Healthy Homes
Free Eco Design Advisor Service
Get free advice to make your house warm, dry, healthy and more energy efficient from a trained, independent Eco Design Advisor for your Upper Hutt home.
What is it?
Is your home cold or damp? Are you getting condensation on your windows? Are you thinking about heating options? Are your energy bills skyrocketing? Are you confused about curtains? Wondering about solar panels? Considering insulation options? We can help!
An Eco Design Advisor is an independent advisor that can visit your home and give you advice to make your home warmer, drier, healthier, and more efficient. If you're planning on building a new home, the Advisor can give you independent advice which is helpful before you sign off the final plans. It is a free service to the Upper Hutt community - the cost of the service ($200 p/visit) is covered by Council.
During the two-hour consultation, the following topics can be covered:
If you want to know more, check out the Eco Design Advisor website, and have a look at their information sheets online.
How do I make an appointment?
The Eco Design Advisor is based in Lower Hutt at Hutt City Council, and looks after the whole Hutt Valley. If you would like to request an appointment, you make an appointment with them by booking directly in their calendar, or contact them directly: ecodesign@huttcity.govt.nz or 027 406 5642. As easy as that!
If you have any feedback about the Eco Design Advisor Service, we'd love to hear it! Please feel free to let us know either below, or email us: askus@uhcc.govt.nz
Please note: free assessments are dependent on funding availability, as the costs are covered by Upper Hutt City Council.
Subsidies and help available:
- Curtains: The Sustainability Trust run the Wellington Curtain bank. If you live in Upper Hutt and you, or someone in your house has a community services card or is a SuperGold Combo Cardholder, you may be eligible for free made-to-measure curtains from the curtain bank. The curtain bank recycles donated curtains, and ensures they are fit for purpose.
Check out the Curtain Bank website to see if you are eligible and apply.
- Insulation and heating: The EECA Warmer Kiwi Homes Programme covers 80% of the total cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation, and 80% of the cost of an approved heater (capped at $3,000 including GST). This programme is for homeowners, and funding is determined by area and housing circumstances.
Check out the EECA website to see if you're eligible and request a quote.
Borrow a Home Energy Audit Toolkit (HEAT kit)
The Central Library has three HEAT kits available for library members to borrow for free. The kits contain a set of do-it-yourself tools and instructions to help you assess your home in terms of warmth, dampness, and energy efficiency. Each HEAT kit contains:
- A hygrometer to measure the temperature and humidity of your home.
- A power meter to measure the costs and amount of power your appliances use.
- A stopwatch to measure your shower flow rate.
- An infrared thermometer to assess any heat loss through walls, windows and ceilings; air leaks in the fridge; the water temperature and hot water cylinder.
- A wood moisture meter to assess how dry your firewood is
- An instruction booklet with tips and tricks for you to keep.
You may also download the instruction booklet here(PDF, 547KB).
HomeFit
Developed by the New Zealand Green Building Council, HomeFit is an online check designed to improve your home to keep it warm, dry and safe. Designed for home owners, renters and landlords, once you have answered some questions about your house, you'll receive an impartial report on how it could be improved.