Bank Australia Clean Energy Home Loan - 'New Build'

Bank Australia’s ‘New Build’ Clean Energy Home Loan is the best green home loan product available today for new builds. The 'New Build' Clean Energy Home Loan rewards homeowners for building an all-electric, highly energy-efficient home by offering a discounted interest rate for up to five years. This encourages those building new homes to exceed the minimum 7-star rating mandated by the National Building Code (This home loan has a 7.5-star minimum requirement). With a variable rate starting at 5.68% p.a., this loan provides a significant discount compared to standard mortgage rates, even when compared to other green home loans offering discounts for new, energy-efficient builds.

What All The Fuss Is About

 

The interest rate discount offered by Bank Australia’s New Build Clean Energy Home Loan makes building a high-performance, all-electric home more affordable than ever. By ensuring your new home is fully electric, achieves a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating, and includes rooftop solar, you can access one of the most competitive mortgage rates in the market. New builds aren't cheap! By ensuring your new build goes slightly above the minimum 7-star standard and has solar, you can significantly reduce your energy bills and increase the long-term value of your home.

This loan is tailored for homeowners who want to future-proof their property from day one, ensuring it meets the highest standards of energy efficiency and sustainability. By embedding these features into the design of your new home, you’re not just unlocking a lower mortgage rate—you’re also minimising ongoing energy costs, increasing comfort, and boosting resale value. With clear eligibility criteria and a straightforward application process, securing a more affordable, climate-friendly home has never been easier.

Why It's Worth Getting Your Free Home Assessment

 

When you’re building a home, it’s easy to tick the boxes for energy efficiency without fully understanding the impact of each decision. That’s where 28Watt’s expertise makes a difference. We help you move beyond compliance and into real comfort and savings. Our Free Home Assessment ensures your home is not just eligible for the Clean Energy Home Loan, but optimised for lower bills and a better living experience.

  • Smart design choices: We show you how to go beyond the standard 7.5-star NatHERS rating for a home that naturally regulates temperature, reducing the need for heating and cooling.
  • All-electric done right: From heat pumps to induction cooking, we help you choose the most efficient appliances for long-term savings.
  • Solar that works for you: Not all rooftop solar systems are equal. We guide you on battery storage and system size to make sure your home is truly energy-independent.

Building a new home is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get everything right from the start. With 28Watt’s Free Home Assessment, you’ll have the confidence to design a home that doesn’t just meet government energy standards—it delivers real comfort, real savings, and a truly future-proof place to live.

 

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Tesla Powerwall installed in a garage, alongside an electric car.

Eligibility

 

To qualify, your new build must meet the following requirements:

  • All-electric: No gas for cooking, water heating, or space heating.
  • 7.5-star rating: Minimum NatHERS requirement.
  • Rooftop solar: Power your home with solar.
  • Newly built: Built within the last 18 months.

 

Handy tip!

High energy efficiency isn’t just a government requirement—it’s the key to a home that stays naturally warmer in winter, cooler in summer, and costs less to run all year round. When building a new home, small design choices can have a huge impact on comfort and energy costs. Don't be afraid to ask your building designer questions. After all - it's your home!

Explore The Basics of a Well Designed Home

 

  • Orientation matters: Position living areas to capture winter sun and minimise summer heat, reducing the need for heating and cooling.

  • Insulation is key: Going beyond the minimum insulation requirements keeps your home at a stable temperature year-round.

  • Windows make a difference: Double-glazing and well-placed shading prevent heat loss in winter and excess heat gain in summer.

  • Efficient heating and cooling: Reverse-cycle air conditioning paired with good design can significantly cut energy use.

  • Solar and battery storage: A well-sized system means you can power your home for free during the day and store excess energy for the evening.

How to Apply

 

  1. Prepare your documentation: Have your ID, project plans, and proof of energy efficiency criteria ready.

  2. Apply online or in branch: Submit your application and supporting documents.

  3. Loan approval: Conditional approval can be granted based on your builder’s certification.

  4. Build completion: Confirm compliance with energy efficiency requirements upon project completion.

  5. Start saving: Enjoy a reduced rate for up to five years for variable loans or three years for fixed loans.

28Watt's Takeaway

The Bank Australia ‘New Build’ Clean Energy Home Loan is a step in the right direction, rewarding homeowners who commit to better-built, all-electric homes from the start. But meeting the eligibility criteria and building a home that performs well in the real world aren’t always the same thing.

Too often, builders and developers treat energy efficiency as just another box to tick. The minimum standard gets met on paper, but the lived experience of the home can be very different. A 7.5-star NatHERS rating doesn’t guarantee a home that’s naturally comfortable year-round or one that keeps energy bills low—it all depends on how well those design choices are executed.

That’s where 28Watt makes a difference. We help homeowners go beyond compliance, making sure the energy features built into your home actually work for you.

If you're building from scratch, you have one shot to get this right. With Bank Australia’s discounted mortgage rate and 28Watt’s expert guidance, you can make smart, future-proof decisions that ensure your new home is genuinely efficient, comfortable, and affordable to run for decades to come.

 

Start your free home assessment

Not the green loan you're looking for? Check out some alternatives below.