Energy and Energy Conservation
New Energy Conservation Measures Announced
New energy efficiency initiatives have been announced 3 May 2007 applying to new homes built in the South Island and the North Island's Central Plateau from November this year, to most of the rest of the North Island from July 2008 and to Auckland and further North from October 2008.
These initiatives include:
- Tougher insulation requirements, including double glazing in most climates
- A new Compliance Document making it easier to install solar water heating systems across New Zealand, cutting the price of installation by as much as $500
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Electricity
Electricity is a given for every home - lighting, security and alarms - but you have options when deciding on other energy sources, for heating, hot water and cooking. Decide on whether you have access to other sources. You have options on who supplies your electricity, too. look at your average monthly use and evaluate the different pricing deals on offer.
GAS
Gas lets you heat your home quickly and efficiently, and can save you money on your energy bills. It’s also much kinder on the environment than burning solid fuels such as coal or wood. Indeed, many councils are now moving to ban solid fuel burners altogether.
- Fully programmable gas central heating systems give complete control over the temperature throughout your home.
- Alternatively, a wide range of gas heaters are available in different styles for different decors.
- Modern ‘flame effect’ fires are freeing up designers to create beautiful and functional heating units unlike anything available before, and let’s face it, the great advantages of gas fires over solid fuel burners like a traditional wood fire is the elimination of the mess and not having to get more firewood in a screaming Southerly!
- Do you have sufficient heating units for your new home?
- Have they been correctly installed as per manufacturers’ specifications?
- Is the gas flued to reduce moisture build-up inside?
- Have you considered the trade off between price to purchase and the ongoing cost of running the units?
- You can get built-in gas and electrical heaters that will extend the use of your outdoor living areas into cooler months, and even make the evenings more enjoyable through summer.
Insulation
Insulation has a huge impact on the comfort in your home: in winter it helps keep your home warm, in summer it helps keep your home cool. Different products abound here, as well. The measurement of efficiency is rated in ‘R’s – the higher the better. There are minimum levels but paying a small amount here to increase the R rating can make a dramatic difference to your comfort levels in the long run.
- Have you got the correct R (heat retention) levels or better?
- Has it been correctly installed – as per manufacturers’ specifications?
- Do you have environmental considerations that may play a role in your choice of insulation used?
Solar
Water heating accounts for an astounding 30-50 per cent of the average energy usage in a house. A solar system will save up to 75% of the energy used to heat the water. Good timing: when building or renovating you will need to install a water heater. Instead of purchasing the standard electrical or gas water heater, think about the long-term benefits of purchasing a solar heater for a small incremental investment.
- Use an accredited supplier. Accredited suppliers comply with the Solar Code of Practice
- Use an accredited installer
- The water cylinder should be bigger than 50 litres per person
- You need a north–east to north-west facing roof with no shading between 10 am and 3pm and a roof steeper than 16˚
- Consider materials and construction of the solar system to ensure long life
- Fewer moving parts mean greater reliability
- Closed loop solar systems (with glycol in the panels) last longer and provide the ultimate frost protection
- During low radiation periods, the solar system can be boosted with electricity, gas or even a wetback.
In addition, Government funding is available for all accredited solar systems - so there is no better timing to switch the power off and turn the solar system on.
Energy Conservation
Obviously this is a major concern for many people building homes now, with the impact on the environment on a global scale with global warming and locally with air pollution.
Energy conservation can be built into a home to enable passive conservation of energy. This means designing your home with elements that maximise the natural warming of the sun to reduce energy use and using appropriate building materials to retain that heat.
Examples of this include:
- Use of concrete slab flooring as a heat sink - using the sun to warm the concrete so it can release heat when it becomes colder at night.
- Orienting homes to face North to enable the sun to warm the house.
- Use of Solar Water Heating to reduce reliance on electricity
- Insulation - installing insulation at 'R' levels over and above the minimum requirements as set out in the Building Code.
There comes a time, however, when you have to heat your home because it's cold! The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has an appliance efficiency rating that will help you compare different appliances, for instance comparing between heat pumps. The table below will help you compare the different efficiencies of alternative heaters:
Websites to visit for more information: