Easy Being Green is one of the largest energy efficiency operators in Australia. It was established in 2004 and have been responsible for organising mass consumer action on energy efficiency. As of 2013 the company had aided over 750,000 homes and businesses with energy efficiency. The company has managed to prevent more than 5 million tonnes of carbonpollution from entering the atmosphere through their various energy efficiency projects. Easy Being Green was founded in 2004 by Nic Frances to focus on residential energy efficiency in Australia. His work inthe UK to provide assistance and employment opportunities to vulnerable people was acknowledged when he was awarded the MBE. In 1998, he emigrated from the UK to Australia. There, he led the Brotherhood of St Laurence until 2004. His work earned him an Australian Centenary Medal. From 2005 to 2007 Paul Gilding took over the running of Easy Being Green. Prior to this, Gilding served with Greenpeace between 1989 and 1994 as an Executive Director for Greenpeace International and Greenpeace Australia. Gilding helped build Easy Being Green to a successful business employing over 200 people. The company used carbon trading to drive mass consumer action on energy efficiency. In doing so it achieved 4,300,000 tonnes of CO2 reductions and established domestic energy efficiency as a mainstream consumer and policy priority opportunity in Australia. In 2008 Easy Being Green was acquired by Jackgreen Ltd, Australia's only renewable energy retailer. The business continued as Jackgreen's energy efficiency arm, offering free residential energy efficiency services and upgrades. Easy Being Green in 2009 launched a major campaign on Solar hot water in which it offered a free system with an interest free green loan on the installation.
In 2010, the founder of Jackgreen Ltd, Andrew Randall, purchased the Easy Being Green assets and has been running it ever since. The company today continues as a leading Australian energy efficiency organization, with large residential energy efficiency programs, energy efficiency audits, green loans, a strong commercial efficient lighting operation and solar sales and installation.
Easy Being Green have operated under the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Scheme since its commencement in 2009 and are still offering these upgrades. The scheme is planned to last until 2030 and is regulated under the Essential Services Commission. All retrofit upgrade installers are required to hold qualifications in Retrofitting Homes for Energy and Water Efficiency and Work Safely at Heights, or hold an A-Grade Electrical License. Products that Easy Being Green have been able to supply for free to homes across the Australian state of Victoria are:
Standby-Power Controllers
Water-Saving Shower Roses
External Door Draught Excluders
Chimney Seals
CFL & LED Globes
LED Downlights
LED Reflector Globes
Under the VEET Scheme, and as a major partner with Philips Lighting, Easy Being Green have been able to supply thousands of businesses in Victoria with energy efficient lighting upgrades either free of cost or at a heavily subsidised price depending on a number of eligibility criteria set by the Essential Services Commission. Although the Essential Services Commission frequently review these criteria Easy Being Green always aims to supply a lighting upgrade wherein the receiving business will have under a 1-year payback period on any investments made in to lighting upgrades. Products that Easy Being Green are able to supply to businesses across the Australian state of Victoria are, but not limited to:
LED Tubes
LED High Bays
LED Shopfitters
Solar and Solar Batteries
Easy Being Green have supplied Solar hot water and Solar PV since 2009 to thousands of homes and businesses Australia-wide, saving millions of dollars spent on non-renewable electricity and greenhouse gas emissions. As associate members of the Clean Energy Council, a not-for-profit company working closely with state and federal governments to further regulate the renewable energy industry, Easy Being Green only deal with supply and install of CEC-Approved products and CEC-Approved Installers. Lists of these approved products are publicly available from the Clean Energy Council's Solar Accreditation website. By choosing to only deal with CEC-Approved products and installers end-users can not only be sure that the products installed will be up to Australian Standards but also gain access to the Government Rebates, known as Small-Scale Technology Certificates. Easy Being Green have also supplied batteries to a large number of homes Australia-wide and have recently become a Tesla, Inc. Certified Installer of their new Powerwall 2 battery.