Audits of installations

Solar Victoria's audits are making sure reverse-cycle air conditioners installed through the Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades (HHCU) Program are safe. Audits drive continuous improvement and mean that installation problems are dealt with promptly.

Approved suppliers or installers who were found to be doing the wrong thing, resulting in non-compliant and unsafe installations, may have been excluded from our program.

Purpose of an audit

The purpose of these audits was to identify issues that need improvement and to ensure the safety and quality of systems and installations.

Auditors would look at the quality of the work, whether there were issues that needed to be followed up with the approved supplier, and ensured installations comply with the latest standards.

Audits provided a valuable picture of the standard of work being delivered under the Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Program, with feedback provided to the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) industry for further action or improvement.

Steps in the audit process

The audit process involves the following steps.

Audit committee

Some issues will be considered by an audit safety committee. The committee includes members from

• Solar Victoria
• WorkSafe Victoria
• Energy Safe Victoria
• Victorian Building Authority
• Consumer Affairs Victoria

This group will consider any action already taken by individual agencies and determine whether the matter needs to be referred to Solar Victoria for further action.

Others notified of unsafe installations

If a reverse cycle air-conditioner installations is found to be unsafe, or has major non-compliance issues that require rectification, we will inform Energy Safe Victoria and the Victorian Building Authority.

Other checks on reverse-cycle air conditioners

In addition to the Home Heating and Cooling audits, a Licensed Electrical Inspector (LEI) will carry out an electrical inspection where a switchboard upgrade was done, and a Certificate of Electrical Safety (COES) issued prior to the system being connected to the distribution network.

See the Energy Safe Victoria website for:

• ESV fact sheet – Solar Victoria Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Program.
• COES flowchart – Solar Victoria Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Program.

Common electrical defects in installations

Energy Safe Victoria has developed industry guidance to help registered electrical contractors and licensed electricians address the top five electrical defects identified through these audits and with ESV’s Certificate of Electrical Safety data.

See EIS 007: Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Program common electrical defects

How to provide feedback on audits

We welcome your feedback. Approved suppliers and installers whose installations have undergone an audit should first provide feedback or raise any concerns with the auditor through TechSafe Australia at solarhomes@techsafe.com.au.

Please email Solar Victoria at quality.assurance@team.solar.vic.gov.au if:

• your concerns can't be resolved with the auditor
• you would like to escalate this to our panel of technical experts to consider your feedback on an audit item.