Marketing energy efficiency features

How a rating can help property advertising 

A Home Energy Rating can give a property listing a competitive edge. It provides more information about a property that real estate agents and property managers can use in marketing. It can also make properties more attractive, as buyers and tenants increasingly seek homes that balance cost of living with comfort.

Inclusion of a Home Energy Rating in a listing adds credibility to your sales pitch and aligns with what many clients now expect: clear, reliable information about a home’s energy efficiency and information about how the home can be upgraded to improve its energy efficiency.

Turning features into selling points

Energy efficient features can make a property stand out in a competitive market. Highlighting these features helps buyers and renters understand not just what the home looks like, but how it performs day-to-day.

Key inclusions to highlight in listings:

• a Home Energy Rating
• efficient appliances such as heat pump hot water, induction cooking, or reverse-cycle split system AC
• ceiling insulation, double glazed windows, and external shading
• renewable energy generation and storage options, such as a solar (PV) system and household battery storage.

Link features to benefits buyers and renters care about. For example, lower energy bills, year-round comfort and reduced environmental impact. Reference how energy efficiency features can reduce bills and improve comfort, makes a rating both understandable and appealing.

Ensuring clear and consistent display of ratings

When advertising a property, the Home Energy Rating should be presented clearly, accurately and consistently across all formats.

For single dwellings and apartments, the rating should appear exactly as shown on the certificate, using the format Home Energy Rating: X/100.

The rating should be:

• prominently displayed in every sale or lease advertisement – including signage, print and online listings
• clearly visible and not obscured by other design elements
• presented in text at least as large as the primary details in the advertisement.

In addition, a copy of the Home Energy Rating Certificate should be made available to all prospective buyers or renters. This ensures transparency and provides a reliable reference for comparing energy efficiency.

Find out more about when you may need to disclosure ratings.

Pre-sale Home Energy Rating Assessments 

How pre-sale and rent assessments can boost your listing

A Home Energy Rating assessment provides an independent measure of a property’s energy efficiency before it goes to market. For agents, this is a valuable marketing tool that increases transparency and gives buyers and renters confidence.

The process for getting an assessment

An accredited Home Energy Rating assessor inspects the property, collects data and models its performance using specialised software supported by CSIRO science. Depending on the property, the process can take a few hours.

Costs and timeframes for doing an assessment vary depending on the property and accredited assessor, but the benefits are consistent: pre-sale assessments position energy efficiency as a key driver of value, helping properties stand out in a competitive market.

What do you get after the assessment

The accredited assessor issues a certificate with a Home Energy Rating and a Star Rating. It will also include practical upgrade guidance that can help improve the home’s energy efficiency, based on the climate zone the house is located in.