Insulating for a better New Zealand

It’s astonishing in a country which enjoys such an amazing quality of life, we still have thousands of houses which simply aren’t up to the job of keeping those who live in them warm and healthy.

"As a parent, I find it confronting to know thousands of New Zealand children suffer… from something as simple as poorly built housing.”

Several things have helped create this problem.

In New Zealand, we have a climate which swings from hot and dry to cold and damp. Many houses were built for the hot days and not the cold ones.

The cost of building houses is expensive with lots of red tape involved so many houses are old and are like sieves when it comes to retaining heat.

Unlike other cooler countries, in New Zealand we don’t seem to prioritise heat and warmth. Many Kiwis - particularly our older generations – would rather throw on an extra jersey than turn on the heater.

As a parent I find it confronting to know thousands of New Zealand children suffer from severe illnesses each year from something as simple as poorly built housing.

The number of Kiwi kids being diagnosed with bronchiectasis, a potentially fatal disease associated with repeated chest infections in early childhood, doubled between 2000 and 2015. 

The damage of these illnesses can stay with a child for life.

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It’s shocking. But there are easy solutions that can significantly improve the comfort and health of a home.

The main one is insulation.

We’ve known for decades how good thermal protection in ceilings, walls and under floors can transform a home overnight and vastly improve quality of life – particularly for children.

However, while there have been a few big pushes for insulation over the years, there are still an estimated 600,000 homes in New Zealand with little or no insulation.

In considering insulation options, we need to be realistic. Insulation doesn’t automatically lead to lower power bills. 

However, although you might be spending a similar amount for heating, you will be warmer and healthier.  The payback comes on the health front.

It’s not just the right thing to do; it also makes good sense economically.

Studies indicate that every dollar spent on insulation delivers $NZ4 of health benefits from fewer hospital visits and medicine costs.

I’m a banker and a dad so to me, this makes sense on every level.

As someone who moved to New Zealand in recent years, I truly love this country. But the standard of some housing and the conditions some families live in belongs in another time.

ANZ’s offer is just one piece of the picture. With hundreds of thousands of cold and damp homes, there is a lot of work to be done. But it will be done.

Wouldn’t it be great if this was the last winter any Kiwi kid died or got seriously sick because their home wasn’t warm and healthy?

Briar McCormack is New Zealand Editor, bluenotes