Free sustainable building advice - new service

 A free service offering advice on sustainable homes is now available in the Queenstown Lakes District, the first district in the South Island to offer the service.

Available to homeowners, designers, builders and trades-people, the service is provided by Sustainable Wanaka and is funded and supported by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, BRANZ Ltd, Building Research, the Ministry for the Environment under their Sustainable Management Fund and EECA.

The council would provide ongoing support and funding for the project.

“We are delighted to be involved and supporting this service, which makes sustainable building more accessible and more appealing as an option to the whole community,” QLDC strategy committee chairwoman Gillian MacLeod said.

The Eco Design Advisor would act as a free supply of eco-building information and will be able to offer tailored advice on individual projects.

“The new service will give anyone the opportunity to come and talk about their own project,” newly appointed Eco Design Advisor, Jessica Winter said. “This service will give specific advice that is appropriate to each project.”

The climate and conditions in the region were unique and there is little easily accessible information on building sustainably in the area

Ms Winter was equipped to offer free energy, water and material related advice on home building projects, to ensure better use was made of resources.

Networking with other advisors gave access to a large support network of specialists, design tools, assessment methods, and material information.

“As an advisor I can provide up to two hours of advice per project, but shorter queries can be answered on the phone. I am also happy to give talks to stakeholder groups in the industry on the issues involved in building efficient, comfortable buildings that have a reduced impact on the environment,” Ms Winter said.


Information on sustainable building on Sustainable Wanaka's website was a key resource for the project. “People will be directed to this information before attending a consultation so that they can make the most of their time,” Ms Winter said.


The Eco Design Advisor project was piloted last year by councils in Waitakere , Hamilton and Kapiti Coast and this year was extended nationwide with a further five districts coming on board. More information on the project is available on www.ecodesignadvisor.org.nz  


Consultations would be held in Wanaka on Monday, Tuesday, and Tuesday evening, and at Queenstown on Thursday, Thursday night, and Friday morning. To register for a consultation, Jessica Winter can be contacted jessica@sustainablewanaka.co.nz  or through the Sustainable Wanaka website: www.sustainablewanaka.co.nz.