Help for healthy homes

Sustainability Options is offering free home health checks for Rotorua residents.

A new advisory service aimed at helping Rotorua residents create healthier drier homes that will be cheaper to heat is now available.

The free service will be provided by Sustainability Options and has backing from the Rotorua Lakes Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Sustainability Options' programme manager Jo Wills said it would be delivering free independent advice to homeowners.

"We are looking forward to offering free home assessments that look at how people use power and heating and provide them with tips to help make their homes healthier.

"We will also be running community workshops to give people hands-on knowledge to improve their homes," Ms Wills said.

The Rotorua Lakes Council will also be funding additional assessments in Rotorua.

The council's governance and partnership group manager, Jean-Paul Gaston, said the advisory service aligns with the organisation's Rotorua 2030 goal of providing affordable healthy homes.

"This is a step towards council's Sustainable Living Strategy ambition to develop an advisory service that helps people to learn tips to create healthier homes from an organisation that is community and sustainability focused," he said.

Sustainability Options has run numerous workshops across the Bay of Plenty and visited more than 1000 homes in the region delivering the service.

Ms Wills encourages anyone who wants advice to get in touch.

"We are excited that we can provide this service to more tenants, homeowners and landlords.

"Our goal is to help as many people as possible in Rotorua to improve the health of their homes."

- Residents interested in signing up for a free assessment can call or text (022) 497 2529. Or email service@so.org.nz.

- Sustainability Options delivers home performance assessments on behalf of Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Hot Swap programme.

- The Hot Swap programme aims to improve the air quality of Rotorua by swapping old wood burners with heat pumps, infrared heaters, gas and pellet fires as well as ultra-low emission wood burners.

- For more information visit www.sustainabilityoptions.org.nz.