Blog
Home  »  Hub blog  »  Blog
Nov
18
Andrea Blackmore
New in the library – thermal bridging in walls
Blog
0
, ,

Just added in the library: Measuring the Extent of Thermal Bridging in External Timber Framed Walls in New Zealand.

While you may mostly be looking at existing housing, this research shows how adding extra timber to wall framing has the potential to reduce the amount of insulation and therefore increase heat loss.

The research found the average percentage of timber framing compared to wall area was 34%, much higher than the 14–18% framing content generally assumed by regulators and the industry.

It’s happening in a new build near you!

Aug
6
Andrea Blackmore
Eco Design Advisor Conference – HPAs get cheaper registration!
Blog
0

This year’s Eco Design Advisor conference (24-25 October, Auckland) is all about climate change and housing – how our houses contribute to climate change and how they need to adapt to climate change.

Speakers will look at what impact changing climate will have on our houses (areas that will be flooded, whether insurers will withdraw insurance) and how we need to adapt (where we build, designing for worse storms and rising temperatures).

Speakers will also consider carbon zero housing – what changes do we need to make to heating and materials so our houses reduce use of carbon fuel and embodied carbon.

Home Performance Advisors get discounted rates for this conference – $100 per day.

Register here or download the draft programme below:

May
28
Andrea Blackmore
Small loads from Internet add up
Blog
0

These days it’s not just standby power which uses a surprising amount of power – increasingly we have ‘smart’ internet connected devices which are invisibly drawing power too.

This author calculated the energy use of his smart devices at 1226 kWh/year and works out the carbon impact of that use.

Read more 

Sep
11
Andrea Blackmore
Windows 8% of building envelope but account for 40% of heat loss!
Blog
0

This article shows how much thermally unbroken aluminium window frames contribute to heat loss from homes.

The author says “Aluminium frames without thermal breaks are highly conductive. The … aluminium frame only represents 1.6% of the buildings total envelope but is responsible for over 15% of all energy lost in a building.”

Read more

Aug
6
Andrea Blackmore
Cheap DIY sensor kits
Blog
0

A charity aiming to help people recognise when their homes are too cold and damp are teaching the community how to make their own heat and humidity sensors for the house.

Whare Hauora was started in early 2016 and is trying to help others take control of their family’s health, by running workshops around the Wellington region to give people a pack of sensors and instructions, and instructions to assemble everything themselves.

Read more

 

Jul
2
Andrea Blackmore
Rationing heat ‘normal’
Blog
0

Kiwi households pay more for power than Norwegians, whose average wages are a third higher than ours.

The result? A CreditSimple survey found 69% of Otago respondents and 59% of Cantabrians economised by going cold.

Read more

Jan
7
Andrea Blackmore
When does investment in energy performance garner a financial return?
Blog
0

Australian article that asks “Is there an energy performance level here in Australia that delivers the best ‘bang-for-buck’?”

Lochiel Park in South Australia is arguably the most environmentally sustainable housing estate in the country.  Are homes built to the Lochiel Park performance level affordable?

“When we crunch the numbers based on actual costs and real energy and water savings we find that although net zero energy houses cost slightly more to build, mainly because of the extra energy technologies, the owners are much better off financially. In fact, our research shows owner occupiers are nearly $25,000 better off over the life of the home, and that is before we consider the health and wellbeing benefits of better thermal comfort and enjoying almost no utility bills.”

Read more

Jan
7
Andrea Blackmore
Keeping cool with external shading
Blog
0

From Australia – options for external shading, for both new builds and retrofits.

A good overview of how to keep the sun off windows, links to yourhome.gov.au , and a new energy rating scheme for window coverings, WincovER, has recently been developed and is soon to be launched by the Blind Manufacturers Association of Australia (BMAA).

Read more

Sep
29
Andrea Blackmore
Living in energy hardship
Blog
0

Radio NZ looks at what energy hardship means for New Zealanders.

“After eight different rental homes in a decade, Alexandra Saunders told Checkpoint there was a clear and common trend with her landlords. ‘They did everything they could to the property up to the legal limit, but they never went beyond.'”

Read more

Sep
24
Andrea Blackmore
In Wellington? check out the curtain bank
Blog
0

If you’re in Wellington, the Sustainability Trust’s Wellington Curtain Bank not only has curtains but some useful videos on making the most of your curtains and how to line curtains yourself.  A great resource to refer your clients to!

Check it out