Lighting can account for a considerable part of your household or business electricity bills. Reducing costs as well as carbon emissions is easily achieved by installing LED lights, using sensors or turning off lights when not in use, and using natural light where possible.

A great example is Duc Mai Lawyers, who installed LED lighting in their office and received a rebate from the Sustainable City Incentives scheme. Read their story.

For individuals

• Incentive for LED lighting upgrades. Rebates of up to $1,000 available for LED lighting upgrades through City of Adelaide's Sustainability Incentives Scheme. Find out more.
• Incentive for energy efficiency upgrades in apartment buildings. Rebates of up to $5,000 per financial year are available for energy efficiency upgrades in apartment buildings through City of Adelaide's Sustainability Incentives Scheme. Find out more.
• Access free or discounted energy efficiency products. You may be eligible to receive free or discounted energy efficiency goods, such as more efficient lighting or a shower head to help you save energy in your home or business through the Retailer Energy Efficiency Scheme (REES). Find out more.
• Learn how to choose energy efficient lighting. Energy rating labelling for lighting and an online lighting calculator can help you to compare the energy and cost savings of choosing more efficient light bulbs. Find out more.

For business

• Incentive for LED lighting upgrades. Rebates of up to $1,000 available for LED lighting upgrades through City of Adelaide's Sustainability Incentives Scheme. Find out more.
• Access free or discounted energy efficiency products. You may be eligible to receive free or discounted energy efficiency goods, such as more efficient lighting or a shower head to help you save energy in your home or business through the Retailer Energy Efficiency Scheme (REES). Find out more. 
• Learn how to choose energy efficient lighting. Energy rating labelling for lighting and an online lighting calculator can help you to compare the energy and cost savings of choosing more efficient light bulbs. Find out more.

In many homes and buildings, heating, cooling and ventilation can contribute to more than half of the electricity bill. Simple changes like adjusting the thermostat by a few degrees on air conditioners can save money on your energy bill and reduce emissions. Other actions include insulation, shading windows in summer, draught proofing, and installing or adjusting building management systems. 

A great example is Adelaide Town Hall's energy efficiency upgrades that included boiler and chiller technology and LED lighting upgrades. Find out more. And the new Botanic High School will be a great example of passive design, using the external climate to maintain a comfortable temperature indoors. Read their story.  

For individuals

• Learn how to choose an efficient air-conditioner. Use air-conditioner energy ratings to help you to choose an efficient air-conditioner and reap the benefits of lower electricity bills. Find out more.

Undertake an energy audit to better understand where energy is being used in your home or workplace and prioritise your actions. Issues like inefficient appliances, IT equipment in standby power, leaking seals on fridges and poor building design leading to excessive heating and cooling will be brought to light. In some buildings, installing a sub-meter will enable accurate measuring of your energy use. Consider replacing old, inefficient appliances with 4-star or higher energy efficient ones.

Christie's Walk eco-community is a showcase of sustainable city living that has recently upgraded their energy management. Read their story.

For individuals

• 101 ideas to get you started. You can tackle climate change at home and save money. Here’s 101 ideas to get you started.
• Free home energy efficiency advice over the phone. Want to know more about house design, renewable energy technology and how to understand your energy bills and meters? Find out more.
• House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). The NatHERS, Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, creates a star rating (out of 10) for home thermal performance (heating and cooling needs). All new homes and extensions built in Australia must meet six-star energy efficiency requirements under the National Construction Code (NCC). Find out more.
• Rebates available for reducing energy and waste. Find out if you are eligible for rebates or government assistance for reducing energy, water, waste and travel emissions. Find out more.
•  Understand energy use in your home. Want to know how to save energy at home? Find out where you are using energy, how to do a home energy audit and calculate your appliance running costs. Find out more.
• Toolkits help find out where you are using energy at home. Reduce your energy use with the Home Energy Toolkit that is full of information and equipment to help you understand where you are using energy. It’s available to borrow free of charge from most public libraries in South Australia. Find out more.
• Free energy audit for low income households. If you are a low-income household or hold a concession card you may be eligible for a free home energy audit through the Retailer Energy Efficiency Scheme (REES). Find out more.
• Improve the performance of your building, tenancy or home. You can measure and improve the environmental performance of your building, tenancy or home using the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS). This system assesses the energy efficiency, water usage, waste management and indoor environment quality. It provides you with an easy to understand rating scale from one to six stars. Accredited NABERS assessors can undertake energy audits and provide advice on energy efficiency improvements. Find out more. 
• Incentive for energy monitoring systems. Rebates of up to $1,000 available for installing an energy monitoring system through City of Adelaide's Sustainability Incentives Scheme. Find out more.
• Energy Made Easy. An Australian Government tool to help you compare electricity and gas offers, understand your energy bills and learn about energy consumer rights. Find out more. 

