It pays to look at energy efficiency (and other aspects such as water and indoor air quality) before you start building your own home. Use this page as a starting point for finding out how to build an energy efficient home.
A well-designed home usually needs less heating. Many investments in energy efficiency are a lot cheaper when building from scratch than when you need to correct them in an existing home.
Guidance for housing design
BRANZ booklet "Easy Guide to Eco-Building"
Waitakere City Council’s "Sustainable Home Guidelines"
Your Building Design (Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority)
ConsumerBuild (building, buying, renovating and maintaining)
Smarter Homes (how to design, build and renovate homes)
Homesmarts
Level (design and build)
BRANZ Level Sustainability Series (energy, heating/ventilation, water, materials, passive design, coatings, windows and floor coverings).
Energy and design services
An increasing number of organisations offering 'energy efficiency' home design and build services in Canterbury including:
Energy audits and services
- Community Energy Action - CEA can conduct a Home Energy Check (HEC) for $150. If you proceed with insulation work as recommended to a value exceeding $500, the first $100 will be refunded.
- Enercon (Energy and Utility Consultants.) Ph: 03 384 7905
- Spotless Services Energy Consultants Ph: 03 338 6356
- Climatech Ph: 03 341 0656
- Energy 365 Ltd Ph: 03 313 1655
- Greentech Design Ltd Ph: 0800 022 198