Before You Buy or Rent

When you look to buy or rent a home, you likely check out the number of bedrooms, the location and, of course, the price. But purchase price or weekly rent is not the only cost to think about.

Think about energy efficiency!

An energy-efficient home will cost you a lot less to heat, provides comfort and is well prepared for clean heating.

Take this checklist along when house-hunting. No home will have all these features, and homes are not required to have them. This checklist provides you with a guideline on whether or not your future home will keep the heat in, and at a reasonable cost.

Also, don't forget to find out what to do before you move in to make your home energy efficient.

Comfort

Sunny, north-facing main rooms, not blocked by trees, etc.
Not too many south-facing windows
No high ceilings
Ceiling insulation, up to recommended level of R3.5 (ca. 200mm of batts) but at least up to R2.5 (ca. 100mm of batts)
Wall insulation
Concrete slab foundation (best)
Underfloor insulation
Carpeting

Heating

Clean heating such as a heat pump, nightstore heater, flued gas or diesel heater, pellet fire or low-emission woodburner

Doors & Windows

Internal doors to close off heated rooms and separate floors in multi-storey houses
Closing well or fitted with draught stoppers
Double-glazed windows, No single-glazed skylights
Lined or thermal curtains
Pelmets above windows

Hot water

A-grade cylinder
Hot water cylinder wrap (if not A-grade)
Hot water pipes lagged
Cylinder close to kitchen, bathrooms and laundry
No leaky hot water taps

Lights

Compact fluorescent light bulbs
Ample natural lighting

Moisture

No mould or mildew on walls or floors due to wet soils or drainage problems

Clean Heat Project

ECan’s Clean Heat Project leaving Ecan's website icon provides subsidies of up to 40% for clean heating and insulation to landlords replacing open fires or woodburner. Conditions apply. (Christchurch only - excludes Banks Peninsula ward)