Energy upgrades in community housing provider-owned properties

To be eligible to apply for a rebate under QCHEU, providers must be:

• an active, registered community housing provider
• listed on either the National Regulatory System for Community Housing or the Register of state community housing providers.

Standalone and multi-unit dwellings will be eligible for upgrade funding under this program. All dwellings must be:

• owned and managed by an eligible community housing provider
• used for providing a community housing service
• located in Queensland
• defined as a Class 1a building or a sole-occupancy unit within a Class 2 building (for general definitions refer to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission summary of building classifications)
• an existing dwelling and not under construction.

Upgrades won't be eligible if they are commenced or completed prior to receiving formal conditional approval for the rebate.

Rebate funding must be used towards one or more of the following eligible upgrades:

• Ceiling insulation
• The product must meet the following requirements:
• minimum thermal resistance rating of R3.0
• compliant with the current version, at time of installation, of Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4859.1:2018 relating to ceiling insulation
• not electrically conductive material (foil).
• The installer must hold Certified Insulation Installer Certification from the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC).
• The installation meets the following requirements:
• a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is completed before commencing any works
• a pre-installation electrical safety inspection is completed by a licensed electrician within 30 days before the eligible ceiling insulation is installed and a certificate is issued confirming the existing electrical installation is electrically safe.
• Draught proofing.
• Electric cooktops.
• Electric ovens.
• Energy efficient hot water systems (heat pump hot water and solar hot water systems).
• Energy efficient common hot water systems (heat pump hot water and solar hot water systems).
• External window shading.
• High performance window glazing.
• Split-cycle air conditioner:
  • where the energy rating is at least 4 stars for the air conditioner’s cooling function, and at least 3 stars for the heating function.
• Solar PV:
  • The system must:
    • be supplied by a New Energy Tech Approved Seller
    • use panels (modules) and inverters that are listed on the Clean Energy Council (CEC) Approved PV modules list and the Approved inverters list
    • have a system capacity of at least 3 kilowatts (kW)
    • have a generation signalling device (GSD)
    • be designed by a system designer accredited by Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA)
    • be installed by qualified persons holding relevant SAA accreditation, Queensland electrical contractor and worker licensing.
• Direct Current (DC) ceiling fans*.
• LED lighting*.

*Note: DC ceiling fans and LED lighting can't be installed as standalone upgrades. They must be combined with at least 1 other eligible upgrade. If installed together, an additional eligible upgrade is still required.

For all upgrades requiring installation that involves work for which a licence is required under the Electricity Safety Act 2002, Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018, or the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991, the work must be completed by a person who holds the licence (a licensed contractor).

Eligible upgrades must be installed at the community housing dwelling(s) listed in the application.

Eligible installation costs include works that are necessary to install the energy measure or prepare the dwelling for the installation. These expenses must be directly related to the energy efficiency upgrade, such as:

• installation
• delivery
• removal of old appliances
• switchboard upgrades
• electrification
• circuit modifications.

For example, when installing new ceiling insulation, the removal and disposal of old insulation qualifies as an eligible installation cost.

The following are not considered eligible installation costs:

• administrative fees
• project management costs
• maintenance
• unrelated upgrades
• portable appliances.

Ensure all eligible installation costs are directly related to the upgrades and proportionate to the cost of the product.

For further clarification:

• refer to the applicant guidelines (PDF, 243KB)
• contact Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) on 1800 623 946.

Ensure the proposed upgrades meet the eligibility requirements.

You can only apply once per dwelling. Therefore, make sure you utilise the maximum rebate available, as you cannot reapply later for the same dwelling.

If your application includes multiple dwellings, confirm that you can complete the installation of all eligible upgrades within 6 months from the date of conditional approval.

You are required to submit a quotation for the product and any associated eligible installation costs for each dwelling included in your application.

The quote must contain:

• the business name, ABN and address of the business issuing the quotation(s)
• applicant organisation name
• dwelling address
• quote issue date (quotes dated before 2 February 2026 are ineligible)
• a detailed description of the works or upgrades (e.g. make and model, materials, eligible installation costs, etc.)
• if required, the QBCC licence number, or electrical contractor licence number for the installation business
• itemised costs, including any eligible installation costs.

