Why spend more money on your power bill than you need to? You can do simple things to save money on energy and have a warmer, healthier home at the same time. You'll also be helping sustain the planet.

You may live in your own home, be renting or looking to buy or build a new house. Everyone will find Your Guide to a Smarter Home useful. The booklet offers advice on topics including insulation, heating, lighting and appliances as well as home buying, building and maintenance. A range of no/low cost tips and recommended worthwhile investments shows how people can achieve better energy efficiency and cost savings in these areas.

From turning off lights which doesn't cost a cent to insulating your home which will pay for itself over time through lower power bills, there are things we can all do to reduce our power consumption. It's a triple win – more money in our pockets, better health for our households and less demand on the environment. Let's get started!

No need to shiver and shake to save power

Don't pour money down the drain when it comes to power. There are simple things you can do to save money on your energy bills that won't cost you a cent.

Five simple no-cost steps to save you money

Have you got energy to burn?

Using power around the home is so much a part of our daily lives that we don't usually give it a moment's thought.

But doing one new thing each week to save energy could create a strong savings habit and reduce your power/gas bill, which averages $150 a month in a typical New Zealand home.

Low-to-moderate cost ways to further cut your energy bills

Add these savings to the no-cost steps to save your money on power and you could get: 

Total Savings (no, low and moderate cost) $745-$1,925

1. Figure excludes any savings on thermal curtains
2. Figure presumes a bigger-than-average energy bill and the maximum saving from thermal curtains

Invest in energy and save

\If you can afford it, an investment in energy efficiency for your home can deliver good returns.

The cost of installing insulation, double-glazing or a heat pump can be made up over time through lower energy bills. And you get the bonus of a warmer, more comfortable, healthier home.

It's also worth remembering that making your home more energy-efficient can increase its value. Potential buyers or tenants are more likely to want a cosier home that costs less to run.

Some good investments you can make

• Insulate your ceiling as most heat escapes here (putting in ceiling insulation alone can cut heat losses by as much as 35%).
• A well-insulated floor will cut heat losses by another 14%.
• Maintain your home well - this can save energy as well as better hold its value.
• If you're looking to buy new appliances, buy energy-efficient models (look for the star rating labels and ENERGY STAR marks).
• Double-glaze your windows and any exterior glass doors.
• Use deciduous plants to block summer sun but let in winter sun.
• Put in a heat pump or flued gas heating as these are currently the most efficient form of heating (the higher initial cost will be paid off in time through lower power bills).
• Install a solar water heating system (the higher initial cost will be made up with lower power bills over time).

Get a warmer home and save with insulation

Installing or upgrading your insulation is one of the best investments you can make to improve your home environment. If it's well installed, insulation will deliver:

• a healthier, more comfortable home
• lower energy bills
• reduced noise levels
• less condensation.

The ideal way to have a healthier, more cost-effective home is through insulating your ceilings, walls and floors as well as double-glazing your windows and exterior doors.

But if you're on a tight budget, insulate your ceiling first as most heat escapes here. The best time to further insulate an existing property is during renovations before walls, floors and ceiling spaces are closed in.

Read more about Insulation

Every Kiwi family should be warm and healthy

"It was so cold that in winter we couldn't put our feet on the floor when we were sitting in the living room."

That's how life was for Natalie and Paul before ceiling and floor insulation brought increased comfort and a healthier living environment.

The couple has lived in their 1970s brick house in Roxburgh since 2001.

Through the EnergyWise Home Grant Scheme in 2006, the house was fitted with ceiling and underfloor insulation. Two door draught excluders were also put in and a heat transfer unit vents heat from the woodburner to warm up the bedrooms.

The family, which now includes son Nathan, is delighted to live in a much warmer and cosier home.

"We're amazed at how much more comfortable and cosy our home is. Lots of people have noticed a difference. It hasn't got a chill like it used to have," Natalie says.

