Saving energy

Did you know that in an average Australian home, around 45% of energy use is for heating and cooling? Water heating (hot water) can account for around 15%, electrical appliances can account for up to 25% and lighting up to 5%. This can of course vary if you have halogen downlights, an old freezer or other inefficient appliances, pool pump or poor insulation.

By saving energy, Council and our local community can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our impact on climate change. Saving energy also leads to cost savings on your electricity and gas bills. 

What you can do

  • Make smarter purchasing decisions when replacing vehicles, whitegoods or even buildings and choose the most energy or fuel efficient. You can find a guide to environmentally sustainable homes on the Your Home website. For more information on energy star ratings of appliances (the more stars the better), visit the Energy Rating website.
  • Consider removing fossil gas and replacing with all electric appliances. Not only will this improve the health and safety through improved air quality but it will save money and if you also purchase renewable electricity it is better for the planet. The Victorian Government have several rebates and incentives to promote this change.
  • Find out about energy and hot water saving rebates and incentives, including the State Government’s Victorian Energy Upgrades program for households and businesses. Visit our Environmental Grants and Rebates page for more information.
  • Switch to solar. Visit our Solar and Renewable Energy page for more information and great resources to help you work out if solar is right for you using the SunSPOT Tool.  
  • To save money on your electricity or gas bills, search and compare rates and incentives from a range of retailers so you’ll have the information you need to confidently choose the most cost-effective energy company for you. Visit the Victorian Government’s Victorian Energy Compare website for an independent price comparator.
  • To find out what your energy use looks like visit United Energy’s myEnergy website to view 

What we're doing

Council adopted the Climate Change Strategy 2023-2030 in April 2023. The Strategy was shaped by our community and identifies the risks, opportunities, and priorities for Frankston City to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to climate change impacts. It includes actions to reduce Council and community emissions, and to adapt and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.

The Strategy also includes Council’s new Science Based Emissions target for reducing its own operational emissions by 42% by 2030 (from the 2020/21 base year). 

Information on some of Council’s recent energy and greenhouse reduction actions can be found on Council’s Greenhouse and Water Performance page.