We’re all familiar with energy ratings on appliances and cars, but what if your home came with one too? Could this be where the housing market is headed? Today, we sit down with Cecille Weldon, Australia’s top expert in residential energy efficiency, to explore what this could mean for the future of housing. Could energy ratings become the next game-changer in real estate?

Cecille breaks it down for us — how homes might be rated, who will cover the costs, and whether property buyers and tenants are really willing to pay more for energy-efficient living. With rising energy costs and climate change in the spotlight, this couldn’t be a more timely discussion.

We also talk about the big moves happening behind the scenes with Cecille giving us the scoop on her work with the NSW Government’s Sustainable Homes team, which is pushing for energy ratings to become a standard at the point of sale or rent.

It’s all about making homes healthier, more comfortable, and cheaper to run in the long term. Tune in to understand how these upcoming changes could reshape the property landscape — and what it potentially means for your next move. Let's get started!

Episode Highlights:

00:00 - Introduction

01:12 - Who is Cecile Weldon?

02:29 - How has livability and sustainability evolved in the property industry since?

05:27 - What role does energy efficiency play in property value beyond just purchase price?

09:05 - How are rising energy costs affecting buyers' decisions in the property market?

13:03 - The complexities of property value and buyer behaviour in the property market

19:35 - Are homeowners choosing kitchen upgrades over energy efficiency improvements?

21:31 - Will energy efficiency standards for properties be mandatory or voluntary in Australia?

25:51 - Will energy efficiency improvements be viewed as non-essential expenses?

30:10 - How properties are going to be assessed for energy efficiency plus potential costs

32:56 - Will living in a home for 10-15 years drive the adoption of energy-efficient solutions?

38:34 - How homeowners can make energy-efficient changes without big expenses

43:13 - Are investors in Victoria required to upgrade to new energy standards?

47:10 - Challenges in the real estate sector regarding energy efficiency upgrades

50:45 - What challenges exist for upgrading energy efficiency in strata buildings?

53:00 - How to encourage strata owners to prioritise cladding safety upgrades?

58:07 - Cecille Weldon’s property dumbo

About Our Guest:



Cecille Weldon is the founder of Future Agent Academy and director of Weldonco Advisory, recognised as one of Australia's leading experts in residential energy efficiency, property value, and the property marketing sector. An accomplished Proptech entrepreneur with a background in real estate, franchising, research, communications, and education, Cecille provides insights on consumer demands, the impact of climate change, and new regulations in the property industry. With qualifications including a BA, DipEd, and GradDipLing, she has developed courses for real estate agents and serves on various boards, including the Proptech Association and the REEDI Forum. Cecille's passion lies in enhancing property capabilities, emphasising the importance of energy efficiency in boosting property value, and addressing the need for healthier, more affordable homes.

Connect with Cecille Weldon:
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecille-weldon-56100a13/
Website https://www.weldonco.com.au/

Resources:
Visit our website https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au
If you have any questions or would like to be featured on our show, contact us at: The Elephant in the Room Property Podcast - questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au
Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? https://www.gooddeeds.com.au
Work with Veronica: https://www.veronicamorgan.com.au
Looking for a Mortgage Broker? https://www.flintgroup.au
Work with Chris: chrisbates@flintgroup.au

Enjoyed the podcast? Don't miss out on what's yet to come! Hit that subscription button, spread the word and join us for more insightful discussions in real estate. Your journey starts now!
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765

