Energy Efficiency
Making your home more energy efficient has become more important over recent years,with
increased demand for power and the push to reduce its consumption from not only the power companies
who are struggling to produce enough, but from the Government and local councils as well. The
insulation rating of new builds has gone up and up, and as of November 2007 all new homes built in
the South Island must have double glazing.
Healthy, Wealthy and Wise
It’s not just for grid-connected electricity
consumers. Those homes that are off-grid and produce their
own power still need to be as energy efficient as possible.
Having a better insulated, more energy efficient home is important, but not just for saving
money on our electricity bills. It’s also important for our overall health and wellbeing, and it’s
better for the environment, which makes insulating your home a smart move all round.
Home Remedies
For new and existing homes, there are many options available to you for generating sustainable
energy, and reducing your power costs.
Insulation Rating
You can spend a lot of money heating your home, especially if you have poor insulation. This is
why we suggest taking a look at the insulation rating of your home before throwing your hard-earned
money into heating that will be lost through poorly insulated walls or floors. A well insulated
home will have roof batts, exterior wall bats and some form of underfloor insulation.
Insulating pre-existing homes
There are a growing range of products and methods for adding much-needed insulation to existing
homes. Some subsidies are available for low income families through the Government. Talk to your
local council or visit www.eeca.govt.nz.
Passive energy savers
If you are designing and building a new home, then it would be a great idea to discuss a
passive solar design with your architect. A passive solar design integrates a combination of
building techniques to dramatically reduce and even eliminate the need for mechanical heating and
cooling and daytime artificial lighting.
www.nesea.org/buildings/info/passivesolar.html
To learn about methods for saving energy, reducing your carbon footprint and reducing
power costs, click on the links below:
Off-grid :
you produce your own power through alternative means.
Grid-connected : you
stay connected to the main grid, but you also utilise alternative energy sources such as PV
solar, wind generation and hydro generation.
On-grid
efficiency : you reduce your energy consumption by becoming more efficient and installing
systems such as solar water heating.
Or contact us here to discuss further.
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