Hi, we’re Lilypad Energy Rating.

We do accredited energy efficiency assessments (NatHERS ratings) and thermal performance consultation for new single and dual occupancy homes, renovations and additions.

Our idea of a perfect home is cosy in winter and cool in summer, without reliance on artificial heating and cooling. A carefully balanced space that is just enough, so we can relax, and our earth can breathe. A home created more for living in than exhibiting. Just imagine!

We relish working with like-minded people—building designers, architects, builders, home owners and home dreamers—who have similar thoughtful and realistic goals.

We go way beyond compliance and box ticking to get exceptional results for you. Our motto is ‘More than stars’—because there’s so much more to energy efficiency than just a star rating. We tailor our services to your goals so you can make enlightened decisions for better results. Sound good?

We’re based in Geelong, specialise in the Greater Geelong, Bellarine and Surf Coast regions, and happily take on more distant projects virtually.

Ready? Let's get started.

Lilypad Energy Rating

Energy Rating for building and design professionals

We work with building and design professionals

Is your business designing, building, extending or renovating great homes? Lilypad Energy Rating will collaborate with you to deliver a rewarding experience for you and an exceptional result for your clients. Rely on our creative thinking and expertise in thermal comfort and home energy efficiency so you can focus on doing what you do best.

Ways we work with you

  • Could your residential projects be more energy efficient?

    8, 9 or 10 stars is possible—ask us to iterate and optimise a design to maximise thermal performance—I spy a happy client.

  • Do you want to reduce project costs or redesign work?

    We can consult on that tricky project to improve it or just get it across the line—a win for you and your client (who will tell their family, and friends, and even people they barely know).

  • Is your portfolio stuck at 6 stars?

    We can help update your existing portfolio ready for 7 stars or raise the bar and take some of your designs even further. (After all, 7 stars will soon be the minimum.) Some practitioners are finding it tough to get their projects to 7 stars. Get us to help and get ahead of the pack.

  • We can make your life (or at least your work) easier!

    Engage us in a consultancy capacity early in the design process to advise on best energy efficiency practice, run simulations on various design options and offer design advice. This way, we can define compliant design features early in the process, instead of when a design cannot meet compliance at an acceptable cost.

  • Do you need more time to focus on design?

    Keeping up with all the rules and changes in the design space is more than enough, without trying to stay up to date and competent in the energy efficiency arena as well. Would it help to have a skilled, reliable and resourceful energy assessor in your corner?

Get in touch

Energy Rating for Home Owners

We work with home owners and home dreamers

A new building project—whether it’s a new build, renovation or extension—is an amazing opportunity to create a home where you can feel more relaxed and don’t have to spend a fortune on heating or cooling. If you do it right. But how do you do that?

You could do lots of research. There’s a lot of information out there, maybe too much, it’s pretty puzzling. How do you know what matters to you or your project and what’s not relevant? Good news—you don’t need to, because we do. (We’re happy to explain the puzzle to you as much or as little as you like.)

Get in touch today to find out how our comprehensive assessments and consulting services can make all the difference for you.

Ways we work with you

  • Deciding between several favourite designs by project or volume builders or aiming to get the most out of your favourite project home design?

    Not sure where to start? Ask us. It’s what we do, all day every day. How easy is that?

  • Working with a builder or designer on a new home?

    We can do your detailed energy rating to ensure nothing is missed and your new home works for you.

  • Are you the ‘typical NatHERS family’? (Hint: probably not)

    How you compare to the ‘NatHERS default occupants’ can have a huge impact on how your home performs and is not part of most energy assessments. Ask us about this.

  • Exploring or planning a retrofit, renovation or extension? Get us involved first.

    We can explore your imaginings, diagnose thermal discomfort issues in your existing home and help you work out your top modification options.

  • Planning to sell your home? Buyers pay more for energy efficient properties.

    An energy assessment by Lilypad Energy Rating can be a great selling tool, if your property rates well, or a valuable tool to identify the best improvement opportunities.

Get in touch

Do you need an energy rating?

Absolutely! Projects that require a building licence usually have to meet the energy efficiency requirements of the National Construction Code (NCC). This includes new single and dual occupancy dwellings and substantial alterations and additions (renovations and extensions). The most popular way to satisfy these energy efficiency requirements is via a NatHERS (National House Energy Rating Scheme) rating from an accredited assessor, like us.

Even if your project doesn’t trigger a compulsory rating, our energy assessments can be a powerful planning and design tool to test different design and construction options to optimise your home’s thermal performance.

Find out more about NatHERS or watch the short explainer video.

Contact us about your project

8, 9 or even 10 stars can happen when we get involved early.

Get us on your team from the start so we have more options open to achieve excellent energy efficiency results, as well as a simpler design process and better bang for your buck.

It’s so much easier to make improvements to a design before everyone is committed to it.

About Us

Anni founded Lilypad Energy Rating after attending one too many home inspections and finding herself asking (quietly) ‘Why, why, why?’ So many missed opportunities to create a brilliant, comfy, liveable home, so much money wasted on [insert latest trend]. All crying out ‘But we didn’t know!’

Lilypad Energy Rating - Anni

Being a practical dreamer, I set out to do what I could, in my own small way. I am obsessed with making homes great to live in. I hate being too cold. Or too hot. And spending more money than necessary desperately seeking comfort.

Living in Geelong gives me the opportunity to experience a remarkable variety of weather conditions and their impact on a home and the people in it.

My purpose is to find the best energy efficiency and thermal comfort wins in your project, and help you avoid missed opportunities and expensive mistakes, so you get the incredible home you’ve dreamed of.

Accreditation and affiliation

Anni is an accredited energy rater and member of Design Matters National (Assessor number DMN/23/2144).

Engaging Lilypad Energy Rating for your project gives you peace of mind knowing you are working with an up to date, fully insured certified energy efficiency professional.

We are accredited to use two NatHERS software packages—Hero and FirstRate5—as well as being Whole of Home certified.

Permission to use the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) logo, the Design Matters National logo, the HERO Home Energy Rating & Optimisation software logo and the FirstRate5 logo has been granted to Lilypad Energy Rating as a provider of accredited NatHERS ratings. Lilypad Energy Rating and its services has no direct affiliation with NatHERS. More information on NatHERS at www.nathers.gov.au.

Pricing

Every project we work on is unique—varying complexity, wide range of client goals, different budgets, travel time, number and type of modelling iterations required, etc etc, making it difficult to have a one size fits all price list.

We always discuss cost with you up front before embarking on any work, so you know what you’re getting and what your investment will be.

Feel free to get in touch if you would like an indication of price range for our services. It will probably be lower than you expect and will pay for itself many times over.

Where we work

Lilypad Energy Rating are based in Geelong, specialise in the Greater Geelong, Bellarine and Surf Coast regions, and happily take on more distant projects virtually.

Places we work include Geelong, Newtown, Belmont, Ocean Grove, Barwon Heads, Torquay, Anglesea, Winchelsea, Bannockburn, Colac, Portarlington, Point Lonsdale and Queenscliff, and almost anywhere virtually.

Get in touch with us

We’d love to hear from you. Email, text or even phone us, whatever suits you best. If we’re out and about and can’t answer immediately we’ll respond as soon as we can.