“ Building and construction minister Chris Penk wants to roll back insulation standards that save a new home an estimated 40 percent on heating. " -

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/522288/government-considers-rolling-back-insulation-standards

We never saw this one coming, Minister of NZ building, and construction Chris Penk has suggested we turn back the clock on recently (May 2023) introduced H1 insulation standards. 

Arbol are already miles ahead of H1 NZBC and we would never consider going in any other direction, but forward. However, as a collective voice for change within the New Zealand building sector and for everyone currently living in cold, moldy, damp, and hard to heat homes.

This is just unacceptable. To see the building code go backwards at the request of large monopoly players of the industry who lobby and bully for the benefit of themselves, and their share holders’ pockets.

How about instead of being forced to build big inefficient homes, the focus and pressure is to put on the developers and councils to allow smaller dwelling construction, and to focus on better quality not bigger homes, and look to at more cost, resource, and time efficient ways of construction like Prefab.

Not homes that are excessively humid, cold, or overheated imposing significant demands on occupants and the grid, contributing to escalating energy use and costs. Moreover, they require longer manufacturing times, often resulting in budget blowouts.

These savings can be put towards homes that meet a healthy standard of living for our climate of extremes. Correctly designing and constructing a home with high insulation values, good orientation, and window glazing will ensure they work like a chilly bin, and keep the hot outside and cold inside during the summer months, and inversely keep the cold out and warmth inside during the winter months. 

Instead of time and resources being put towards improving our building standards and finding relevant solutions the attention and energy is now being focused towards undoing the hard work.

It's unfortunate to see this unfold as the National Party visited Arbol twice in the last two years and were showing enthusiasm about changes being made and what this means for the industry and all kiwis alike.
It's a let-down to see someone with such power who doesn't have the confidence and experience to do the correct research to lead with change.

See input below from credible data driven NZ experts below who also agree this would be a monumental step in the wrong direction.

Todd Couper, www.arbol.co.nz
19/07/2024

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PHINZ strongly disagrees with proposals to roll back insulation standards as per recent reports and comments in the media. We have issued a press release to the media and an open invitation to Minister Chris Penk to meet with us to discuss this before any further action is progressed.

Acting Chairperson of Passive House Institute New Zealand, Guy Shaw had this to say ""Our insulation standards aren't perfect, but MBIE was on the right track with the H1 update as a step towards implementing Building for Climate Change proposals. Rolling H1 back isn't going to address the fundamental problems, instead let's focus on proven solutions to ensure our buildings are always healthy and comfortable"

https://passivehouse.nz/2024/07/18/passive-house-institute-new-zealand-phinz-opposes-insulation-standards-rollback-advocates-for-effective-building-standards/

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Damien McGill – High performance housing engineer

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/damien-mcgill-healthy-home-engineer-passive-house_kia-ora-be-healthy-is-minister-chris-penk-activity-7219762864968937472-GNB2?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Kia Ora / Be Healthy!
Is Minister Chris Penk MP overstepping his remit, by instructing Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on operational matters?

Section 11 of the Building Act (2004) ( and yes, it's 20 years old) outlines the role of the Chief Executive.
1 Role of chief executive
Under this Act, the chief executive—
(a) issues acceptable solutions or verification methods and reviews those documents; and

The changes to H1 affected the Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods. The changes did not amend the Building Act or the Building Code.

As clearly stated above, the amendments are the responsibility of the Chief Executive of MBIE. The Chief Executive does not need ministerial or cabinet approval, and ministers cannot instruct officials on operational matters.

So, the minister would have to change the actual regulations; being the Building Act 2004, or the Building Code contained within Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations 1992 to effect any changes.

Otherwise, he should not be getting involved in any discussions around H1 compliance or rolling them back.

I suggest you save your energy, Sir!

POST TWO

Kia Ora (Be Healthy)
Everyone in #aotearoa #NewZealand deserves warm, dry energy efficient, healthy homes.

What we don't need Chris Penk MP is builder bullshit from $10 Tauranga!

Here are some simple money saving tips for you
1. You don't need dwangs - There is $20,000+ saved right there. Insulation values increase just by themselves then!
2. Don't use the schedule method. Energy model the design to optimise performance and check for overheating before the house is built. (Would you test drive a car before you buy it, Chris? Why not a house that's 10x more expensive??)
3. Fix the ventilation standards that rely on opening windows, when no one does.
4. Build a better home, not a bigger house. A home should not be a commodity.
5. Fix the problem, not the symptom!

I have recently added additional R4 Terra Lana Products Ltd. insulation to the ceilings in my houses. It cost bugger all, to provide warmer homes to people and the return of investment is happy healthy people.

The piss poor productivity in this country is down to our cold uncomfortable homes, sickness, time off work & school, medical bills and prescriptions.

Insulation actually helps to cool houses in summer as it stops heat from super heated roof spaces (55 degrees plus) heating the rooms below.

"Before the change was introduced, 99 percent of public submissions during consultation supported raising insulation standards."

Everyone else knows this was a great idea, and wanted to go further, why are you listening to laggards, Chris?

Everyone deserves #healthyhomes. Homes that don't cost the earth to heat and cool. #housing for #people & #planet, whanau and whenua.

Everyone.
Even laggards.

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Joseph Lyth - Passive House certified architect

“ The NZ building code is so far behind, it is literally going backwards…
The new NZGBC design guide is basically an instruction book on how to solve the issues raised in this article - overheating, interior moisture, and perceived additional cost.

Perhaps Chris Penk MP would like a presentation on this to hear about solutions, rather than just having a knee jerk reaction that will take us even further backwards? “