Smart choices save energy and money

More no-cost tips

• Turn off lights, appliances and heating when leaving rooms.
• Close curtains, windows and doors at sunset (and use draught stoppers or rolled-up towels to stop draughts under doorways).
• Turn off your hot water cylinder if away for 2 weeks or more.
• Wash full loads of laundry in cold water and dry clothes outside on the line.
• Use your microwave instead of your oven if possible.
• Have shorter showers instead of baths.
• Only use the dishwasher when full and on eco-cycle
• Dry your towels on the line when it's sunny or in a warm room over the back of a chair instead of a towel rail.
• Make sure insulation fits snugly, as gaps as small as 2 mm can reduce its performance by as much as 50%.

More low-cost things you can do

• Use energy-efficient lightbulbs (they use about 75% less power and last up to 10 times longer than normal bulbs).
• Replace old or thin curtains and put up thermal-backed, full-length ones.
• Fill in air gaps around plumbing pipes and electrical cables, windows and doors with caulking (sealant).
• Insulate your hot water cylinder and pipes if they are warm to touch.
• Fit draught strips on windows and external doors.
• Install low-flow shower heads (they give decent showers using half the water).
• If you have a ceiling fan with winter/reverse setting, use it to distribute heat - especially if you have high ceilings and a woodburner.
• Use thermostats and timers to control heaters so you are only heating when you need to.
• Choose task lighting for work areas (e.g. lamps for paperwork) and background lighting for other areas.

How to heat and beat big energy bills

About a third of your household energy bill goes on heating.There are lots of heating options available and some are more cost effective than others.

Heat pumps are an energy-efficient form of heating. The cost of installing a heat pump will be made up over time due to lower energy bills for achieving a good level of warmth in your home. As a guide, for every unit of heat produced by a heat pump you will pay about 6.5 cents.*

Gas heating, if flued to maintain indoor air quality, also offers good value. The cost of installing a flued system will be made up over time due to lower energy bills for achieving a good level of warmth in your home. As a guide, for every unit of heat produced by gas heating you will pay about 13.5 cents.*

Electric heaters can also supply effective heating in your home. The cost of electric heaters may be lower than other systems, but you will spend more to achieve a good level of warmth in your home. As a guide, for every unit of heat produced by an electric heater you will pay about 21 cents.*

Woodburners or pellet burners are the lowest cost way of heating your home if you have a good supply of dry, untreated wood or pellets. Open fires are the least efficient way of heating a room and create the most pollution.

Heat transfer systems take excess heat created from a woodburner and use a fan to blow it into colder rooms, drying out moisture and reducing the need for heaters. Fantastic if you're tired of a tropical living room and a sub-Antarctic bedroom.

Thermostats and time switches

Ensure that any heater or heating system you purchase has thermostats and time switches. They are useful in helping you maintain a comfortable, healthy temperature and can save you money.

* Units of heat are kilowatts (kWh) and heating costs reflect energy price data from the Ministry of Economic Development that may change. The efficiency you achieve for the types of heating vary depending on product, climate and operation.

Getting into hot water

Heating water accounts for about a third of your household's total energy use. But there are many simple things you can do to reduce this.

• Keep your hot water at 55^oC at the tap and no less than 60?C at the cylinder.
• Put an insulation wrap around your hot water cylinder (and any pipes).
• Use cold water wherever possible (washing clothes, filling the jug, rinsing dishes etc).
• Have short showers instead of baths.
• Fit low-flow showerheads.
• Use washing machines and dishwashers when full (and buy water-efficient models).
• Reduce water flow from your taps.
• Fix leaks and drips.

Read more about Water heating.

Lighting and appliances chew through about 35% of a typical household's energy use.

Using energy-efficient lightbulbs is one of the easiest and cheapest things you can do at home to save power and money. They use about 75% less energy than standard lightbulbs and last up to 10 times longer - so the additional cost more than pays itself back.

When it comes to buying new appliances, look for:

• ENERGY STAR marks - awarded to the most energy-efficient products
• star rating labels - the more stars, the better the efficiency.

And don't forget to turn appliances such as computers and microwaves off at the wall. Any appliance with LED lights or time displays still on will be drawing power (even if you've turned them off at the unit).

Read more on improving the energy choices we make!

Cold comfort and the cost to our health

We all benefit from living in drier, warmer, healthier homes.

