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Smart guide
Efficient land use
Siting and location
Location, location, location
It all starts with the selection of your section. Although the quarter acre block is our traditional aspiration it may be more suitable for your lifestyle to choose a smaller section that will require less landscaping and maintenance and co...
Smart guide
Selecting my location and neighbourhood
Siting and location
Being part of a community
It is comparatively easy to change your home’s design and features, but it is much harder to change things about the neighbourhood you live in. So it pays to carefully consider the location of your home and whether the type and characteristi...
Smart guide
Planting and landscaping
Siting and location
Ideas for your green thumbs
Your landscaping decisions can affect how much enjoyment you get from your garden and outdoor living areas, and how much time and effort you need to spend watering and maintaining the garden.You also need to consider the impact of landscapin...
Smart guide
Hydro power
Power, lighting and energy saving
Hydro generation systems come in all sizes
Most domestic-sized systems produce an output of less than 5kW of electricity – enough to power a single property depending on usage pattern. These are called ‘micro-hydro’ schemes.If you’re in a rural area and your pr...
Smart guide
Maintaining your on-site sewage system
Water and waste
Maintain your sewage system
On-site sewage systems such as septic tanks need regular maintenance – some you can do yourself, and some you'll need professional help with.The sustainable wastewater management handbook produced by the Ministry for the Environment has us...
Smart guide
Managing pollution and unhealthy air
Air quality, moisture and ventilation
Breathe easy in your home
When you think about air pollution, car fumes, smog and fumes from factories probably spring to mind. But the reality is, the air inside your home could be more polluted than the air outside. We spend between 75 to 90 per cent of our time indo...
Smart guide
Efficient use of water
Water and waste
Using less water is easy
Many older style taps and showerheads use a lot more water than is needed for the job they do. There are simple, inexpensive ways to use less water and save money, without compromising on performance.What is water flow?Water flow is the rate â€...
Smart guide
Hot water systems – set up and maintenance
Water and waste
Installing water heating systems
All water heating equipment must be installed by a registered plumber or gasfitter. Gas water heaters need to be installed with a flue that vents outside.Maintaining water heating systemsMany forms of water heating are low maintenance....
Smart guide
Causes and effects of high moisture
Air quality, moisture and ventilation
Managing moisture in your home
Just under half (44 per cent) of owner-occupied houses and 56 per cent of rental houses had visible mould according to a 2015 BRANZ Housing Condition Survey [PDF 750 KB].High moisture levels and mould are associated with health problems i...
Phone:Â 0800 24 22 43 Email:Â info@building.govt.nzPostal addressMinistry of Business, Innovation and Employment PO Box 1473 Wellington 6140 New ZealandPhysical addressMinistry of Business, Innovation and Employment 15 Stout Street Wellington 6011 New Zealand...