KEY POINTS:
More than $50 million is going to be spent insulating state houses, the Green Party announced today.
The project is a budget bid by the Greens under their Healthy Homes policy.
Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said that after five years every state house would be insulated.
That is double the current rate of progress for existing insulation programmes.
"The Greens see this as an investment in the future health of New Zealanders," Ms Fitzsimons said.
"We estimate that the country will recover this investment four-fold in 20 years in energy and health savings."
Ms Fitzsimons said the $53.4m would be spent on the remaining 21,000 uninsulated state houses, with most of the work done in the first two years.
"Research indicates that insulated homes use on average a fifth less energy than uninsulated homes," she said.
"People report health improvements, including half the number of respiratory symptoms.
"Children in insulated houses had half the number of days off school."
Ms Fitzsimons said that as well as installing insulation, the project included draft-proofing windows, wraps for hot water cylinders, putting in energy efficient shower heads and lagging pipes.
She did not think there would be problems finding people to do the work because it took only two weeks to train them.
Housing Minister Maryan Street said the funding would dramatically accelerate the existing programme.
"Almost 12 homes a day will be insulated," she said.
"There is mounting evidence linking poor housing conditions with negative health and social outcomes.
"Over half the people in state homes are under the age of 20, and 10 per cent are over the age of 60."
Ms Street said Housing New Zealand owned and maintained about 68,600 properties.
Many were built before 1978, before insulation was mandatory.
- NZPA
