Advice on Home Energy Savings

Helen Dale's home is warmer and more energy efficient after some simple and low-cost changes made as part of our free home energy assessments.

Her home is the 100th to be assessed under the programme since it was launched in August, whereby households can get a free, impartial assessment of their home's energy performance by a trained coach from our service provider Home&dry.

At the assessment Helen had a low-flow shower head installed, which reduces water flow from 18 litres per minute to 7.5 litres, as well as lagging on an exterior hot-water pipe and two draught excluders.

"These changes have made a difference already and we'll be looking at other things we can do in the longer term," she says. "I'd highly recommend it to other people."

The two-hour free assessment looks at everything from heating, lighting and water use, offers simple tips and provides you with a detailed action plan tailored to your needs and budget.

The assessor will bring products such as the ones installed in Helen's home and put them in on the spot if you want them to - the Council will pay 50 percent of the cost of these up to a total of $115.

If you are on a tight budget, the coach will come up with low-cost solutions - ones that people renting can also apply - and explain the assistance on offer for insulation and energy efficient heating systems through the Government's Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.

Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says it's fantastic that 100 homes have been assessed already.

"It shows this programme is meeting a real need. People want to know how to make their homes warm, dry and healthy, with affordable energy bills," she says.

"As a city, it also helps us collectively to reduce our carbon footprint. We've had some great feedback about how useful it is so I encourage householders to take up the offer."

So far, 59 households have taken up energy-saving measures, 52 have gone on to arrange quotes for insulation or heating and 17 have made a major investment on energy efficiency (a mix of insulation, heating and double-glazing).

The Home&dry coaches have installed lagging on hot water pipes in 34 houses, 254 energy efficient light bulbs, 27 draught excluders and 25 flow-restrictors on taps. They've also advised on things like cutting back vegetation close to the house to let light in and checking drains.

We're planning to spend $100,000 over the next year, as part of our award-winning Climate Change Action Plan, with a goal to assist 800 households to make their homes more energy efficient.

Now is a good time to book an assessment while you're thinking about your spring and summer home repairs and renovations. To make a booking or to find out more about the home energy-saver programme, phone contact:

Home&dry
Phone: 0508 466 363
Email: enquiries@homeanddry.co.nz