For business

• Energy Made Easy. An Australian Government tool to help you compare electricity and gas offers, understand your energy bills and learn about energy consumer rights. Find out more. 
• Cut your business’ energy costs. You can cut your business’ energy costs using a simple 20 step guide from Energy Cut, with many of the steps able to be implemented at little or no cost. Find out more.
• Improve the performance of your building, tenancy or home. You can measure and improve the environmental performance of your building, tenancy or home using the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS). This system assesses the energy efficiency, water usage, waste management and indoor environment quality. It provides you with an easy to understand rating scale from one to six stars. Accredited NABERS assessors can undertake energy audits and provide advice on energy efficiency improvements. Find out more. 
• Sustainability support to office based businesses. You can improve the sustainability performance of your office by joining CitySwitch Green Office. There is information, education, resources, expertise and incentives to support office based businesses transition to a global low-carbon economy. Find out more.
• Incentive for energy monitoring systems. Rebates of up to $1,000 available for installing an energy monitoring system through City of Adelaide's Sustainability Incentives Scheme. Find out more.
• Seek advice from certified energy efficiency professionals. The Energy Efficiency Council of Australia, the peak body for energy efficiency, cogeneration and demand management in Australia, offer a range of useful resources, casestudies and a directory of certified energy efficiency professionals. Find out more.
• Funding for large electricity consumers to improve efficiency. If your business consumes at least 160 MWh of electricity each year, you may be eligible for funding to help improve your energy efficiency. The SA Energy Productivity Program provides 75% of the costs of a level 2 energy efficiency audit (up to $15,000) and funding to help implement the results of the audit. Find out more.
• Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative. Your school community can become more sustainable with the Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative. This is a whole-of-school approach that includes real-life learning experiences and improvements in a school's management of resources and facilities including energy, waste, water, biodiversity, landscape design, products and materials. Find out more.
• NRM Education. Want help to plan and manage sustainability initiatives for your school? Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Range’s NRM Education program uses a whole-school approach to work with school or preschool communities to plan and manage sustainability initiatives. You will receive resources and support to help students, staff and parents take informed action at a local level. Find out more.

Consider energy ratings and sustainability features when leasing or purchasing a property to reduce your electricity bills and improve year round comfort. Refer to energy rating star systems like NATHERS (for houses), NABERS (for a variety of commercial building types), and GreenStar Ratings for new commercial buildings. Join the Living Smart, CitySwitch Green Office, or the Sustainable Schools program, or other,  to help support you on your way. There are many recognised benefits for people and businesses that occupy higher performing homes or buildings - reduced running costs and lower carbon emissions are just the start!  

Many businesses are already playing their part. Savills have retrofitted their SA office, with a lease renewal providing the opportunity for refurbishment for energy efficiency and improved indoor environment. Read their story. And WAX Design's small city office has adopted a wide range of sustainable behaviours. Read their story.

