At Allianz, we’re committed to sustainability, and we want to make sustainable home improvements easier for homeowners. We partnered with the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) to launch Green Specs, an online tool turning blueprints green.
Why Green Specs?
Green home improvements can help lower home emissions, which make up to 53% of built environment emissions, according to the GBCA. This is based on a 2022 study of energy consumption (PDF, 7.8MB) and a residential study for Australia and New Zealand for 2000 – 2040. However, almost half of the homeowners (approximately 46%) surveyed by Allianz are unsure about how to begin a sustainable renovation.
Green Specs aims to bridge this knowledge gap by providing information and tips in a digital guide. You can learn about using sustainable building materials, choosing greener appliances, and more. You can also find out how to improve your home’s resilience against certain weather events.
“In bringing Green Specs to life, our aim is to highlight ways to make homes more sustainable – from small improvements through to large renovations.”
Sema Whittle, General Manager of Sustainability at Allianz.
“By making simple updates to your home, such as replacing gas appliances , installing solar panels, or implementing energy-saving measures like sealing gaps around doors and adding insulation, you not only create a healthier living space but also reduce emissions and save on energy bills.”
Davina Rooney, CEO of GBCA.
How does the digital guide work?
Green Specs is a digital guide for homeowners and renters, shown as the floorplan of a typical house. It simplifies the GBCA’s Sustainable Home Renovations Guide (PDF, 15MB)1, which is a technical manual and checklist for sustainable home improvements.
Simply explore the online floorplan to learn more about the sustainable improvements you could make, room by room. You can filter potential changes by feature, room, and budget to consider everything from:
Positive changes, such as energy efficiency
Healthy changes, such as reducing harmful chemicals or emissions
Resilient changes, such as reducing the risk of extreme weather impacts on your home
Need some eco-friendly inspiration?
Check out these tips from interior design duo, Josh and Jenna.
(Source: GBCA’s Sustainable Home Renovations Guide)
(Source: GBCA’s Sustainable Home Renovations Guide)
Easy wins
Going electric
Home insurance and sustainable rebuilds
Allianz Home Insurance can help to make home buildings more environmentally friendly by allowing certain upgrades to the new building (up to a limited amount) when the building is totally destroyed by an insured event and needs to be rebuilt. If you have Building cover, we’ll pay up to $5,000, after the deduction of any government or council rebates, for installing eco-friendly systems like rainwater tanks.
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About the research
YouGov conducted the research between 29 May to 5 June 2023 using an online survey. The sample consisted of 1,043 Australian homeowners and investors aged 18+ including 739 homeowners and 304 investors. Homeowners in Australia are individuals who are at least 18 years old and own the home they live in. They may own the property outright or have a mortgage on it. Additionally, they don’t own any other properties in Australia. Investors are adults who own a property for investment and don’t live in it. They must be at least 18 years old. The data is weighted by age, gender, and region to reflect the homeowners and investors population estimates.
Disclaimer
- As the Sustainable Home Renovations Guide (the "Guide") is prepared by GBCA, the microsite Green Specs incorporates and is based on information in the Guide. Neither Allianz, nor its employees or directors give any warranty of accuracy, nor accept or assume any responsibility for any loss or liability incurred by you in connection with or arising out of Green Specs (including all tips and descriptions), nor in respect of anything contained in Green Specs, including any error, omission or misrepresentation.
The microsite Green Specs (including all tips and descriptions) is for general information only. You should seek independent advice and carry out further investigation rather than to rely on any information that is contained in the microsite. Information in Green Specs is accurate as at 14/7/2023 and may be subject to change. In some cases, information has been provided by third parties and while that information is believed to be accurate and reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed in any way. Any opinions expressed constitute the views at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Allianz acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work across Australia. We pay our respect to First Nations Elders past and present.
Any advice here does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions apply. Before making a decision about this insurance, consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)/Policy Wording and Supplementary PDS (if applicable). Where applicable, the PDS/Policy Wording, Supplementary PDS and Target Market Determination (TMD) for this insurance are available on this website. We do not provide any form of advice if you call us to enquire about or purchase a product.
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