About this episode

Rowan Hearne shares his journey of electrifying his apartment against initial resistance, highlighting the importance of problem-solving and collaboration.

Rowan Hearne was initially told he couldn’t install a hot water heat pump in his 1980s Canberra apartment. Instead of accepting "no," he worked with installers, engineers and his strata manager to find practical solutions that allowed him to replace gas hot water with a heat pump, improve insulation and install efficient heating and cooling. Accessing the ACT's Sustainable Household Scheme, he completed the upgrades with a 0% loan, making the transition affordable while improving comfort initially for himself and now, his tenants. Rowan shows that some of the biggest barriers to apartment electrification aren't technical - they're about knowing what's possible, asking the right questions, and finding people willing to help solve problems.

People in this episode

Guest: Rowan Hearne

Topics covered

• apartment electrification
• heat pumps
• sustainable living
• energy efficiency
• home upgrades

Keywords

• hot water heat pump
• gas replacement
• insulation
• heating and cooling
• 0% loan

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ACT's Sustainable Household Scheme

Places: Canberra

More episodes of SwitchedOn Australia

• How retailers are standing in the way of cheaper power · September 6, 2026 · 1h 10m
• How three hours of free Solar Sharer power can cost you more · August 28, 2026 · 49 min
• Why charging your electric vehicle at lunchtime will save on costly grid upgrades · August 21, 2026 · 39 min
• The biggest barrier to apartment electrification? Knowing what’s possible · August 10, 2026 · 32 min
• Why it took eight years to install a community battery · July 28, 2026 · 36 min

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