25 February 2000

Council In Forefront Of Energy Moves

About 700 residents have already visited the Christchurch City Council’s energy efficient show home in Papanui.

They have gone through the house in the 10 days since it was opened in Leander Street on February 14.

The City Council’s energy manager, Leonid Itskovich, says this is an example of how the Council is trying to improve residential energy efficiency, along with its own operations.

He said this in response to the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Morgan Williams, whom earlier this week that more should be done to improve the energy efficiency in houses.

Dr Itskovich said today that the Council had been implementing energy efficiency measures in its rental housing since 1996. The improvements included ceiling and under-floor insulation, hot water cylinder wraps and draught stopping.

"A substantial improvement of living conditions of the tenants, most of them elderly, was achieved. They are much warmer and healthier while the energy bills are reduced," Dr Itskovich said.

He said that in 1999 the Council adopted a new policy that the new energy efficiency standards, those Dr Williams spoke about, should be complied with when new Council housing units are built or existing ones retro-fitted.

All new Council developments comply or exceed the requirements, he said.

The energy efficiency show home is open from 11am to 6pm every day, except Wednesdays. It demonstrates how a house can be made warmer and healthier.

Further information: Dr Itskovich: 941 8793.