It's a fact that too many New Zealand houses are colder and damper than recommended for a healthy living environment. This doesn't help in avoiding winter colds and flu.

A recent Wellington School of Medicine study confirmed cold homes impact on our health.

It looked at people with respiratory problems living in uninsulated houses and measured the effects on their health after some of those homes were insulated.

Those living in insulated houses generally felt better, took fewer days off work or school and visited their doctor less.

The study found that insulated houses were significantly warmer and drier - and used nearly 20% less energy.

It's simple. Keeping your home warm and dry means better health for your family.

Insulate for your family's health

Fiona and her 9 year old son Connor are feeling far healthier since insulating their Dunedin home and installing energy-efficient heating.

Insulation in their ceilings and floors, a heat pump, and draught strips around doors and windows have resulted in big health improvements.

"My son gets asthma, but hasn't suffered from it nearly as much since our renovations," says Fiona. "If he does get a cold, he's off school for a day or two rather than a whole week. He's generally happier and healthier. As for me, my health has been better overall too."

Fiona says she has also enjoyed having lower power bills. Her advice to anyone thinking about insulating their home is to "...just do it! It's fantastic for a dry, healthy home and better health."

Smarter use of energy helps our environment

About a third of New Zealand's electricity comes from burning coal, gas andoil at power stations - producing greenhouse gases which cause Earth's atmosphere to heat up and the climate to change.

The rest of our electricity comes from renewable sources, mostly hydro. Wind power is starting to blow our way but it currently only contributes about 2% of total energy generation.

By being less wasteful with the energy we use in our homes and following as many of the tips in this booklet as we can, we will reduce our energy demand and help address climate change.

Building right brings home the benefits

It may look ordinary, but this west Auckland house was designed to be extraordinarily good for its occupants and the environment.

The house maximises the free heat of the sun with high levels of insulation, double-glazing and solar water heating. Energy-efficient appliances and lighting are also used. And all power use is monitored.*

The result is a warmer, drier, healthier home which is cheaper to run. Joe and Hayley Blair and their two sons are paying 45% less on energy bills than in their previous house. "It's the best house we've ever lived in," says Hayley.

The family is now much more aware of how using less energy helps protect the environment. They know that in reducing energy demands, less electricity is made by burning fossil fuels at power stations (a process which produces greenhouse gases). "We didn't think too much about the impact of how we live, but even the children are asking questions," Joe says.

Now the Blairs want to buy their own house, one which has as little impact on the environment as possible.

* The house, called the Waitakere NOW Home?, is a live research project by consortium Beacon Pathway Ltd.

Going solar pays off

Using the sun for heat can cut your hot water bills significantly and minimise impact on the environment.

Solar water heating systems absorb heat from the sun via solar panels on your roof and use it to heat your water. Your system can be supplemented by electricity, gas or heat from your woodburner on days there isn't enough sun.

Lower energy bills are likely to pay for the additional cost of a solar water heating system, particularly if you're building a new home.

The payback period also depends on:

• the amount of sun your roof gets
• how much you pay for energy
• the amount of hot water you use
• the current type of water heating you have
• the type of solar water heating system you install.

Apart from saving money on energy, you'll be doing your bit for the environment as solar energy doesn't produce greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.

If you're getting a solar water heating system installed, you may be eligible for government funding of up to $1,000.  Make sure you get a building consent - a new Building Code Compliance Document will make this easier.

Using the warmth of the sun to heat their water has slashed a Dunedin family's power bills by a third.

Lesley and her family of four have reported that their power bills have been about a third lower since the installation of a solar water heating system at Easter 2005.

The household relies totally on solar energy for water heating in the summer months. In cooler months, they use an electricity booster system for an hour a day. They found that even in the cold month of June, the temperature of the water on sunny days could get up to 60?C.

Installation of the solar water heater was "no hassle at all," says Lesley. "It has worked really well for us with ample hot water and lower power bills."

How smart is your home?

