Insulation industry welcomes stronger safeguards for Victorian home energy upgrades

New VEU ceiling insulation requirements for certified installers, CodeMark-backed product evidence and safety checks will help protect consumers and lift industry standards.

Insulation Australasia (IA), the insulation industry’s voice, and the Insulation Council of Australia and New Zealand (ICANZ), the peak association of the insulation industry, welcomes the Victorian Government’s strengthened requirements for ceiling insulation upgrades under the Victorian Energy Upgrades program, describing the reforms as an important step towards safer, higher-quality home energy upgrades.

The new VEU ceiling insulation activity introduces stronger safeguards for retrofit insulation, including accredited provider obligations, EEC Certified Insulation Installer requirements, VEU Register product listing, CodeMark Certificates of Conformity for specified thermal and fire-safety requirements, and pre-installation safety assessments.

IA chair Craig Lovel says the reforms recognise that insulation is critical to building performance, energy efficiency and household comfort, but that lasting benefits depend on safe installation, suitable products and credible evidence of product conformance.

“These reforms put safety, certified installation and CodeMark-backed conformity evidence at the centre of Victoria’s home energy upgrade program. That is good for consumers, good for reputable businesses and good for confidence in publicly supported energy-efficiency programs,” Mr Lovel says.

The Victorian approach reflects long-standing industry calls for insulation upgrade programs to be built around stronger safeguards, including certified installers, credible product evidence, electrical safety checks and effective compliance oversight.

ICANZ Chair Shane Morris says effective insulation upgrades depend on the whole system of product selection, installation quality, safety and compliance.

“Insulation is not just a product. It is part of a wider building-performance system that depends on suitable products, skilled installation, safety checks and reliable evidence that products conform to the required standards,” Mr Morris says.

According to IA and ICANZ , the strengthened framework will help protect households, support responsible industry participants and ensure public investment in energy upgrades delivers lasting benefits.

Both organisations encourages other jurisdictions to consider similar principles, including certified installers, CodeMark-backed product evidence, electrical safety checks, auditability, consumer protection and clear accountability across the insulation supply chain.