steps in the book in the real world.

For homeowners that are wanting to retrofit their homes to be energy efficient and cost effective, while doing their part to reduce emissions, this book provides all the information they will need to begin their journey.

Beginning with the concept of Energy Freedom, the book provides a compelling argument for energy efficient upgrades, sealing the thermal shell of the home and installing solar.

The strength of the book is its grounding in research. The reader is provided with proven advice and instruction. The book is also readable. The authors have been able to take complex concepts and make them easy to understand. The focus on the concept of Energy Freedom and the explanation of this concepts also frames the entire book and provides a through line for the reader to hold onto. For a process that could potentially take years and includes all aspects of a home, this concept binds the book and the process together.

The case studies are a powerful illustration of the process and the result for homeowners. The use of ordinary homes is an excellent choice, as it helps to assist the reader to understand the impact in a home that may be similar to theirs.

The two case studies, however, range from 5 and 7 years to reach Energy-Freedom. This demonstrates one approach to retrofitting, where the homeowners are heavily involved in the process across many years. This will suit a certain readership, but a 5- to 7-year commitment may be overwhelming for others.

This leads to the main weakness of the book - its target readership.

While the book claims to be targeted to homeowners wishing to retrofit, the design of the book focuses on retro-fitters that are willing and able to put in the effort to research upgrades, plan and project manage the entire process. It is targeted not just to retro-fitters but retro-fitters that have the motivation, time and money to complete a hands-on retrofit. To broaden the readership, the book would have benefitted from a case study that demonstrated that the process can take months rather than years, and does not necessarily need to be high-touch for the homeowner.

The other two limitations are inherent in a published book. The first is the age of the book. Published in 2015, the data is coming on ten years old. For an industry where technology is improving quickly, and energy costs are rising and are volatile, much has changed in ten years. For example, while getting a house close to net zero in consumption of energy is possible, the cost will not be, as electricity prices have sky-rocketed but feed-in tariffs for solar have not. Without a battery, for most homeowners getting close to net zero for cost is not currently feasible. There is still a strong argument to follow the nine-steps, as with volatile energy markets and increases in energy market pricing, particularly gas, reducing a households energy use is paramount, but the savings will not reliably match what is discussed in the book.

The second limitation of the book is that it takes the reader most of the way but stops just at the point of commitment. The reader still has to research specific products and reliable installers. While when the book was published there was a website that supported this part of the process, it is no longer active. There are other options that arose from the book, such as the My Efficient Electric Home Facebook page, but this page can be overwhelming for many.

This returns us to the above point, where the book suits a group of retro-fitters that are willing to do the hard work in researching but will probably come up short for those that want to focus on getting it done quickly, without the rabbit hole of research and where good enough rather than perfect is the goal.

Our final note refers to the books recommendation that passive changes to homes should take priority as 'they'll generate ongoing savings for the life of the house, without cost or effort' (p. 4). While we do not refute this point, at Energy Freedom Homes, we suggest removing gas appliances first, as if the thermal shell of the home is sealed and there are leaky gas appliances and inefficient extraction methods, the gas can remain in the home, which can be hazardous to occupants. This is a small point and does not negate the logic the author's have used, it is just a difference of opinion.

Overall, The Energy-Freedom Home is a comprehensive read for those that want to retrofit their homes. While it is best suited to those that want to be hands-on and understand the process in detail, there is useful and reliable information for anyone that is looking to understand how to make their homes more efficient, more comfortable and cost effective, with the bonus of reducing emissions.