Opening the front door to the sustainable energy transition

Opening the front door to the sustainable energy transition

From SwitchedOn Australia by RenewEconomy

May 10, 2026 · 43 min

About this episode

Helen Oakey discusses the evolution of Sustainable House Day and its impact on the sustainable energy transition in Australia.

Ahead of Sustainable House Day, Helen Oakey, CEO from Renew explains how Australians are retrofitting, electrifying and rethinking the places they live. What began more than 40 years ago as a niche showcase for solar homes has evolved into a nationwide snapshot of the energy transition playing out in real houses, apartments and renovations around the country. With ageing housing stock leaving many Australians too hot in summer, too cold in winter and burdened by rising energy bills, more households are pursuing homes that are healthier, more comfortable, cheaper to run and more resilient. From insulation and draught-proofing to heat pumps, batteries and all-electric upgrades, Sustainable House Day gives people a chance to see what these changes look like in practice — and ask householders what’s genuinely worked, what hasn’t, and what they’d do differently.

People in this episode

Host: RenewEconomy

Guest: Helen Oakey

Topics covered

  • sustainable energy
  • home retrofitting
  • electrification
  • energy transition
  • household comfort
  • energy efficiency

Keywords

  • sustainable energy
  • retrofitting
  • electrification
  • energy bills
  • Sustainable House Day
  • home improvements
  • energy efficiency

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Renew, RenewEconomy

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