Here are some reasons why I am so glad to be working in this industry:
Helping People Save Money
By helping homeowners and businesses achieve an Energy Efficient building, I’m helping them reduce the number of hours that they need to artificially heat and cool their building. As this component of a home’s energy bills can be around 40% of the total energy costs, a saving in this area can result in significant ongoing energy bills savings. This is particularly relevant with the increasing Energy Costs across Australia.
But what I particularly love, is rating social housing units and homes, because I know that the people who live in social housing are often the least able to afford the cost of their energy, and also often the least able to cope with super-hot or super-cold living conditions in their homes. By liasing with the designers and builders of these homes, I am able to ensure that they are designed to be thermally comfortable and low-cost to run.
I love helping people save money.
Excellence in Customer Service
Here at BERA, we love making people happy. We have set up systems to ensure that our Energy Efficiency Reports are done in an efficient time-frame and to an excellent standard. Whether they are NatHERS assessments, Section J Assessments, or Deemed to Satisfy Assessments, we are always up for the challenge of having these reports back to our customers within about 3 working days, and even faster if the situation is urgent. We are happy to liase with our clients about any decisions that need to be made around Energy Efficiency, and get a real buzz out of knowing that the experience of dealing with our business has been a good one for our clients.
If there is a problem that seems difficult to work around, or an area that I have not yet come across, I relish the challenge of learning as much as I can to be able to come up with suitable solutions and accurate ratings.
I love being in a business that is able to deliver excellent customer service.
The legislation is actually good!
The aim of the Energy Efficiency Legislation within the National Construction Code is to reduce Australia’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The legislation aims to do this by reducing a building’s reliance on artificial forms of heating and cooling, by ensuring that it is well-designed for the climate zone, and appropriately insulated and glazed. While many designers and home-owners would think this would be common sense, it seems that not everyone is aware of the difference that great design and insulation can make to the natural thermal comfort of a home. Additionally, some volume builders are on a very tight cost-margin, and so would seek to cut costs in insulation and eave width if the legislation wasn’t there.
I love working with good legislation.
It combines really well with my family.
For me, this business is only ever a success if it can fit in around me being able to be a supportive wife and great mum to my brood of boys. I initially went in to Energy Rating because I realised it was able to start as a home-based business, with flexible hours and manageable growth. I have loved the challenge of learning so much about one particular industry, and have enjoyed seeing my family so interested and invested in BERA’s growth. Of course it’s hard work at times, but it has enable me to produce an income without being tied to inflexible working hours, and I love the work I do.