On 1 July 2009
the
Government launched 'Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart' A four year
programme aimed at improving the
living environment of New Zealander’s by providing funding to
homeowners to help
make their homes warmer, drier and more energy efficient.
The main points of the scheme
are as follows:
- The
scheme is
run
by
Energy
Efficiency
and
Conservation
Authority
(otherwise
known as EECA) and has the intention
of
benefitting more than 188,500 New Zealand homes by 2013.
- This
scheme
provides
a
subsidy
to
homeowners
with
homes
built
prior to 2000 for the retrofitting of insulation and the
installation of clean and energy efficient heating.
- All
eligible
homes
qualify
for
a
subsidy
of
33%
of the total cost up
to $1,300 (incl GST) on insulation and/or $500 (incl GST) towards clean
and
energy
efficient heating.
- Funding
is
provided
on
differing
levels
to
those
homeowners
who
hold a Community Service Card, or for Landlords of
Tenants who
hold a Community Service Card.
So far approximately
44,000
houses have taken advantage of this scheme. If you have not yet taken
up this offer and you would like to find out more about whether you are
eligible, what funding is available, what it can be used for, or
whether there
is a service provider in your area please visit the EECA Website.
Featured in the recent
15th of May 2010 edition of the Listener, this article raises a big
question about the quality of our homes and whether we are achieving an
acceptable standard of living for New Zealanders.
It suggests that the market driven building industry which has
permitted unwise design choices, cheap building alternatives, and
poorly performing building materials has now resulted in cold, mouldy
and damp homes becoming commonplace. This in turn has resulted in an
inability to even meet some of the healthy living standards recommended
by the World Health Organisation, and has ultimately undermined New
Zealand's general standard of living.
This follows the findings of research conducted by the New Zealand
Building Council for Sustainable Development which suggests that due to
the poor quality of New Zealand homes, and the substandard living
environments they provide, that our homes are actually making us sick.
The Listeners article “Sick as
houses” looks at the true cost of our housing choices and the
reasons why our homes are making us ill.
This article is
featured in the recent 15th of May, 2010 issue of The Listener magazine
but will be available online as of 5th of June, 2010. Click
here to read a preview of "Sick
as Houses".
The Listener, 15th of
May 2010
It’s
a
national past
time, handed down through generations
of
do-it-yourselfers, and home handy men. But what price have New
Zealanders
paid for the number two wire and the 'she'll be right'
attitude when it comes to, what is for most, their biggest asset -
their own home.
The Sunday Herald's Article “Backyard Renovations Turning Buyer’s
Away”,
spotlights the pit falls of substandard home renovations for both
the homeowner and
the potential vendor. What can start as a weekend hobby or home
improvements can end up reducing a home’s value or costing current or
future homeowners
thousands in rectifying these mistakes.
This article hightlights additional risks for homeowners associated
with do-it -yourself home improvements and why it's important to always
make sure you get the right advice first when it comes to protecting
your asset.
Click
here to read "Backyard
Renovations
Turning Buyers Away"
Sunday Herald, 9th of May, 2010
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By John Gray
President,
HOBANZ
Dominion Post, 12th of April, 2010
Commentator
Bernard
Hickey
has
recently
been
in
the
media
claiming
the
leaky-homes
crisis
is
the
"first
shot in an inter-generational war"
between baby-boomers and Gen Y, saying the costs of the crisis are
generated by rich boomers but Gen Y-ers will be the ones picking up the
tab. This only serves to confuse and hide the real issues.
Hickey
implies
that
central
government
has
no
responsibility
for
this
sorry
mess.
That
is
simply
not
true. The National government of
1990 introduced the 1991 Building Act following recommendations from
the Building Industry Council.
Unfortunately,
because
of
misguided
ideology,
the
Government
picked
bits
out
of
what
was
intended
to
be a comprehensive
package and left out important aspects such as a home-guarantee scheme,
builder- licensing and effective enforcement. It instead pursued
deregulation of the industry and devolution of responsibility to the
territorial authorities (councils).
We
are not suggesting central government carries all
responsibility, but it played a central role and thus has a case, at
the very least a moral one, to answer...." Read
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