Inquiry calls for stronger apartment governance to unlock renewable and affordable energy
High Life Living and Let Me Be Frank are part of an apartment advocacy collective. We’ve been working alongside local governments, consumer advocates and community groups to spotlight the policy settings and programs needed to ensure apartment communities can participate in the energy transition.
We’re delighted to announce that much of what we’ve been advocating for has been included in the recommendations Parliamentary Inquiry into renewable and affordable energy for apartments.
Read the full Inquiry Report here or the summary below:
Improving governance within apartment buildings is critical to increasing the uptake of renewable energy technologies, electrification and energy efficiency upgrades, according to a report tabled in Parliament today.
The Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee has tabled its report into expanding renewable and affordable energy for apartments and other multi-unit dwellings, outlining a roadmap to help ensure all Victorians can benefit from the state's clean energy transition.
The report includes 52 findings and 25 recommendations.
To increase uptake of sustainability upgrades, the Committee has recommended that laws be amended to require apartment owners to consider sustainability regularly at their annual general meetings and to lower the voting threshold for solar installations from 75 per cent owner agreement to 50 per cent.
Committee Chair Juliana Addison said the inquiry found that governance barriers, technical challenges and outdated regulatory settings were preventing many apartment communities from pursuing renewable energy and sustainability upgrades.
“Victoria's clean energy transition must be inclusive,” she said.
“More Victorians are choosing apartment living, yet many apartment residents are missing out on opportunities to reduce their energy bills and improve their access to renewable energy.”
The inquiry found that while Victoria has experienced strong growth in rooftop solar uptake, apartment residents remain significantly less likely to access the benefits of renewable energy than those living in freestanding homes.
The Committee has also recommended the creation of a comprehensive online strata hub to serve as a central resource for owners corporations and apartment residents.
The hub would include a registry of building and owners corporation records, practical guidance materials and tools to support sustainability upgrades, and a central platform for communication and resource sharing across the sector.
The inquiry also identified opportunities to improve access to renewable and affordable energy through emerging technologies, including building-integrated photovoltaics, virtual power plants, virtual energy networks and plug-in solar systems.
The Committee’s report is available on the Parliament of Victoria website.
Issued: 12 August 2026
