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Better building efficiency on way A NEW package of work aimed at improving the energy efficiency of New Zealand homes and commercial buildings through insulation, solar, lighting and other technologies has been announced.Building Issues Minister Clayton Cosgrove said a Government priority is reducing the amount of energy required to heat new homes, to heat water in new and existing homes, and to light, heat, ventilate and air condition commercial buildings. "This project complements other Government initiatives in this area including the current review of the New Zealand Building Code, and the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy," he said. "But while the new Code is still some time away, this project looks at a number of proposed measures that can be taken in the short-to-medium term to improve the energy efficiency of buildings." The proposed measures would involve changes to the Building Code and/or new Department of Building and Housing compliance documents. Mr Cosgrove said significant cost saving can be achieved through better insulation. "Increasing the insulation requirements for ceilings, walls and floors, as well as introducing double-glazing in new homes could lead to savings of up to 30 percent in the amount of energy required to heat a new home," he said. "These benefits would have the greatest impact in the South Island and cooler parts of the North Island." Preliminary work by the Department indicates that building such an energy efficient home could cost an additional $3,000 to $5,000, but consumers would gain through lower power bills and increased capital value on their homes, Mr Cosgrove said. Mr Cosgrove said he also wants to remove the current barriers to installing solar hot water systems in new and existing homes. "A solar water heating system can lead to substantial savings in hot water energy costs but the absence of a compliance document to guide the installation of these systems means territorial authorities are less likely to grant the necessary building consents," he says. "We will be addressing this issue head on." The Government is also considering raising the design standards for hot water systems in new houses and commercial buildings. The type of showerheads used, the configuration of pipes, the type of heating used and the water pressure are all contributing factors in the amount of energy needed to heat water. efficient light bulbs." People will be offered a chance to voice their opinions on the suggested ways of lifting the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings. A public discussion document is planned for November. The Government will consider the submissions and decisions on the proposed measures will be made by April 2007. |
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