For individuals

• House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). The NatHERS, Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, creates a star rating (out of 10) for home thermal performance (heating and cooling needs). All new homes and extensions built in Australia must meet six-star energy efficiency requirements under the National Construction Code (NCC). Find out more.
• Living Smart. Join a Living Smart program near you to learn the skills and knowledge to improve your quality of life and reduce the environmental impacts of your own home. Find out more.
• SMARTBlocks supports apartment living. The SMART Blocks national program helps apartment owners and managers improve energy efficiency of common property in apartment buildings. Find out more.
• Adelaide Sustainable Building Network. This community group promotes uptake of sustainable and ecologically beneficial practices within all industries linked to the built environment. Find out more. 
• Visit leading sustainable homes. Learn from others who have built or renovated with sustainability in mind. A once a year nationally coordinated open house day opportunity to visit and talk to the owners of new or renovated sustainable homes. Find out more.
• Improve the performance of your building, tenancy or home. You can measure and improve the environmental performance of your building, tenancy or home using the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS). This system assesses the energy efficiency, water usage, waste management and indoor environment quality. It provides you with an easy to understand rating scale from one to six stars. Accredited NABERS assessors can undertake energy audits and provide advice on energy efficiency improvements. Find out more.
• Compare the performance of your building with others. Use NABERS free online calculator to rate the performance of your home, building, office, hotel, shopping centre or data centre. Find out more.

For business

• Improve the performance of your building, tenancy or home. You can measure and improve the environmental performance of your building, tenancy or home using the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS). This system assesses the energy efficiency, water usage, waste management and indoor environment quality. It provides you with an easy to understand rating scale from one to six stars. Accredited NABERS assessors can undertake energy audits and provide advice on energy efficiency improvements. Find out more. 
• Check the star rating on office spaces. Before buying or leasing commercial office space, check the Commercial Building Disclosure website and the building's energy efficiency certificate (BEEC) to better appreciate the energy efficiency of the building. Find out more.
• Compare the performance of your building with others. Use NABERS free online calculator to rate the performance of your home, building, office, hotel, shopping centre or data centre. Find out more.
• Incentive for office tenants undertaking a NABERS ratings. Rebates of up to $2,500 to office tenants involved in CitySwitch who undertake a NABERS rating are available through City of Adelaide's Sustainability Incentives Scheme. Find out more.
• Checklist for selecting or refurbishing an office space. Use the CitySwitch Checklist for Selecting New or Refurbished Office Space. Find out more.
• Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative. AuSSI-SA provide support for schools and preschools to develop better sustainability practices and environmental education. Find out more.
• Adelaide Sustainability Connect. Bi-monthly networking events for industry practitioners with focus on knowledge sharing, encouraging change and building networks. Find out more.
• Guidelines for government office buildings. Government office buildings require minimum NABERS standards including Green Lease Schedules (GLS) to ensure buildings are operated at the required level of energy efficiency. Find out more.  
  

Investigate opportunities to upgrade or build your home or building to achieve better building energy performance. Sustainable building design improves comfort, performance, health and wellbeing and reduces running costs. Favourable finance is available through mechanisms like Solar Savers (for low income residents and rented residential properties) and Building Upgrade Finance (for commercial buildings). A variety of rebates are available through the Sustainability Incentives Scheme.

For individuals

• Install solar panels with no upfront costs. If you are a low-income or rental resident in the City of Adelaide, you may be eligible to have a solar energy system supplied and installed with no upfront cost. Find out more.
• Incentives for installation of water and energy devices. If you live in the City of Adelaide, you may be eligible for incentives for installing water and energy devices such as solar panels, battery storage systems, electric vehicle charging points and more. Find out more. 
• Incentive for energy efficiency upgrades in apartment buildings. Rebates of up to $5,000 per financial year are available for energy efficiency upgrades in apartment buildings through City of Adelaide's Sustainability Incentives Scheme. Find out more. 
• House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS). The NatHERS, Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme, creates a star rating (out of 10) for home thermal performance (heating and cooling needs). All new homes and extensions built in Australia must meet six-star energy efficiency requirements under the National Construction Code (NCC). Find out more.

For business

• Building Upgrade Finance. A mechanism helping building owners to access loans to improve the energy, water and environmental efficiency of existing commercial buildings. Find out more.