Energy efficiency

Press, 2 March 1984, Page 7

Energy efficiency

With the rising cost of fuel, a new emphasis is being placed on the energy efficiency of homes.

This is now being actively promoted by the Ministry of Energy, which is soon to select 10 new homes from various parts of New Zealand to demonstrate the principles, benefits and economies of what the ministry is calling “passive solar-energy-efficient designs.”

Energy-responsive homes provide warmth, comfort and light, and reduce the costs of heating and cooling. To prove this, and explore design possibilities that achieve it, the ministry is prepared to offer free design assistance to home owners and builders participating in this initial demonstration effort.

For builders, this offer includes free promotion and marketing assistance to encourage rapid sales and an opportunity to develop a niche in the market.

In return, home owners and builders involved are asked to provide the houses for show for a limited time, and to place an agreement on them that their temperature and energy performances be monitored for a minimum of one year.

A quarter of the national energy budget goes into buildings, and ?150M to S2OOM a year could be saved by using simple, en-ergy-efficient design and construction methods.

An energy-responsive passive solar house has insulation appropriate for the geographical region, reduced air leaks, proper orientation to the sun, appropriate floor plans for heat distribution, and year-round comfort.

Windows are of a suitable size and placed to collect energy, and overhangs are built for summer sun control.

Masonry feature walls and concrete slab floors provide thermal mass for night-time storage and the moderation of internal temperature swings.

These design features are easy to implement and use standard materials. More detail is available in the Ministry of Energy’s book, “How to Heat Your Home.”

Properly designed, the passive solar house not only has an even distribution of radiated heat, but also re-

mains cool in summer. Designs can vary from very conventional to those which are highly innovative, with increased costs varying from as little as a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on preferences and on choices made during the design stage. Overseas, the United States National Association of Home Builders, in Washington, has an aggressive programme for marketing these methods, which are also beginning to be adopted by New Zealand builders. Those home owners interested in the ministry’s offer should write to its

technical consultants for further information: Pacific Energy Design, 86 Parnell Road, Auckland. The home owner is asked to include information on the type of house to be built, its geographical region, the economic objectives and general project timing. No more than 10 projects will be selected, so early replies are advisable.