MEDIA RELEASE
August 20, 2010	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra Time)	100/2010

Victorian households in newer dwellings* were more likely to have the energy and water efficiency elements they needed to reach government building standards, but beyond these measures they were quite similar to households in older dwellings, according to a report released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

A greater proportion of Victorian households in newer dwellings had solar hot water systems, wall insulation and rainwater tanks plumbed into the dwellings.

Victorian households in older and newer dwellings differed in their reasons for installing insulation. Nearly one-half of households in newer dwellings stated their main reason for installing insulation as building regulations and standards, compared to less than one-tenth of households in older dwellings. A little over one-third of households in newer dwellings stated their main reason for installing insulation was to achieve comfort, compared to over half of households in older dwellings.

69% of households in newer dwellings had insulation installed in the walls, compared to 30% of households in older dwellings.

25% of households in newer dwellings had a rainwater tank plumbed into their dwelling, compared to 12% of households in older dwellings.

18% of households in newer dwellings had a solar energy system, compared to 3.8% of households in older dwellings.

*Newer dwellings are defined as two years old or less at October 2009.

Further information is available in State and Regional Indicators, Victoria, June 2010 (cat. no. 1367.2) available for free download on the ABS website www.abs.gov.au.

Media note:

When reporting ABS data the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) must be attributed as the source.