Sustainable Buildings

Whether you are building or renovating buildings that are sustainable can meet the needs of the present generation, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable building means designing, constructing and operating buildings to have low environmental impacts.

A well-designed sustainable home is:

  • Warmer and drier – with good levels of quality insulation and by utilising natural sunlight and ventilation, you can maintain a warm and dry home all year round.
  • Safer and healthier – a sustainable home can help eliminate damp conditions where mildew and toxic mould thrive. Cold and damp conditions contribute to family health problems such as cold, flu and respiratory disease such as asthma.
  • Cheaper to operate – careful selection of heating options, incorporating good passive solar design, and using energy and water-efficient appliances can make homes cheaper to operate. Some options cost you nothing, while others may require initial set-up costs but save you money in the long-run. Current research also suggests that sustainable houses hold their resale value compared with other houses.
  • Enjoyable to live in – a dry, warm, and lower running cost house makes a home more enjoyable to live in. Often good design can also reduce noise and glare.
  • Has less impact on the environment – a house that is designed, constructed and operated (through sustainable household practices) can minimize the total environmental impacts by helping to conserve resources and producing less waste.

If you are planning on building or renovating, there are many choices available to you to achieve a sustainable home. These choices in materials and design really do make a difference to the long-term sustainability of houses. With planning and good management, no matter where you live, you can design, build, renovate, maintain and run a sustainable home.

New Homes

Consider sustainability options during the entire design and construction process. The New Zealand Building Code requires that designers, builders, developers, local authorities and building owners consider:

  • the use of energy and use of renewable sources of energy
  • the use of materials and material conservation
  • the use of water and water conservation
  • the reduction of waste during construction

For more information see www.smarterhomes.org.nz and consider:

  • Design – A design that meets your needs and takes advantage of the location to save power, water, and money
  • Energy – How to save energy and on your power bills
  • Water – Efficient use of water
  • Siting and landscaping – House position on the site
  • Materials – Choice of Building materials, and reduction of waste during construction
  • Construction – pros and cons of different types of house construction

Existing Homes

Whether you are renovating or maintaining an existing home, you can enjoy the same benefits that come with living in a new sustainable home. Tenants can also live more sustainably in their flat or apartment, simply by choosing better household practices. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) and the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) have published extensive information about developing sustainable buildings:

Commercial Buildings

New Zealand companies and businesses can also build and operate sustainably. For information on how to reduce costs and increase competitiveness through energy efficiency and renewable energy practices check out www.genless.govt.nz

All buildings build in New Zealand – whether conventional or more innovative designs – must meet the minimum health and safety performance requirements of the New Zealand Building Code. There are two ways performance to the Building Code can be met:

  • Acceptable Solutions or use verification methods: Acceptable solutions are like a recipe. If you design and build according to these solutions, you can’t go wrong. Verification methods, on the other hand, are ways to test or calculate the performance of your design. Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods are published together for each of the building code clauses see Building Code Compliance. These solutions are free and can be downloaded from the MBIE website.
  • Alternative Solutions: These solutions created by designers allow for something different and/or innovative. If you choose these methods then you must demonstrate that your design will meet the performance requirements of the relevant Building Code clauses. Check out the MBIE website (alternative solutions) on how to provide the necessary evidence.

At the end of the day regardless of what you design, conventional or more innovative, you must be able to demonstrate compliance with the Building Code. Remember this is just about meeting the minimum requirements to ensure the health and safety of people using the building. Obviously, if you want to, you can choose to design and build something with a far superior level of performance than the building code’s minimum standards.

To find out what the Building Code requires you can either download The Building Code or download the relevant acceptable solutions which have the building code clauses in the front.

Sustainable Building

Energy

  • Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority – Information and tools, information about renewable energy: bioenergy, hydro energy, marine energy, solar energy and wind energy.
  • Energywise – information for householders on home energy efficiency, government funding for home insulation and heating systems, energy labeling schemes, and ways to improve energy choices.
  • Climate Change Information – New Zealand’s emissions, emissions trading, projected impacts, international negotiations, and obligations.
  • Rightlight – smarter choices about lighting for home or workplace to reduce power bills and being energy aware of lighting design (while building or renovating).
  • Resource Efficiency in Building and Related Industries (REBRI) – information about resource efficiency and using materials, energy, time and money more effectively; and provides information for industry professionals about assessing, planning and managing waste.
  • Drivers for Resource Efficiency – improving resource efficiency and thermal performance in commercial buildings.

Living Sustainably

  • Energystar – New Zealand’s mark of energy efficiency for products, typically the top 25% most energy efficient products by category.
  • Energywise – Information, and advice on making energy-efficient choices.
  • Smarter Homes – Information on energy savings e.g., appliances, lighting, solar heating, water use and collection, grey water use etc.
  • Solar Water Heating – Information and case studies.
  • Sustainability – 25 easy steps towards sustainability.
  • Oasis Design – Ecological system design, water storage, rainwater harvesting, grey water. Please note that any plumbing or drainage system must be approved by your local Council and installed by the appropriately qualified tradesperson.

Products / Appliances

  • Beacon
  • Miproducts – A New Zealand online database of building products for industry professionals.
  • Micro Generation – Generating electricity on your own property.
  • REBRI – Resource Efficiency in Building and Related Industries.
  • Rightlight – Efficient light bulbs, lighting design (building or renovating).
  • Timber – Good Wood Guides
  • WGANZ – Double and triple glazing with thermal performance
  • WEERS – Window Energy Efficiency Rating System