Why Is An Energy Efficient Home Important?
Improving the energy efficiency of New Zealand's old, cold housing stock is important for a number of reasons, including health, energy affordability and environmental.
Part of CEA's drive to maximise the benefits of warm, healthy, and energy-efficient housing is to promote a ‘Warm Home Standard'.
»A warm, dry home is a healthy home
The World Health Organisation recommends that living rooms should be heated to between 18-21 degrees celsius and bedrooms to 16 degrees celsius. Living below these temperatures can put people's health at risk.
Some groups of people are particularly vulnerable if they are living in a cold home. These include
- infants and children under five
- older people
- people with disabilities or a chronic illness which is affected by the cold such as diabetes, arthritis, plus heart and respiratory conditions.
Warm, dry, energy efficient homes have clear public health benefits. Chapman et al (2007) conducted a community-based study to investigate the effect of installing insulation in houses in New Zealand. The study found that insulating cold houses resulted in reductions in:
- reports of poor health and wheezing
- sick days taken from off school or work
- visits to general practitioners and hospital admissions for respiratory conditions
- heating costs.
The study found that fitting insulation into older, cold houses is a cost effective intervention for improving health and well being of low income communities.
Howden_Chapman_et_al_(2007)_Effect_of_insulating_existing_houses_on_health.pdf (617.69 KB)
(1) Source: Saville-Smith, K. "Facing up to fuel poverty: What research tells us?" (Centre of Research, Evaluation and Social Asessment; Building Research Association; Wellington 2007).
»Energy affordability
Domestic electricity prices increased 28% between 1999 and 2006 (2). As demand for energy increases across all sectors of energy users, and energy supplies becomes less certain (low hydro-electric lake levels during a dry winter are a good example) the price of fuel will most likely continue to increase.
Heating a home to healthy temperatures could become less affordable for increasing numbers of people in New Zealand. People living in an un-insulated or under-insulated home often give up heating their house altogether, live in low temperatures, or struggle with unaffordable winter power bills.(1) This is known as fuel poverty.
Energy-efficient homes are essential so that people can afford to stay warm plus access other energy services like hot water and cooking.
(2) Source: Electricity Commission (2008) Market Design Review - Options Paper. pp 72.
»Environmental impacts and climate change
Energy efficient housing should help to delay or avoid building expensive power-generation stations, which can have significant social and environmental impacts.
New Zealand also needs to reduce its carbon emissions. Energy efficient homes will help to minimise New Zealand's reliance on power generation stations like the coal-fired power station in Huntly which is one of the biggest carbon emitters in the country.
If we do not take action to reduce carbon emissions the world is likely to experience an increase in temperatures, a rise in sea levels, more frequent extreme weather events and a change in rainfall patterns. These changes will potentially impact on our native ecosystems, industries, infrastructure, health, biosecurity and our economy.
For more information about climate change and what you can do about it, visit http://www.climatechange.govt.nz/.
»Warm Home Standard
Part of CEA's drive to maximise the social, environmental and economic benefits of warm, healthy, and energy-efficient housing is to promote a ‘Warm Home Standard'.
A house which meets the Warm Home Standard is capable of providing minimum healthy indoor temperatures in a manner that is affordable to its occupants. A ‘whole house' solution is required to bring many houses in New Zealand up to the Warm Home Standard. This solution includes:
CEA provides a range of financial packages, services, products, and good information which will assist homeowners and landlords to make sure their homes meet our Warm Homes Standard.
Do you still have questions?
The Home Energy Advice Centre provides free, impartial expert advice on home energy issues over the phone. The Home Energy Advice Centre is open Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm. They can be contacted on 0800 388 588.