We’re all familiar with energy ratings on appliances and cars, but what if your home came with one too? Could this be where the housing market is headed? Today, we sit down with Cecille Weldon, Australia’s top expert in residential energy efficiency, to explore what this could mean for the future of housing. Could energy ratings become the next game-changer in real estate?
Cecille breaks it down for us — how homes might be rated, who will cover the costs, and whether property buyers and tenants are really willing to pay more for energy-efficient living. With rising energy costs and climate change in the spotlight, this couldn’t be a more timely discussion.
We also talk about the big moves happening behind the scenes with Cecille giving us the scoop on her work with the NSW Government’s Sustainable Homes team, which is pushing for energy ratings to become a standard at the point of sale or rent.
It’s all about making homes healthier, more comfortable, and cheaper to run in the long term. Tune in to understand how these upcoming changes could reshape the property landscape — and what it potentially means for your next move. Let's get started!
Episode Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction
01:12 - Who is Cecile Weldon?
02:29 - How has livability and sustainability evolved in the property industry since?
05:27 - What role does energy efficiency play in property value beyond just purchase price?
09:05 - How are rising energy costs affecting buyers' decisions in the property market?
13:03 - The complexities of property value and buyer behaviour in the property market
19:35 - Are homeowners choosing kitchen upgrades over energy efficiency improvements?
21:31 - Will energy efficiency standards for properties be mandatory or voluntary in Australia?
25:51 - Will energy efficiency improvements be viewed as non-essential expenses?
30:10 - How properties are going to be assessed for energy efficiency plus potential costs
32:56 - Will living in a home for 10-15 years drive the adoption of energy-efficient solutions?
38:34 - How homeowners can make energy-efficient changes without big expenses
43:13 - Are investors in Victoria required to upgrade to new energy standards?
47:10 - Challenges in the real estate sector regarding energy efficiency upgrades
50:45 - What challenges exist for upgrading energy efficiency in strata buildings?
53:00 - How to encourage strata owners to prioritise cladding safety upgrades?
58:07 - Cecille Weldon’s property dumbo
About Our Guest:
 
Cecille Weldon is the founder of Future Agent Academy and director of Weldonco Advisory, recognised as one of Australia's leading experts in residential energy efficiency, property value, and the property marketing sector. An accomplished Proptech entrepreneur with a background in real estate, franchising, research, communications, and education, Cecille provides insights on consumer demands, the impact of climate change, and new regulations in the property industry. With qualifications including a BA, DipEd, and GradDipLing, she has developed courses for real estate agents and serves on various boards, including the Proptech Association and the REEDI Forum. Cecille's passion lies in enhancing property capabilities, emphasising the importance of energy efficiency in boosting property value, and addressing the need for healthier, more affordable homes.
Connect with Cecille Weldon:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecille-weldon-56100a13/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecille-weldon-56100a13/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Website <a href="https://www.weldonco.com.au/">https://www.weldonco.com.au/</a></li>
</ul>
Resources:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Visit our website <a href="https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au">https://www.theelephantintheroom.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">If you have any questions or would like to be featured on our show, contact us at: The Elephant in the Room Property Podcast - <a href="mailto:questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au">questions@theelephantintheroom.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Looking for a Sydney Buyers Agent? <a href="http://www.gooddeeds.com.au/">https://www.gooddeeds.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Work with Veronica: <a href="http://www.veronicamorgan.com.au">https://www.veronicamorgan.com.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Looking for a Mortgage Broker? <a href="https://www.flintgroup.au">https://www.flintgroup.au</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Work with Chris: <a href="mailto:chrisbates@flintgroup.au">chrisbates@flintgroup.au</a></li>
</ul>
Enjoyed the podcast? Don't miss out on what's yet to come! Hit that subscription button, spread the word and join us for more insightful discussions in real estate. Your journey starts now!
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast">https://www.youtube.com/@theelephantintheroom-podcast</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719">https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/the-elephant-in-the-room-property-podcast/id1384822719</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Subscribe on Spotify: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765">https://open.spotify.com/show/3Ge1626dgnmK0RyKPcXjP0?si=26cde394fa854765</a></li>
</ul>

Who's really in control when you buy a property?

The Elephant In The Room is where the things that no one wants to talk about, actually get talked about.  

Veronica Morgan, real estate agent, buyers agent and co-host of Foxtel’s Location Location Location Australia & Chris Bates, financial planner, mortgage broker and wealth coach have joined forces to find out what’s really going on in the world of real estate.

Veronica and Chris talk to property owners and buyers every day in their respective lines of business. They’ve observed a wide spectrum of confidence in people’s decision making ability when buying and selling property, often to the detriment of the individuals concerned. They are both fascinated by consumer behaviour and together they’re going to uncover who’s really making the decisions when you buy a property.

In each episode they get into the psyche of buyers, agents, auctioneers and other industry experts to learn the truth about how buyers are influenced and why they do the things they do. In every episode you’ll learn from the mistakes of a “property dumbo” as well as Chris & Veronica’s “elephant rider bootcamp” training session.

The plan? This property podcast has been created to help us all make better property decisions!

We talk about the things no one wants to talk about in the Property Market

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