Australia’s housing stock has an energy efficiency problem. Around 70% of the country’s 11 million homes were built before minimum energy efficiency standards existed, and many of these homes sit at an average rating of below three stars. For years, the main tool available to measure and improve this was the Residential Efficiency Scorecard. That program has now closed, and in its place is a national framework: NatHERS for Existing Homes.
For anyone considering a career in sustainability, building, or property services, this shift matters. It’s opening a brand-new professional pathway — one with government backing, a growing skills shortage, and genuine long-term demand. This article walks through where the pathway came from, what’s changed in 2026, how an assessment actually works, and what it takes to build a career as an accredited assessor.
Table of Contents
- What was the Residential Efficiency Scorecard?
- What is NatHERS for Existing Homes?
- What has changed in 2026?
- How does a NatHERS Existing Homes assessment work?
- What training and accreditation do aspiring assessors need?
- What career opportunities could the new pathway create?
- Who is the pathway suited to?
What was the Residential Efficiency Scorecard?
The Residential Efficiency Scorecard began in Victoria in 2017 as the state’s answer to a simple question: how do you rate the comfort and running costs of a home that’s already built? Much like the star rating on a fridge or washing machine, Scorecard gave households an independent, government-backed rating of their home’s energy performance, along with tailored recommendations for improvement.
In 2021, the program was adopted nationally, administered by the Victorian Government on behalf of all Australian jurisdictions. It built one of the largest datasets of home energy cost and comfort information in the country and trained a first generation of assessors to deliver it. Scorecard officially closed on 23 June 2026, with its assessments and workforce transitioning into the new national scheme. If you built a career around Scorecard, you can read more about that transition to NatHERS for Existing Homes and what it means for your accreditation.
What is NatHERS for Existing Homes?
NatHERS — the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme — has rated the energy performance of new home designs for more than three decades. NatHERS for Existing Homes extends that same trusted, nationally consistent framework to homes that are already built, using their actual insulation, windows, appliances, and on-site energy systems, rather than a design on paper.
An assessment produces two ratings, delivered on a single Home Energy Rating Certificate: a thermal performance star rating (how comfortable the building shell is to live in) and a household energy assessment (how much energy the home’s fixed appliances, solar and battery systems use or generate). Effectively, it’s the national successor to Scorecard — shaped by the same lessons, but delivered through the same trusted NatHERS brand that banks, builders and regulators already recognise.
What has changed in 2026?
The scheme has moved from a national field trial into a staged national rollout. A national field trial conducted in partnership with CSIRO and four major banks between 2024 and early 2026 delivered more than 1,000 free assessments across a broad range of climates and dwelling types. The trial found that Home Energy Rating for existing homes was a viable, fit-for-purpose scheme and recommended that it be fully implemented.
Stage 1 commenced in July 2025 as a deliberately limited release, using a first-generation tool and assessment method and opening accreditation to a limited pool of already trained assessors. This was followed by a 12-month scale-up and “learning by doing” period, during which processes, tools and communications were further refined and training and accreditation were progressively expanded to additional assessor groups.
Stage 2 launched on 1 July 2026, opening training and accreditation to all eligible applicants and introducing updated assessment tools, methods and a refreshed Home Energy Rating Certificate. The rollout is now available nationally, while the ACT continues to operate its own Energy Efficiency Rating Disclosure Scheme alongside the national framework.
Alongside the rollout, the Australian Government committed $32.7 million over four years to expand NatHERS to existing homes, as part of its broader $8.3 billion, 15-year investment to support the Net Zero Plan.
Design Matters National has been appointed by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, under the NatHERS Administrator, as the Assessor Accreditation Service Provider for NatHERS Existing Homes Assessors across Australia.
The transition has also involved the closure of the Residential Efficiency Scorecard program. Scorecard, which had provided existing-home energy assessments since 2017, closed on 23 June 2026, with the NatHERS expansion providing the national framework for existing-home energy ratings. The transition included opportunities for existing Scorecard assessors to move into the NatHERS pathway, including subsidised training and accreditation.
