Beacon

Dunedin is set to play a significant role in two sustainable housing studies.

The HomeSmart Renovation project will explore the best combination of sustainable renovations to improve the performance of a home, and a complementary ventilation study will determine how effective forced-air and heat recovery systems are for different houses and climates.

These studies will be welcome attention for the region, which has been largely overlooked by housing improvement research, said Beacon Pathway researcher and HomeSmart Renovation project manager Lois Easton.

“It’s well known that the climate in Dunedin and the far south is considerably different to the rest of New Zealand, yet most energy and sustainable renovation research to date has been done in milder regions of the country,“ said Ms Easton. “What may constitute a sustainable renovation in Auckland or Wellington simply won’t reflect the needs of the far south.“

The combination of old housing stock and cold conditions prevalent in the south can lead to poor living standards - damp, cold and unhealthy.

“Retrofit subsidies are presently applied evenly across the country but there is a strong argument to make this a priority for colder climates. This research will help to build a stronger case,“ said Ms Easton.

The HomeSmart Renovation project is a large-scale demonstration and research venture with the goal of retrofitting 750 homes around New Zealand to Beacon’s HSS High Standard of Sustainability®, a set of performance benchmarks to measure a sustainable home.    Beacon Pathway, together with project partner EnergySmart, is canvassing Dunedin for people who are keen to improve their homes’ performance and looking to make them warmer, drier and reduce their energy costs.

The trouble, according to Ms Easton, is that it’s often difficult to know what steps to take to make our homes warmer, drier, healthier and cheaper to run. “That’s something the HomeSmart Renovation project aims to set right.“

The HomeSmart approach ensures homeowners have the best information on where to invest. EnergySmart assessors will show participants how to get the best return on their investment, by drawing up a detailed pathway to improve the sustainability of their home.    The independent assessment will take a whole-of-house approach, by reviewing all aspects of the home’s performance - energy, water, waste and the indoor living environment. The resulting renovation plan is tailored to the homeowner: their timeframe, their budget, and their household’s needs.

“People may be pleasantly surprised by how cheap and easy it is to get results,“ said Ms Easton.

Households with forced-air or heat recovery systems taking part in the HomeSmart Renovation project may also be interested to take part in the ventilation study, which Beacon Pathway is doing in conjunction with the University of Otago and BRANZ.

“Very little research has been done on these systems in New Zealand but they seem to be very popular,“ said former Dunedin resident and Beacon Pathway researcher, Lisa French.    “This research will explore how these ventilation systems can be optimised for New Zealand houses and conditions, and determine situations where they are most appropriate,“ said Ms French.

Together, these research projects have the potential to build momentum for other sustainability initiatives in the region over time.