Heat leaks cost householders $1 million every week

Heat leaks cost householders $1 million every week

Houses leaking heat are costing the country about one million dollars every week and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is calling on the building industry to review its practices.

EECA Chief Executive Heather Staley says many New Zealanders are rightly concerned about leaky houses that are letting water in, with the cost of repair estimated at quarter of a billion dollars.

"But slack standards of building construction are also resulting in houses leaking heat that householders are paying for. One million dollars worth of energy is leaking out of New Zealand homes every week.

"The building industry needs a wake-up call. The current minimum standards, set in the building code, are treated as good practice by the industry when in fact they are a minimum practice standard only. Just as this misinterpretation has led to a moisture problem in houses, it also leads to inefficient use of energy.

"This is an issue for New Zealand home owners who are losing $50 million a year. It is also an issue for New Zealand, particularly as we must all be careful not to waste energy resources.

"The building industry needs to start thinking longer term. Buying a cheap house, or cutting corners when building, is like buying a cheap car - it will be a gas guzzler and will become expensive to run. The first cost is never the total cost. People lose value over time when their houses leak energy," Ms Staley said.

Ms Staley said the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is working to change the way New Zealanders think about and use energy by promoting and supporting the uptake of energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives.

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