Bank Australia customer Karen is building her dream family home on Ngarigo Country, just outside Canberra. With an impressive 8.8-star energy rating, she’s using the Clean Energy Home Loan to help bring her vision to life, and she’s sharing her top tips for creating a home that’s both energy efficient and comfortable in all seasons.
Karen’s decision for her new home to be all-electric was driven by equal parts sustainability and rising energy costs. By installing solar panels and a home battery during the build, she said “I will have no energy bills for the life of the house, the upfront investment has future-proofed our family.”
Karen’s top 3 tips: sunlight, insulation and orientation
To make the most of solar energy and keep her home comfortable all year round, Karen focused on 3 main elements: orientation, insulation, and natural light.
Her home is north facing with eaves, allowing sunlight to warm the house in winter while blocking out the harsh sun in the summertime.
“Orientation is everything,” she said, “facing the living areas north and making sure the summer sun is blocked out goes a long way.”
Karen, who works in the sustainable homes industry, says windows and doors are often overlooked.
“We usually insulate the walls, ceiling, and floor of our homes, but often overlook the windows and doors. To properly seal a home, we need to insulate everything, including those parts. When the whole house is sealed, it becomes much more energy efficient.”
A growing shift towards sustainable homes
Karen is optimistic about the future of sustainable housing in Australia.
“Passively designed houses are becoming more accepted in Australia, and anything that uses less energy is a good thing.”
She’s one of many Bank Australia customers choosing to build or upgrade their homes to be all-electric and more energy efficient, making them more sustainable for both people and the planet.
When asked why she chose Bank Australia, Karen shared, “I love the integrity of Bank Australia, their values align with mine.”
About the Clean Energy Home Loan
Bank Australia offers customers reduced interest rate on the Clean Energy Home Loan New Build - for newly built, all-electric homes with a NatHERS rating of 7.5 stars or higher and rooftop solar.
Karen’s Clean Energy Home Loan is one of the green mortgage assets in Bank Australia’s Sustainability Bond eligible asset pool. These assets contribute towards the improved energy efficiency of Australia’s housing stock.
*Due to strong demand for our Clean Energy Home Loan Renovate product for existing homes, we have paused new applications since the 28th of March 2025.
