Alliance of organisations calls on all political parties to make this ‘pollution-busting’ housing election promise

The most recent census revealed that more than 250,000 dwellings in New Zealand had visible mould larger than A4 size at least some of the time. Photo / File

A significant and unprecedented new coalition of organisations from the business, health, sustainability, environmental, consumer, building, and housing sectors is urging all political parties to make a “pollution-busting house renovation programme” a top priority if they win elections.

Consumer NZ, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation, Greenpeace Aotearoa, the Sustainable Business Network, Lawyers for Climate Action, the New Zealand Institute of Building, Bayleys, Vector, JLL, Bunnings, Architectural Designers New Zealand, Sustainability Trust, Community Housing Aotearoa, the Insulation Association of New Zealand, Knauf Insulation, Beca, Community Energy Network, Passive House Institute New Zealand, SuperHome Movement, eHaus, Inzide, Architectus, Professor Robyn Phipps, and the Green Building Council have banded together to encourage political parties to promise an aggressive, fully funded rollout to upgrade at least 200,000 homes.

“We’re calling on every political party to promise now that, if part of the next government, they will have within six months of being elected a fully funded ambitious plan to roll out a pollution busting home reno programme for at least 200,000 homes within nine years, which will slash carbon emissions and household bills, and improve the health of thousands of New Zealanders, young and old, and create tens of thousands of jobs,” the alliance wrote in a joint statement.

The most recent census revealed that more than 250,000 dwellings in New Zealand had visible mould larger than A4 size at least some of the time. Māori and Pacific peoples were also more likely than other ethnic groups to reside in homes impacted by dampness or mould.

More than two in five Māori and Pacific peoples lived in damp housing.

The alliance claims a 100 per cent renewable, fossil fuel-free energy system would be easier to implement and less expensive to maintain if New Zealand homes had ambitious renovations. This would also assist to solve the so-called “dry year problem.”

The Green Building Council’s chief executive Andrew Eagles called the alliance of organisations “large and formidable” and said the breadth of issues that they cover shows the staggeringly wide level of concern at the sorry state of homes in Aotearoa.

“These influential and diverse voices are now asking all political parties for solid action to improve hundreds of thousands of homes. Doing so would have huge benefits for New Zealanders – cutting household bills, improving health, slashing carbon pollution, and creating thousands of jobs, helping a just transition,” Eagles said.

“This is just the beginning. We’re asking all organisations who want better homes for everyone in Aotearoa to add their voice to this growing coalition.”

Jon Iliffe, the co-founder of housing designer and builder eHaus, emphasised that by reducing the amount of energy needed in our homes to maintain health, it can help future-proof Kiwis against fuel poverty.

“There is no question that this is one of the best investments we can make for the benefit of all,” Iliffe said.