Insulation loans scheme wanted

Press, 27 October 1982, Page 6

Insulation loans scheme wanted

A scheme for interest-free insulation loans should be retained instead of dropped by the Government at the end of this year, the Christchurch City Council’s public utilities committee said yesterday.

Councillors said the loan limit of $250 should also be raised to reflect more accurately present costs of insulating a house. J, The scheme * was introduced in 1975 to conserve energy. So far, the Municipal Electricity Department has advanced $926,836 in Housing Corporation money to 5640 applicants.

The Minister of Energy, Mr Birch, said recently that New Zealanders were now generally convinced of in-

sulation benefits, and that the loan scheme had served its purpose. Of 84,000 households in the M.E;D. area, about 51,000 have insulated ceilings, according to the 1981 census. Some 19,000 households are known not to be insulated. Christchurch area interest in the scheme has been maintained. Councillors said the scheme was important in fighting air pollution, since good insulation meant that less smog-producing fuel would be needed during the winter.

Mr Birch had said that Government incentives were no longer needed to build up theinsulation market.