Beacon

We’ve launched the HomeSmart Renovation project: this year participating homes across the country will be assessed and renovated to Beacon’s HSS High Standard of Sustainability®.  Their performance will be monitored before and after renovation to give a reliable picture of the most cost effective changes you can make to your home.

From our early research

Earlier practical research projects (the NOW Homes® and the Papakowhai Renovation project) have investigated how to make homes perform better, creating homes that are warmer, drier, healthier, more resource efficient, more comfortable and cost less to run. We want to test the results in the HomeSmart Renovation project to confirm the best ways to achieve a sustainable renovation.

Unsurprisingly, this earlier research identified that “standard” renovation packages currently in place across New Zealand fall well short of achieving any kind of sustainability standards. As a result, the HomeSmart Renovation project will explore what features combine well to achieve a high standard of sustainability, and develop standard procedures for the decision making, design and implementation of these features in a renovation.

The process

To begin, an independent assessor will review all aspects of a home’s performance – energy, water, waste and the living environment. The audit is based on data proven over several years of rigorous scientific research and home trials in the New Zealand environment. The outcome is a HomeSmart Renovation Plan, which determines how you can undertake smart, sustainable renovations in the most effective way possible.

Home improvement work can be expensive, but the HomeSmart approach ensures homeowners have the best information on where to invest. The initial assessment provides a holistic view of what steps to take, and in what order, to ensure the best results. This means the common trap of spending ad hoc without an overall plan for making the home warmer, healthier, more comfortable and more efficient, is avoided.

A key difference

A key point of difference to other renovation programmes is that the HomeSmart Renovation project focuses on whole-of-house solutions. Rather than concentrate on a suite of simple energy efficiency measures (insulation, space heating, lighting, hot water and other appliances), the project will also address waste, indoor environment quality and water (low-flow showerheads, dual-flush toilets, urban rainwater tanks).

Getting results

This large-scale demonstration and research project will monitor the performance of the homes – energy and water use, indoor temperature and humidity – both before and after renovation. This approach will provide concrete evidence of the benefits of investing in sound sustainable renovation.