With this in mind, a key priority for me is advancing the Building for Climate Change programme, which will change the way New Zealanders think about building and construction.
The programme aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as prepare our buildings for the ongoing effects of climate change, such as rising temperatures and increased rainfall.
The change envisaged by the programme is significant, and will require vision, commitment and perseverance.
The programme proposes that interventions are brought in through a step change, where we progressively move towards all new buildings contributing to New Zealand's climate change goals.
Eventually energy efficiency and carbon emissions will become core considerations when building — just as important as cost and aesthetics.
These changes will require a very different mindset, but the results will be worth it. It will mean more Kiwis living and working in warmer, drier, and healthier buildings that use significantly less emissions and are affordable to heat and cool.
To drive these changes, we need to start changing people's behaviour, and the way they think about building. We'll do this through education, information and incentives to encourage people to think innovatively about the construction, design and operation of buildings.
It is also likely that we will need to make some changes to current building laws — both the Building Act and the Building Code.
Right now, there is a consultation under way that is asking New Zealanders whether we should change the regulations in the Building Code to increase the amount of insulation in new builds, and if so, by how much, and how quickly should the changes be made.
Changing insulation requirements is only one of the many steps that need to be taken to achieve our climate change goals. This is an important first step, though, which will allow us to see how New Zealanders feel the about climate considerations in the Building Code.
I realise there may be some concern about the cost of the changes to insulation values, and the bigger changes that the Building for Climate Change programme will bring. I have been asked whether now is the right time to make these changes.
I believe that there's never been a better time to start down the path towards contributing to New Zealand's climate change goals.
Building consents in the quarter to December 2020 were the highest they've ever been, and this Government is focused on supporting the construction sector to help us build our way out of the housing crisis we are facing.
We need to take advantage of the current building boom, and build better. We need to ensure our buildings are providing warm, safe and dry places for people to live and work, that are prepared for the future effects of climate change.
We also believe that the ambitious changes set out in the Building for Climate Change programme can be made without a large increase in building costs. We need to rethink how we build, and start thinking about how it can be done better, by considering ideas such as using different materials or simpler designs.
The sector will also play a major role in this — we are confident that with the innovation and ingenuity of our construction sector, we can find ways to build better buildings, while still keeping costs down.
I acknowledge that this is a challenging time for everyone. We are all facing disruption and uncertainty from the impact of Covid-19.
But these are important issues that the Government is working hard to address and support New Zealanders through.
The future of the planet, and the wellbeing of the generations that follow, is too important to put on hold.
• More information about the current Building Code consultation on energy efficiency is available at www.mbie.govt.nz/have-your-say/building-code-update-2021.
Poto Williams is the Minister for Building and Construction.
