Northland builders and FNDC are pleased the Government is reviewing insulation and double-glazing standards which they say are “totally overkill” for the Northland climate.
Northland builders and FNDC are pleased the Government is reviewing insulation and double-glazing standards which they say are “totally overkill” for the Northland climate.
Northland builders and Far North District Council [FNDC] are stoked the Government is considering rolling back insulation and double-glazing standards which are “totally overkill” for the region’s climate.
Following upgrades to insulation and glazing requirements in May 2023, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk recently asked the Ministryof Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for a review.
Penk said the ‘H1′ changes boosting insulation and glazing requirements for new homes added $40,000 to $50,000 to the cost of a new build.
FNDC welcomed the review.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said Far North housing was already “severely unaffordable” with hundreds of people on waiting lists for public housing.
This wasn’t helped by new rules requiring the same level of insulation for Far North homes as required for homes at the top of the South Island, he said.
Tepania said weather conditions in subtropical Northland were “very different” to other parts of the country.
“We want to ensure that any housing built up here is safe, warm and comfortable and contributes to the wellbeing of whānau living in these homes,” he said.
Far North councillor Felicity Foy said 2023 changes to H1 of the building code requiring more insulation and triple glazing were excessive for Northland.
Far North councillor Felicity Foy sparked a petition for the H1 building code to be reviewed to make building in the Northland more affordable.
In April, Foy sent the petition to Northland MP Grant McCallum, who has been championing the issue on behalf of Northland with the minister.
Foy said builders and homeowners had told her that as well as increasing the cost of new builds, the H1 standards were making Northland homes too hot.
“Instead of requiring double glazing they’ve [Labour government] increased the standard even more than that.
“Northland is much warmer than other parts of the country so it’s not sensible up here.
“Double glazing in Northland is sensible. Triple glazing is ridiculous.
“Why spend $30,000 to $50,000 on something we don’t need?”
Foy said the increased insulation needed meant builders were having to increase the size of framing on a new build to accommodate it.
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has asked MBIE to review insulation standards.
The costs to ventilate these “hugely insulated homes” could instead be spent on solar panels to power a home all year round, she said.
“While I recognise people need warm and healthy homes, we don’t need to be spending money on things that are totally overkill for our climate.”
Simon Crawford, from Bella Homes in Whangārei, said the current insulation rules were “excessive for the north”.
“I understand the need for R values [for insulation] to increase warmth for the South Island and central plateau where climates are different.
“But up here it’s subtropical, so it seems excessive to me.
Simon Crawford from Bella Homes said the current insulation rules were excessive for the north.
“You ask anyone who builds a home in the north if their house is cold ... most of them would say their house is nice and cosy and warm.”
Green Building Council chief executive Andrew Eagles said it was “unbelievably shortsighted”.
Future generations would be sentenced to a life of cold housing if standards were reduced, Eagles said.
Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.
