A SERIES of upgrades undertaken at Dumas House has resulted in the 42-year-old government-owned heritage building gaining star ratings for energy efficiency. The building has been awarded an Australian Building Greenhouse rating of 3.5 stars, and a four-star rating under the National Australian Built Environment rating system. The process of staged refurbishment, between July 2001 to June 2007, included the installation of window tinting, single tube conversion of lighting, replacement of the air-conditioning chiller, and the installation of a solar hot water system. Water efficiency projects included upgrading the bathrooms, with single flush toilets replaced with dual-flush systems, and replacement of the scheme reticulation system with bore reticulation. According to figures released at the end of June 2007, the energy efficient initiatives reduced energy consumption by 13 per cent and annual water consumption by 50 per cent.