What an exciting time to be in New Zealand!
A country plagued by an inefficient building stock is a place where exciting opportunities may emerge for one involved with the Green Building Council. Indeed, the NZGBC is in the thick of it. We’re transforming the very definition of a NZ home!
A study put together by Branz and Beacon Pathway, two kiwi research institutions, have highlighted the extent of the housing problem: over 1 million homes (in a country of 4 million inhabitants) cannot provide sufficient thermal comfort to its residents. Not only that, but over 45% have rampant mould issues. New Zealand is no tropical paradise, though it may certainly feel that way when you’re thick in the lush green bush during the summer months. Winter comes by every year making its inhabitants feel the wrath of -5 degree weather. Of course this sounds ridiculously temperate to anyone coming from a country that experiences -30 degree spells, but please do trust me when I say that cold outside cannot compare to cold inside. I’m not trying to belittle or ridicule when I say that standard heating methods in this country include hot water bottles and electric blankets. Not to mention the trusty extra jumper (aka hoodie).
Quick anecdote: In the (Southern Hemisphere) winter of 2007 I lived in Wanaka in the South Island and worked at the local ski field. I have repeatedly said that I believe I have never been as cold as I was then. I effectively lost my body heat sometime in mid-June and didn’t recover it before the end of August. Just like all my friends’ places, our rented house had ONE heated room in the house: the living room thanks to the wood burning stove. The complete lack of insulation, particle board-like walls and extremely draughty windows meant that bedroom temperatures hovered around 2 degrees. I am very comfortable throwing on extra layers to go outside in -30 degree weather, but I am not as prepared to wake up to a frosted bathroom. Maybe I’m just being a baby. Whenever I repeated this story to kiwi friends, their response was inevitably: “Harden up!”
Thankfully for warmth-conscious people everywhere, the NZGBC is no longer prepared to accept this as a solution. Not only is heating in NZ more expensive than anywhere else in the world, but such draughty conditions lead to a very unproductive and unhealthy population. Insulation wasn’t even mandatory until 1992! “Leaky homes” syndrome caught the attention of all homeowners in recent years and finally, there seems to be a shift in the populations’ global consciousness as well as a demand for adequate housing standards.
So there it is, the groundwork is set for an exciting adventure with the goal to change the very way people experience their homes. And this will not only concern new buildings, like the many standards that already exist, but those existing homes which make up the vast majority of the housing stock.
This month, the NZGBC in partnership with Branz and Beacon Pathway will be launching a new, never before seen, residential rating tool. This tool will be independent, reliable, and easy-to-use. It will be accessible for free online and will allow homeowners to rate the performance of their homes. This tool is seeking to create a common language around the issue of home performance as well as to provide homeowners with the information they need to undertake renovations. Partnerships are being created with select commercial distributors who will assist homeowners in selecting “solutions” relevant to their needs. This will be a one stop shop where individuals will be able to rate their homes, learn where the issues lie, and then, if desired, find out what products exist out there to improve comfort (including a super cool google feature mapping out the nearest retailer). These will range from renewable energy suppliers to no-VOC paint suppliers.
The goal is modest but the difference will be gigantic. Making central heating, insulation and double glazing standard in homes will have a tremendous impact on reducing this country’s demands on energy as well as simply making life more pleasant for New Zealanders, and those travelers crazy enough to come during the winter months.
My role amongst this is still being defined but nevertheless my days are filled attending numerous executive meetings devising business models, partner relationships and public documents. I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have come at such an exciting time and be able to meet those whom I know will be of tremendous assistance during my own studies. It’s all coming together and it’s only just starting!
Soon winter will set in and I’m told that my office gets extremely cold (surprise surprise) to the point where my colleagues don’t even remove their outerwear for the work day (including gloves). In fact consensus has just been reached on Friday that NZGBC vests will be made for all. The poncho lost by a narrow margin.
I enjoyed very much your description and backgrounder on NZ building and housing standards! Sounds a bit chilly at times!! Great stuff, Hazel!!
ReplyDeleteOne question....Is it now mandatory for all new buildings to be constructed to a set building code that requires central heating and insulation?
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Hi frank, glad you're enjoying my blog! The Building Code does indeed finally require that insulation be present and that the structure be water-tight (big improvement from earlier days!). It also states that rooms within the house (including bathrooms) must be at a minimum 16 degrees in temperature however does not state how this must be reached. The Code specifies that it is concerned with performance and not the method of obtaining that performance per se, therefore super inefficient heating methods are perfectly acceptable. I'll try to take some shots of a wide variety of NZ homes so you can get a look at their distinctive flavour. They really are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I'm sort of torn on this issue.
ReplyDeleteSouthern Brazil, like New Zealand, is in a sort of intermediate climate; not exactly tropical, but the winter is relatively short and mild by Canadian standards. The temperature rarely hits zero, but night-time lows around 5-10 degrees are completely normal. Because the winter is short and relatively mild, heaters in Brazil are quite rare, and most Brazilians just tough the chilly evenings.
On the one hand, the lack of a heater or good thermal insulationg was really bothering me this morning when I woke up and it was 10 degrees in my apartment. My wimpy Canadian chilled bones want a heater badly.
On the other hand, Brazilians have lived for generations without needing heaters. Hell, many people here don't even know what central heating is! I've had cousins (who are studying architecture!!) ask me whether my house in Canada has fancy heating or whether we use the fireplace.
Some of the new "green" buildings in Brazil boast of having efficient heaters. While I understand how efficient heaters are an improvement over inefficient ones, they are not an improvement over *no* heaters. Brazilians have lived quite comfortably without heaters for years. It's hard for a wimpy Canadian like me to adapt, but my cousins certainly don't seem to be complaining.
I can certainly get behind improvements in insulation and waterproofing, which improve the durability of the structure, as well as improving comfort. However, on the subject of heating, I'm going to have to say that maybe it really is us wimpy Canadians who need to toughen up.