Work out how much energy your home uses and how friendly it is to the environment. This can be a good first step towards improvements that will make your home more comfortable, healthier and cheaper to run.

www.smarterhomes.org.nz - offers checklists and calculators that include quick tips on free, low-cost and worthwhile longer-term investments for your home 'Checklists and tools' are available to help you.

www.homesmarts.org.nz - tells you how your home measures up as far as health, comfort, cost-effectiveness and environmental impact go.  It also provides simple steps you can take to create a better living environment for yourself and your family.

www.energywise.org.nz/calculator - works out your home's current energy usage and advises how much you can save by taking simple energy-saving steps.

Building for family and environmental health

Choose carefully when you're buying building and home interior materials. The best options will make your home healthier and more durable, lower maintenance costs and help protect our environment.

These materials may contain solvents and chemicals that can release fumes into your home for years after construction, harming your health in the process. Some of these chemicals have been linked to asthma and skin conditions. Others - if breathed in or ingested - may have more damaging effects.

Many materials require significant amounts of energy to extract and process for use in your home. These processes can harm waterways and ecosystems as well as contribute to climate change. Other materials such as rainforest timber may come from unsustainable sources.

The best materials for your building and home interior will be:

• non-toxic
• durable and strong enough to do the job required of them
• sourced sustainably
• reusable or recyclable.

The design of your house and the way it is built can affect your health and the environment.

When thinking about design, choose a professional who is experienced in designing energy-efficient and eco-friendly homes.

Also choose a builder who is aware of the potential effects construction can have on the environment.

• Sediment, runoff, paint and other contaminants can harm people and surrounding ecosystems.
• Airborne pollutants like solvents can be a hazard.
• More waste can be generated than needs to be.

With planning and good management, harmful effects can be reduced and waste minimised.

New homes to use 30% less energy

New insulation requirements by the Government (including double-glazing in most parts of the country) will result in new homes using about 30% less energy to achieve comfortable indoor air temperatures.

Energy savings guide

This assumes the entire house is heated to 16?C all day, and the living areas are heated to 20?C in the morning and evening. While this heating regime is greater than most New Zealanders currently follow, it is similar to measured heating regimes in new houses.

New houses and alterations to existing homes in the South Island and the North Island's Central Plateau now need more insulation and most likely double-glazing.

These improvements to house insulation take effect in the rest of the central and lower North Island from July 2008, and for Auckland north from October 2008.

Things to consider when building a new home

No-cost tips

• Seek advice on how to maximise energy efficiency in the design of your new home.
• Ensure your windows are north-facing so you get as much sunshine as possible heating your home.
• Trim trees that are blocking sunlight entering your windows.
• Make sure bathrooms, laundries and garages are on the south side of your home and keep windows small to minimise heat loss.
• Consider energy-efficient options for water heating which typically accounts for about a third of a home's power bill.

Low-cost things you can do

• Make sure your hot water cylinder and its pipes are insulated.
• When putting up curtains, make sure they're thermal-backed and full-length to keep in the heat.
• If you're installing a shower, make sure it's fitted with a low-flow showerhead.
• Put in energy-efficient lightbulbs when considering lighting options.
• Cover the ground under your home with polythene to help keep your home dry.

Other worthwhile investments

• Look at exceeding minimum requirements for insulation in your ceiling, walls and floors.
• Make sure any appliances you buy for your new house are energy-efficient (look for the star rating labels and ENERGY STAR marks).
• Specify a solar water heating system at the outset if possible (the higher initial cost can be made up with power savings in the long run).
• Install a heat pump if possible (the initial cost will be paid off in time through power savings). Flued gas heating or a pellet burner can also be efficient.
• Use high mass materials (such as concrete or brick walls and floor) which absorb heat to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

Home purchase and maintenance

Your home is most often your biggest investment, so it's worth buying smart and looking after it.

You can make some smart choices if you have the right information.

Whether you're buying, building, maintaining or renovating a home or investment property, there are some recommended basic steps to follow.

More information

• Get good advice and buy right
• Home maintenance

Home purchase and maintenance

www.smarterhomes.org.nz
Tools and advice to help you make your home warmer, healthier and more cost-effective while being kinder to the environment.

www.consumerbuild.org.nz
Advice on buying, building, renovating and maintaining a home.

www.energywise.org.nz
Practical advice on how you can save energy and money in your home, plus on solar heating.

www.dbh.govt.nz
The Department of Building and Housing website provides information on building law and compliance, weathertight homes and advice for tenants and landlords.

