Horsham Catalyst Research and Evaluation

This Horsham Catalyst Research and Evaluation - Final Report presents outcomes from a three-year mixedmethod evaluation of the Department of Health and Human Services' (herein the department) low-carbon housing in Horsham, Victoria. The aim of the project was to conduct a multi-year evaluation of four new two-bedroom, single-storey, sustainably designed units with a National House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) rating of 8.9 stars (Catalyst houses, see Figure 1), in addition to seven one- and two-bedroom Control dwellings (located in Horsham). All dwellings were evaluated across a range of economic, social and environmental key performance indicators (KPIs) determined by the Department of Health and Human Services and revised by the RMIT University research team. The research was conducted by the Beyond Behaviour Change Research Program within the Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University (RMIT research team) between April 2013 and October 2015. The evaluation included research with households living in the Catalyst dwellings and seven Control dwellings, as well as key stakeholders involved in the design, construction and occupation of the Catalyst houses. A comparative cost-benefit analysis (CBA) was also undertaken of the Catalyst and Control houses.