Your Guide to a Smarter Home

How to save money, improve your health and help the planet.

Disclaimer

The information available in this booklet is intended to provide general information to the public. All reasonable measures have been taken to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information as at the date of publication. However, it is not intended to cover every situation, and details that may be relevant to your particular circumstances may have been omitted.

Accordingly, you should seek independent professional advice before applying any information contained in this booklet. The Department of Building and Housing and Consumer NZ shall not be held liable for any claim for any loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information contained in this booklet.

Welcome to Your Guide to a Smarter Home

The Department of Building and Housing and Consumer NZ want to help you to:

• reduce your household power/gas bill
• improve your family's comfort and health at home
• maintain your property and retain or improve its value
• do your bit to reduce the impact on our environment.

Even though we often use a lot of energy trying to make our homes warmer and more comfortable, much of the energy we consume is wasted or could be reduced.

Nearly half of our homes have insufficient ceiling insulation and a similar number have no wall or floor insulation. Research confirms that a cold home is not a healthy home.

And about a third of our electricity comes from burning coal, gas and oil, contributing to climate change. We need to use energy more efficiently to help us achieve the Government's goal of moving New Zealand towards becoming a sustainable nation.

So there are financial, health and environmental reasons for us all to be smarter in our use of energy.

Our homes are our sanctuary from the outside world. We all want a home that is comfortable for ourselves and our family and doesn't cost the earth to run.

Whether you own a home, rent one, or are looking to buy or build a new house, there are simple, smart things you can do to make it warmer and healthier while reducing your power bills.

This booklet provides information to assist you to improve your home environment - and that of our nation and planet.

Jane Thompson and daughter Molly enjoy the health benefits and comfort of an insulated home.

No need to shiver and shake to save power

By making simple changes to your house and to the way you live you'll have a warmer, healthier home with lower power bills.

Whatever your budget, there are things you can do to reduce your power/gas consumption.

No-cost measures such as having shorter showers and turning off lights when you leave rooms.

Low-cost steps like putting in energy-efficient lightbulbs quickly pay for themselves.

Investments such as insulation can be paid off through lower power bills.

It's a triple win - more money in your pocket, better health for your household and reduced demand on our environment. Let's get to it!

'Don't play cat and mouse with heat - close your curtains at night'

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

Estimated yearly savings

1. Turn appliances on stand-by off at the wall (microwaves, stereos, televisions, DVD players, computers). $100
2. If you have to use your heated towel rail, do so for a few hours each day instead of continuously. $100
3. Turn off your beer fridge during the week. $100
4. Use cold water for washing clothes. $50
5. Make sure your hot water is 55°C at the tap and 60°C at the cylinder. $50

Each year you could save $400

• More no-cost saving tips

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.

'Turning the lights off when you are out will make a difference'

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