Beacon

Beacon Pathway Inc’s first demonstration project is underway.  The Build Back Smarter project aims to show that home performance interventions can - and should -  be included in the ‘standard’ repair of earthquake damaged Christchurch homes. 

Beacon’s earlier research has shown the benefits of addressing the performance of the whole house (energy, water, indoor environment, materials).  The Waitakere NOW Home and Papakowhai Renovation projects clearly demonstrated improvements in health, well-being, cost savings and efficient resource use.  However, the Papakowhai project in particular also identified that there are critical intervention points at which it is both easier and more cost effective to undertake some interventions.  Wall insulation, for example, is best combined with replacing internal or external cladding.

The extensive repair and rebuilding required in Christchurch presents an opportunity to include interventions which will:

• improve the household’s resilience and ability to meet future challenges
• reduce ongoing operational costs
• provide healthier, warmer homes which result in lower health costs and higher productivity
• reduce demand on centralised electricity and water networks

Build Back Smarter wants to develop and demonstrate a robust approach to including home performance interventions into ‘standard’ repairs without slowing down the rebuild process. 

Critically, the project is trying to identify the barriers to building back smarter and find a way to address them so that the demonstration can be scaled up and used city-wide.

 

Ten demonstration homes

Ten homes will be selected for performance interventions, focusing on ceiling, floor and wall insulation, double glazing, solar or heat pump hot water, rainwater collection, heating upgrades and a range of energy and water efficiency measures. The upgrades will be individualised, depending on the extent of damage suffered by each home. 

Selected homes will be assessed and a plan for the additional interventions developed, in consultation with the homeowners.  The online Homestar™ assessment will be used to rate the home before and after the repairs, adding yet another part of the ‘value case’ for consumers to consider building back smarter.

The effectiveness of the repairs will be evaluated by interviews with homeowners, contractors and PMOs after upgrade / repair completion and again after several months.  The process will be both documented with evaluation of its effectiveness from all perspectives (insurers, contractors, Council and homeowners).  Ideally, the demonstration will show that building back smarter is possible and beneficial, and will identify how it can be achieved.

 

Funding

Build Back Smarter has been made possible by funding and support from:

• EECA
• Fletcher Building
• Ministry for Science and Innovation
• Christchurch City Council
• Christchurch Agency for Energy