Questions?

Email: info@dbh.govt.nz
Phone: 0800 242 243

Get good advice and buy right

Buying a home is a big financial investment. More than that, it is at the heart of you and your family's life.

So it's important to get it right and make an informed decision.

The home buyers' checklist covers what to ask, structural aspects to check, how to inspect a property's history and title, the importance of getting a good contract, and what professional advice to seek.

Remember that often it is emotional factors that decide the purchase of a home. Keep a level head and carry out essential checks.

Some checks to ensure you buy smart

• Get a qualified building consultant to check features like the roof, water pressure, electrical wiring, piles and any evidence of house movement.
• Ask whether there are any problems, particularly if the house is a modern design or has had post-1990 additions.
• Identify features that make the property more likely to have possible issues with weathertightness. These include: houses using monolithic cladding (generally, textured plaster wall surfaces over polystyrene or fibre cement sheet); lack of roof overhang or eaves; balconies above rooms; wall claddings in contact with the ground; lack of flashings above windows and doors; and parapets without sloped tops or adequate cap flashings.
• Look for water damage, cracks, mould, bulging, staining and areas where water cannot drain freely.
• Seek advice from a lawyer about the property's title.
• Get a council Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report which shows legally made alterations and any proposed council changes to the neighbourhood.
• Use a contract like the Auckland District Law Society's standard sale and purchase contract.

Maintaining your looks is a good investment

After you've bought the right house, properly maintaining it is the next smart choice.

Just like you and your car, good maintenance of your home brings a fleet of benefits. 

A well-maintained home:

• keeps you safe and secure
• rewards your family's health
• assists with lowering power bills
• reduces impact on the environment
• saves money by fixing problems before they get bigger
• protects what is usually your biggest financial investment.

Home maintenance tips

• Know your DIY limits - sometimes it's cheaper and less stressful to hire a building professional rather than make costly mistakes.
• Combat damp through insulating, ventilating and quality heating.
• Seek advice and get your place thoroughly investigated if you think it could be a leaky home. Often this may be a maintenance issue.
• Maintain all claddings - whether they are monolithic fibre-cement, weatherboard, brick or concrete block. Follow the manufacturer's maintenance recommendations and inspect annually.
• Check that balconies and decks allow water to run to a collection point. Check for rotting, swelling, cracks, rust and keep drainage points clear.
• Check your roof, chimneys and flashings annually. Look for corroded or lifted flashings and crumbling chimney mortar.
• Be an active body corporate member and make sure your townhouse or apartment complex has a long-term maintenance programme.

There is no such thing as a 'maintenance-FREE' house

Having a no-maintenance house is a myth. Modern homes require less attention than older homes but all properties need maintaining.

Maintenance covers:

• preventative work, such as gutter cleaning - this can stop water and dampness entering your home
• repairs to prevent small problems growing
• major maintenance tasks like reroofing which should be planned for time and budgetary reasons
• preparing for emergencies, like knowing how to turn off water, gas and electricity.

Any home, regardless of its age or style, can develop problems if the property isn't properly maintained or renovations are of low quality.

Following the simple steps in these checklists will help to protect your investment and your health. Taking action will also mean you enjoy your property more and reduce the chance of costly and stressful problems further down the track.

Complete home buyers' and home maintenance checklists can be found on the ConsumerBuild website.

More information on smarter homes

www.smarterhomes.org.nz
Tools and advice to help you make your home warmer, healthier and more cost-effective while being kinder to the environment.

www.consumerbuild.org.nz
Advice on buying, building, renovating and maintaining a home.

www.energywise.org.nz
Practical advice on how you can save energy and money in your home, plus on solar heating.

www.dbh.govt.nz
The Department of Building and Housing website provides information on building law and compliance, weathertight homes and advice for tenants and landlords.

Questions?

Email: info@dbh.govt.nz
Phone: 0800 242 243