For solar PV, the quotation must also include:

• the New Energy Tech Approved Seller business name, ABN and address
• the Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) number of the system designer
• as a minimum, the details of the panels and inverter that make up the solar system being installed, including:
  • brand names and models of the CEC approved modules and approved inverters
  • system capacity (size) in kilowatts (kW) demonstrating the system is 3 kW or more
  • total cost of purchase and installation of the eligible solar system.

For ceiling insulation, the quotation must also include:

• the Energy Efficiency Council certification number of the ceiling insulation installer.

If you are purchasing the energy upgrade from a retailer, a screenshot of the website or catalogue showing the product details and price is sufficient. Additionally, you must provide a quotation for any eligible installation costs associated with the upgrade.

Apply for conditional approval through the QRIDA application portal.

For single, standalone dwellings, use the Standalone Application Form.

For multiple dwellings, such as townhouses or apartments within the same complex, complete the Multiple Dwellings Application Form.

When you apply for conditional approval, you must provide:

• evidence of your active Community Housing Provider registration
• proof of ownership of each dwelling in the application (e.g. rates notice, contract of sale)
• quote(s) for each dwelling (see Step 2 for quote requirements) that is dated after the program opening date
• other documents as requested on the application form (refer to the applicant guidelines (PDF, 243KB) for more information).

You cannot purchase and install eligible upgrades until you have conditional approval (i.e. complete Step 4).

QRIDA will assess your application and notify you of the outcome.

If QRIDA approves your application, you’ll receive a conditional approval letter, along with a Financial Assistance Agreement, which outlines your obligations under the program.

To receive funding, the Financial Assistance Agreement must be signed within 10 business days.

You should then receive the 50% upfront payment in your nominated bank account within 20 business days.

You'll have 6 months from the date of the signed Financial Assistance Agreement to:

• purchase and install the upgrades for each of the dwellings in your application (see Step 6)
• apply for your rebate payment (see Step 7).

You must have your conditional approval letter and signed Financial Assistance Agreement from QRIDA before you do steps 5–6 in Stage 2.

Note: If you have not heard from QRIDA within 3 weeks, you can get an update by referencing your application number (for existing applications only).

Coordinate the installation works for each of the dwellings in your application.

You have 6 months from signing the Financial Assistance Agreement to complete the upgrades works and apply for final approval.

You will need to comply with all relevant entry requirements and other obligations when installing upgrades under this rebate.

To receive the rebate, you must have already paid the invoice in full. You can meet this requirement if you're making your payment through a finance agreement, as long as you can submit documentation to the satisfaction of QRIDA demonstrating the finance contract is in place.

Each dwelling will require a separate invoice for the works completed.

The invoice must include:

• the business name, ABN and address of the business issuing the invoice(s)
• the name of the applicant organisation
• the dwelling address
• the date of invoice
• a detailed description of the works or upgrades (e.g. make and model, materials, installation costs, freight etc)
• if required, the QBCC licence number, or electrical contractor licence number for the installation business
• for ceiling insulation, the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC) certification number of the installer
• itemised costs, including a breakdown of any eligible installation costs.

For solar PV, the invoice must also include:

• the New Energy Tech Approved Seller business name, ABN and address
• the Solar Accreditation Australia (SAA) number of the system designer and installer
• as a minimum, details of the panels and inverter that make up the solar system being installed, including:
  • brand names and models of the CEC approved modules and approved inverters
  • system capacity (size) in kW
  • total cost of purchase and installation of the eligible solar system.

When you submit your final approval application to QRIDA, you must attach:

• the paid invoice(s) (from Step 5)
• additional compliance documentation (if required, such as for ceiling insulation or solar PV):
  • Ceiling Insulation:
    • Pre-installation electrical safety inspection certificate issued by a licensed electrician within 30 days before the eligible ceiling insulation is installed.
    • a copy of the Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) completed by the installer, and
    • a photograph of the ceiling insulation package label.
• other evidence as required on the form (refer to the applicant guidelines (PDF, 243KB) for more information).

Response times can vary depending on the volume of applications being assessed and you may not hear back from QRIDA straight away.