Building an Energy-Efficient Home in New Zealand
When it comes to the ways of life that make New Zealand so unique, nothing says classic Kiwi more than our clean, green ethos and the good ol’ DIY attitude. Whether you’re fixing the deck or taking a walk through the native bush, we have a long history of appreciating the natural elements around us and working them into our day-to-day lives. That’s why when building your new home, it’s only natural to make energy efficiency a priority. Harnessing the natural elements of our land and building them into the home helps to more effectively manage and reduce energy costs.
No matter your goals or expectations around your new build, implementing an energy-efficient design could save you time, money, and hassle in the long run, and will set you up well to enjoy the comforts of home in a smarter, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly way.
The definition of an ‘Energy Efficient Home’
So, what actually is an energy-efficient home? Well, it is what it says on the tin. It’s simply a home that is designed and built to maximise energy efficiency; specifically constructed to save energy where possible and reduce overall costs.
Effectively, an energy-conscious home reduces the amount of energy needed day-to-day through more sustainable building designs. This means implementing various smart home technologies into your build for a more environmentally aligned set-up right from the start.
What solutions and improvements help create an energy-efficient home?
There are several key areas in which you can maximise your energy efficiency in the home, especially around space heating, ventilation, lighting, and water heating, among other things. It’s also crucial to consider the materials you use for each section of your house, as this can play a significant role in determining the longevity of your home and the efficiency of your design.
Heating
When it comes to energy-efficient home solutions, there’s no avoiding heating. Heating is one of the primary areas in which energy is expended to keep the home warm in the winter and cool in the summer - and it’s one of the best ways to reduce your running costs and improve the energy efficiency of your home overall.
Naturally, this starts with ensuring you have good insulation. Before you start looking into the most efficient heat pumps, you need to make sure the bones are already there, and that begins with making sure your insulation is as efficient as it can be. Ceiling insulation is a good place to start - hot air rises, so ceiling insulation can make a big difference in your home on those cold winter days. From there, you can start looking at wall and under-floor insulation. For the most energy-efficient solution, we recommend going slightly higher than Building Code insulation levels.
Good carpet also plays an important role in keeping your house warm, especially in key living areas such as the bedrooms or living room. Quality carpet can be an excellent insulator, as opposed to hard flooring which often loses heat much faster.
Once your home has been built and you’re all settled in, look into installing a heat pump. When used properly, a heat pump can be a highly efficient way of heating your home, regulating temperatures and working on a timer to ensure maximum efficiency. With smarter technology than your classic electrical heaters, a heat pump can be a great way to ensure minimised energy consumption while also optimising the efficiency of your heating.
Lighting
Lighting is another area where you can cut costs. LED Downlights are much more energy-efficient than regular halogen fittings, producing the best light with the least electricity. We recommend using LED lighting where possible for the most energy-efficient lighting solutions.
Additionally, we recommend tailoring your build design to maximise natural lighting as much as possible. The size and direction of your windows can play a big part in the amount of natural lighting coming into your home, so taking the time to consider the best placement for your windows may also help you save on electricity and energy bills in the future.
Solar Power
Implementing solar power systems in your home is a great way to reduce the carbon footprint of your household. Representing a clean, green power source, solar power harnesses the energy of the sun through solar panels, which can be installed as an outdoor unit or on the roof of your home. This provides power to your home without traditional electricity, which typically relies on fossil fuels from coal or natural gas.
In this way, using solar energy helps combat greenhouse gas emissions in a more efficient and sustainable way. Using energy that is more environmentally friendly can be a great way to improve the energy efficiency of your home in a safe, effective way.
Using solar energy will also save you money in the long run, starting the moment the panels are installed. Solar energy causes less electricity loss than traditional electricity, and less electricity wasted means a reduced energy bill at the end of the day.
Materials
When building your energy-efficient home, it’s all in the details. And by details, we mean materials. Every choice of material comes with its own set of pros and cons - and not all materials were created equal.
Using ethically sourced, natural materials can help to reduce energy costs, such as eco colour steel roofing, sustainably sourced or recycled timber, and low-VOC paints. Energy-efficient flooring can also play a part in ensuring solid insulation - we recommend RibRaft flooring, which uses polystyrene pods, steel reinforcing rods, plastic spaces and concrete to create a concrete floor that sits “on” the ground instead of “in” the ground, making it seismically strong. If you’re in the Alexandra area, we recommend Alexandra Concrete Collective as the top team for the job.
Grants and subsidies for energy-efficient home improvements
If you’re keen to get started on your energy-efficient build but you’re running on a budget, there may be certain grants and subsidies that can help you out. If you’re after a loan for energy-efficient home improvements, check out New Zealand’s Warmer Kiwi Homes Grant. If eligible, this grant covers up to 80% of the total cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation, as well as 80% of the cost of an approved heater.
This is a great way to implement warmer and more energy-efficient designs into your home without the hefty price tags and allows you more freedom when making those crucial home build and improvement choices.
Choosing the right builder for the job
When it comes time for the build, energy-efficient home builders are an important part of the process. You want to find builders that you trust, and that will work with you to build your home in a way best suited to your needs and requirements, while also maximising your energy efficiency.
In saying that, we know just the team. And while we may throw in a shameless plug here and there, we really would love to work with you to help build the home that fits your goals as well as saving you time, money, and carbon. So if you’re not sure what the best home heating and cooling system is for you or if you’re still tossing up the best way to maximise energy efficiency in your home, drop us a line and we’d be happy to offer a more personalised recommendation based on your specific needs and wants. You’re one step closer to a more energy-efficient home already.
For more information on energy-efficient homes, visit Passive House and Infinite Energy.
