Benefits from warm homes  

More than 3300 Auckland and Northland homes have been insulated this year courtesy of a $3.5 million ASB Community Trust grant and funding from the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart insulating and heating programme.

November 2011
In 2007, the Trust made a $10m multi-year commitment to the retro-fitting programme administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). Since then, houses have been insulated under the Snug Homes, Warm n’ Well, and Healthy Homes Tai Tokerau insulation projects. By the end of 2012 a total of 10,000 houses will be insulated through this initiative.

In its latest report to the Trust, EECA said insulating houses built before the year 2000 is increasing energy efficiency, making houses cheaper to heat and preventing the illnesses caused by cold and damp living conditions.

The report noted that Health Minister Tony Ryall recently announced that Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart is the most significant public health initiative in the last decade.

EECA said the insulation work the ASB Community Trust has helped to fund since 2008 is likely to provide $27.5m in energy savings and $70m in health benefits over the expected lifetime of the insulation.

“Funding from the ASB Community Trust has been critical to achieving these health and energy benefits in Auckland and the Far North,” said EECA Chief Executive Mike Underhill.

“Their significant contribution over the past four years has also inspired EECA in its search for third-party funding around the rest of New Zealand.”
The project has also had important employment and environmental benefits, creating skilled jobs and reducing energy demand.

This year the Trust committed an extra $1m to help insulate houses in Northland, under the Healthy Homes Tai Tokerau project, taking total ASB Community Trust funding for the projects to $11m.

www.energywise.govt.nz/funding-available/insulation-and-clean-heating