KEY POINTS:
Insulation rules for new homes will add up to $5000 to the cost of a house - but the Government says that will be offset by savings on power bills.
From November new houses in the South Island and the North Island's Central Plateau will need more insulation
and double-glazing.
Improvements to house insulation in most of the North Island will take effect in July next year and in Auckland and Northland from October next year.
Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday announced the new building code requirements which aimed to make homes more energy-efficient. New homes and major extensions to existing homes would need to use about 30 per cent less heating energy to achieve the same indoor temperatures.
The code was performance-based so home-owners would be able to choose the insulation and design features that best suited their needs. Window double-glazing would be necessary in most cases, but it would be possible to retain single-glazed windows in warmer climates provided attention was given to house orientation, window size and design features.
Improved efficiency of lighting in new and refitted commercial buildings would also be required. Helen Clark said home-owners would benefit from warmer and drier houses.
The Government was also simplifying the compliance procedures for the installation of solar hot water systems which would lower the cost by about 10 per cent, or $500.
Helen Clark said solar hot water systems saved about 50 per cent of water heating costs, about $200 a year.
Asked what her monthly power bill was, she said she did not know because her husband paid the bill. But she said she did things around the house to save energy.
Everyone had to do their bit and in her case she had stopped using her heated towel rail as an energy-saving exercise.
Building and Construction Minister Clayton Cosgrove said the costs would be recouped through energy savings over the long term.
In Auckland the expenditure would be paid back within seven years, with savings of about $760 a year.
In Dunedin the improved insulation would save households about $1800 a year.
Mr Cosgrove said he was also looking into the use of low-flow shower heads and minimising the distances of hot water pipes from cylinders.
Proposals out for public consultation included requiring domestic hot water systems in new homes to be more energy-efficient, and to apply the energy efficiency standards to heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems in new commercial buildings.
Wrapping Up
* All new homes are expected to have an additional cost of between $3000 to $5000, with the energy savings and return time of the investment varying from each region.
* In Auckland the average medium-sized new house, valued at $245,000, would expect an annual saving in energy bills of $760. The return period on investment would be seven years.
* In Wellington the average medium-sized new house, valued at $253,000, would expect an annual saving in energy bills of $940. The return period on investment would be six years.
* In the South Island the average medium-sized new house in Christchurch, valued at $251,000, would expect an annual saving in energy bills of $1340. The return period on investment would be four years.
- additional reporting: NZPA