The Eastern Bay of Plenty Energy Trust spearheaded the concept of returning proceeds from electricity shares to the community.
There were such significant savings in power consumption through their schemes they have since been adopted in many parts of New Zealand. One of their most important contributions has been in the subsidies provided to insulate homes.
Houses built before 1977 did not have to be insulated, so if your home is in this category and there has been no subsequent insulation, it may be appropriate for you to have a heat loss audit.
Even if you have had insulation in your home using the fibreglass products, you may find that over the years they have shrunk, allowing warmth to escape around the edges. Or they were not completely insulated in the walls or under the flooring. This can hugely increase your heating requirements. The purchase price of electricity or solid fuels is never going to reduce, so when your home continues to be inefficient, a disproportionate amount of your resources will be spent trying to keep warm.
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There may not be a need to have an energy audit. Information that you provide may indicate that there are reasonable grounds for a Retrofit. The three questions are: Do you live in the Eastern Bay of Plenty? Is your home insulation old or sub-standard? And do you want to get warmer? If you say yes to these, contact Energy Options by ringing 0800 15 15 65 or call in at 21 McAlister Street.
Even if you are in a rental, if you can persuade your landlord that you will have more income to look after the property if you are spending less on electricity or solid fuels, plus less on food and health care. With the landlord gaining increased capital value as well, it is to his or her benefit to properly insulate the property; all they have to do is make an application and find 50 per cent of the cost. Perhaps you could contribute. This is a negotiable area to work on.
This service is managed by Healthy Homes Eastern Bay which is funded by the Eastern Bay of Plenty Energy Trust and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). This service is delivered by Energy Options in McAlister Street. To find out more, contact Energy Options to see whether or not your property is eligible to be insulated.
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So wouldn't it be great to reduce the amount you spend on electricity by improving your home? Usually you would expect it to be expensive. Some improvements can be an expense you would rather not have. But do the sums, what's more expensive - high electricity bills or curtains?
At the moment there is a sale on hot water cylinder wraps that you may or may not want to follow up as part of making your home more energy efficient.
How many people are still using the cheap light bulbs? The most cost effective are the compact fluorescent lamps or the low wattage lamps you can buy anywhere. Of course, you still need to turn them off when you are not using them.
Just remember, cold homes produce poor health, poor sleep and poor preparation for a full day of learning or working. To maximise the growth of your children, provide them with a warm dry home. Look for the booklet Getting Warmer by Degrees by the EECA at energy outlets. It's free information that could save you money year after year. |
