250 homes repaired more energy efficiently

A community project has just reached its three-year target of improving 250 homes, six months ahead of schedule. The “Repair Well” project, funded by New Zealand Red Cross and implemented by Community Energy Action Charitable Trust (CEA) offers the service of installing additional energy efficiency measures during earthquake repairs to vulnerable homeowners.

To celebrate the milestone and show the impact of the energy efficiency improvements on the people living in these homes, CEA has created a video to be launched on Thursday 2 June.

“Insurance companies and the Earthquake Commission will only repair houses to the standard that existed before the earthquakes. We add extra energy efficiency measures such as wall, ceiling and under-floor insulation, heating, ventilation and other improvements to increase the living quality of the home,” says Caroline Shone, Chief Executive of CEA.

“All the people we dealt with were in vulnerable situations, including older people, young families and people with health conditions. The project has been life-changing for many of the project participants. The collaborative partnership didn’t just fund the energy efficiency measures, but the staff also arranged all the contractors to do the work, and provided extra support and care as needed. This programme has been amazingly rewarding for everyone involved.”

New Zealand Red Cross Recovery Manager Michael Donoghue says the Repair Well project is more than just about improving buildings.

“The changes to buildings are just incidental; what we really have strived to achieve is creating healthy homes and improving the lives of the people who live there. Our support for this project has only been possible due to those that gave so generously to the Red Cross Canterbury Earthquake Appeal. I wish every donor could see first-hand the impact they have made to the lives of others, but hopefully this video will go some way showing this.”

As CEA has completed the project ahead of time and under budget, the organisation is able to assist more households needing earthquake repairs until December 2016.

http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/1606/CEA_Celebration_of_Partnership_Invitation.pdf

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