Big push for healthy, warm and dry homes

Lower Hutt is leading the region in getting property owners to take up the Warm up New Zealand: Healthy Homes insulation programme. Recent figures released by EECA show 946 houses have been insulated using the subsidy.

Mayor Ray Wallace says “It’s important that Council gets behind these types of programmes to reduce the health risks to people living in cold damp housing in our city.

“We’ve actively been promoting this subsidy to all residents because we want property owners and landlords to take advantage of it. Ideally we should all be living in homes that are warm and dry and our most vulnerable members of the community shouldn’t be put at risk.

“Along with seven other Council’s we also offer a free in home Eco Design Service where an advisor visits homes to help residents work through practical solutions for common housing problems like condensation and mould and is able to make referrals for people that she works with that are eligible for the EECA subsidy.”

The subsidy is available to people who are most in need and must meet this criteria:

• your home was built before 2000, and

• you are the home owner or main tenant with a Community Services Card (CSC). (If you don’t have a CSC card, contact Work and Income to find out if you qualify), and

• there are children under 17 years old, or people over 65 years old, or someone with high health needs (such as asthma) living in the home, or

• you are a landlord with eligible tenants.

You can sign up directly for the insulation and subsidy via one of the following installers:

• Sustainability Trust 0505 78 78 24

• Right House 0800 744 569

• EnergySmart 0800 777 111

• Warm Up Wellington 0800 RU Cold (0800 78 26 53)

Sarah Firth, Hutt City Council’s Eco Design Advisor is holding a free community talk on practical solutions for common housing problems like condensation, mould, insulation, draughts and large heating bills. She is available for private consultations by calling 570 6927.

Warm up your home: free community talk

Thursday 11 September, 5.30pm

Sustainable Living Centre (pop-up shop), 151 High Street, Lower Hutt

Recent figures released from EECA on the number of homes in the Wellington region that have been insulated using the government subsidy:

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