Heating Package A Plus For Hawkes Bay Homes

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has welcomed the Government’s new “Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart” scheme, and will be one of the first councils to sign up to the scheme helping homeowners to upgrade home insulation and heating.

“We applaud the Government’s scheme and actively want to partner with EECA with the intention of transforming as many of Hawke’s Bay homes into healthy, warm and insulated homes,” said Regional Council Chairman Alan Dick.

As of 30 June, Council has formally adopted a rate to raise funds for the home heating package, having consulted with the community through its Ten Year Plan (LTCCP).

The Government scheme was announced in the budget and will be managed by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). It starts on 1 July [today] and aims to retrofit 180,000 homes across New Zealand over 4 years.

Statements by Chairman Alan Dick on National Radio today were taken from a two week old interview. He said that the Council has moved on considerably in terms of finalising details with EECA.

Council is actively building a strategic partnership with EECA to ensure all sources of funds are co-ordinated into an easily accessible package for homeowners.

The Council has also added a funding mechanism to allow low income households to be advanced money from the Council for heating and insulation which people can repay via their rates bill.

“We are able to make a real difference to our community, and both these schemes will make it easier for people who otherwise would have difficulty finding $1500 in their budgets to improve their homes and repay this over time,” said Chairman Alan Dick.

The changes the Council has made, since proposing this initiative in the draft Ten Year Plan, have been to strike the right balance in its Clean Heat rating scheme. Homeowners will now pay 50% of interest on Clean Heat loans from Council. The scheme now applies to homeowners in the Hastings and Napier airsheds but insulation options are available region-wide.

The Council will be appointing a Healthy Homes programme manager who will work with project partners, such as the Hawke’s Bay Healthy Homes Coalition, the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, local councils, EECA and community groups, on the promotion and delivery of this major retrofit scheme.

The Council’s new rate will be introduced in October.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Funding Scheme for Healthy Homes

· Houses built before 2000 , where the household is a community services card holder, will be eligible for $1200 grant from EECA and a $2800 loan from Council, repayable over 10 years, with the Council subsidising 50% of the interest.

· Houses built before 2000 and household income less than $100,000 will be eligible for either a $500 grant from EECA and $700 grant from Council or eligible for a $500 grant and a $3500 loan from Council repayable over 10 years with council subsidising 50% of the interest.

· Houses built after 2000 and household income is less than $100,000 are eligible for a grant of up to $1000 from Council, or eligible for a loan of $4000 from Council repayable over 10 years with Council subsidising 50% of the interest.

Homes built after 2000 are already required to meet new building standards for insulation, including ceiling, wall and floor insulation, so assistance to these household will focus on clean heating appliances.