INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes the characteristics of heaters and coolers in Australian dwellings and their frequency of use. Heaters and coolers are major contributors to household energy use and costs. Together, they are reported to account for more than two-fifths (41%) of total household energy use and nearly one-fifth (19%) of the residential sector greenhouse gas emissions in 2005 (DCC 2008). However, less than 2% of Australian households chose their type of heating on the basis of environmental considerations (table 4.9).