How does a NatHERS Existing Homes assessment work?
An accredited assessor visits the property in person to collect data first-hand — measuring and photographing the building envelope, insulation, glazing, shading, and ventilation, and recording details of fixed heating, cooling, hot water and any solar or battery systems installed. This information is entered into NatHERS-accredited existing homes software, which models the home’s thermal performance and household energy use against the same benchmarks used nationally for new builds.
The output is a Home Energy Rating Certificate showing the star rating (a 1–2 star home is likely uncomfortable and costly to run; a 10-star home needs little to no artificial heating or cooling) plus tailored, prioritised recommendations — such as topping up insulation, sealing draughts, or upgrading to efficient appliances — so the homeowner knows exactly where to spend their upgrade budget for the best return.
What training and accreditation do aspiring assessors need?
Becoming an accredited Existing Homes assessor follows a structured, nationally recognised training path. The starting point for most people is the Certificate IV in Home Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (CPP41126). This supersedes the earlier CPP41119 and CPP41212 qualifications. From there, prospective assessors need to complete:
- Home Energy Rating for Existing Homes Training (either the 7 + 1 units or the Streamlined Training for Current Assessors package)
- Training in an accredited existing homes software tool, such as AccuRate Enterprise (existing homes mode) and magicplan
- CPPCOM4002: Implement safe work practices in the property industry
- And national police check (https://www.acic.gov.au/accredited-bodies)
Once training is complete, applicants apply directly to Design Matters National, the appointed accreditor, sit the accreditation exam, and provide evidence of professional indemnity and public liability insurance before being issued access to the NatHERS certificate portal. A streamlined transition pathway is also available for assessors already accredited under Scorecard or the ACT’s disclosure scheme.
Transformed has been appointed as an official training provider for this pathway. You can read more about our NatHERS Existing Homes Assessor training, or explore the broader step-by-step guide to becoming an accredited assessor if you’re weighing this up as a career move.
What career opportunities could the new pathway create?
With around 7 in 10 Australian homes falling below current efficiency standards, and government retrofit, disclosure and finance schemes increasingly relying on trusted ratings, demand for qualified assessors is expected to climb steadily over the next several years. This creates opportunities well beyond the assessment itself:
- Independent assessor businesses — many assessors work for themselves, setting their own rates and client base
- Retrofit and upgrade advisory roles — helping households and landlords plan and prioritise energy upgrades
- Property and finance sector roles — supporting banks and valuers offering green home loans or energy-linked lending products
- Government and not-for-profit programs — delivering subsidised assessments for vulnerable or low-income households
- Broader sustainability consulting — using assessor experience as a stepping stone into building compliance, ESG or NCC-related work
Our 2026 NatHERS Assessor career guide goes into more detail on how the new homes and existing homes streams differ, and where each can take your career.
Who is the pathway suited to?
This pathway tends to suit people who like practical, client-facing work with a clear technical foundation. It’s a strong fit for:
- Career changers from trades, building inspections, or property services looking for a flexible, purpose-driven new direction
- Sustainability and environmental professionals wanting to specialise in a hands-on, in-demand niche
- Former Scorecard assessors transitioning their existing skills and accreditation into the national scheme
- Self-starters who want the option of running their own assessment business, setting their own hours and rates
If you’re still deciding whether it’s the right move, our guide on what to consider before becoming a NatHERS Assessor covers the practical questions — from insurance to income expectations — worth thinking through first.
Home energy assessment is no longer a niche corner of the building industry — it’s becoming core infrastructure for Australia’s response to rising energy costs and climate targets. For those willing to train now, NatHERS for Existing Homes offers a rare combination of purpose, flexibility and genuine career longevity. Get in touch with Transformed to find out how to get started.