4656.5 - Household Choices Related to Water and Energy, WA, October 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 16/06/2010   
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MEDIA RELEASE
16 June, 2010
Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)
71/2010


WA households accumulate high energy consuming appliances: ABS.
An increase in the popularity of reverse cycle air conditioners in Western Australia has seen a decrease in the use of more energy efficient evaporative coolers and gas heaters, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The Household Choices Related to Water and Energy survey, conducted by the ABS in October 2009, also found ownership of high energy consuming entertainment equipment such as Plasma and LCDs televisions increased to almost six in ten households.

At the same time, WA households have been making attempts to conserve water, with dual flush toilets and low flow shower heads common in most households. In the garden, one in five use a garden bore for watering.

Of the estimated 862,000 private dwellings in WA, the following water and energy usage characteristics were observed:
    • Space cooling and heating
        -Three in four (72%) dwellings have insulation
        -90% of homes have some type of space heating,
        - non- ducted unflued heaters were the most popular, accounting for 32% of all heaters.
        - Reverse cycle heating accounted for 31% of heaters
        -79% of homes have a cooling system. More than half (56%) were reverse cycle air conditioners and almost a third (31%) were evaporative coolers.
    • White goods
        -Clothes dryers and dishwashers are now present in almost half WA dwellings (56% and 43% respectively)
        -Four in ten dwellings had at least two refrigerators
        -Almost one in four (23%) refrigerators and four in ten (40%) separate freezers were at least 10 years in age, and potentially energy inefficient.
    • Other electrical appliances
        -One in every two dwellings have a laptop/notebook computer
        -Three in five dwellings have a desktop computer
        -Six in ten households have two or more televisions
        -Over half WA households (58%) now have Plasma and LCDs TVs. However, the old style analogue TV was still the most predominant, being found in 68% of homes.
    • Water use within and around the home -
    -Over half have at least two showers and two toilets.
    -In 87% of dwellings all toilets were dual flush
        -Half (51%) had low flow shower heads attached to all shower outlets
        -One in five dwellings have a garden bore.

Public transport use within Perth:
    • An estimated 232,500 people aged 18 years and over used Perth public transport for regular activities.
    • Transport usage for 78% of users remained the same during 2 years prior to the survey, while 13% reported an increase and 9% a decline.
    • One third of the increases (35%) were associated with improved convenience
    • One third of the decreases (31%) were related to acquiring a car or driver's licence.

Media note:

Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.