Buildings are a major contributor to climate change because they use large amounts of energy for heating, cooling and lighting.

The energy used in our homes, businesses and other buildings makes up 19% of emissions in Christchurch.  

You can make your home healthier and more energy efficient, saving money and reducing emissions, by stopping draughts, improving your insulation, installing thick curtains, and choosing energy-saving lighting and appliances.   

Worth a thought 

  • People spend, on average, 80 per cent of their lives in their homes, so it’s important for your home to be healthy, comfortable and energy efficient.  
  • About one-third of the energy we use at home is for hot water heating. If you have an older hot water cylinder, wrapping it with insulation can save you $100 per year.  
  • About one-third of the energy we use at home is for space heating. In a modern insulated home, nearly half of your heat is lost through windows. Two layers of thick curtains are needed to prevent heat loss, maintain your comfort and reduce energy bills.  
  • Most major banks in New Zealand offer very low-interest 'green loans' to help improve the energy efficiency of homes. 
  • In many parts of Christchurch, around 50 litres of water can rise from the damp ground beneath your home every day, making it hard to heat rooms and contributing to weepy windows and mould problems. A plastic sheet on the ground beneath your home, and good underfloor insulation, are the best ways to prevent rising damp entering a home with raised floors. 

What you can do 

Ways to help lower emissions:

Meet with our Eco-Design Advisor 

If you’re thinking about designing a new home or undertaking major alterations, you can book a free one-hour consultation with the Council's Eco-Design Advisor. Learn more and book your free appointment(external link). 

Get help to heat and insulate your home  

In partnership with the Government’s Warmer Kiwi Homes programme, Community Energy Action is offering subsidies of between 80 to 90 per cent for ceiling and floor insulation and a heat pump or log burner for homes located in low-income neighbourhoods. Learn more at Community Energy Action(external link). 

Check the health of your home 

The New Zealand Green Building Council has developed a simple-to-use online checklist for the health and energy efficiency of your home. See how your home measures up at HomeFit(external link).  

Visit or build a superhome 

The Superhome Movement is a local charitable trust made up of designers, builders and suppliers who build healthy and energy-efficient homes. They offer home tours, practical workshops and detailed design guides about building a superhome. Learn more at Superhome Movement(external link). 

Learn how to build smarter 

For more helpful tips and detailed guides about renovations and building a new home, see our Build Smarter guides(external link). 

What we’re doing 

We ensure our portfolio of buildings – including community centres, libraries, pools, recreation centres and water supply and wastewater facilities – are all designed and run in ways that minimise costs and reduce emissions. Thoughtfully designing and operating these buildings – together with switching to energy-efficient lighting, appliances and equipment – means we can provide high-quality facilities and services for the community in ways that are cost-effective, more resilient and environmentally responsible.  

Leading on green buildings 

We’ve built some of the greenest buildings in Christchurch, as certified by the New Zealand Green Building Council. These buildings are very energy and water-efficient and minimise impacts on the environment while providing healthy places for people.

For example, Te Hononga, the Council’s Civic Offices, achieved a 6 Greenstar rating – the highest level possible, demonstrating world-leading practice for sustainable design. Tūranga Library achieved a 5 Greenstar rating, demonstrating best practices in New Zealand. A map showing all the certified green buildings in Christchurch is available from the New Zealand Green Building Council(external link).  

Switching to energy-efficient streetlights 

We switched our 44,000 streetlights to energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs), saving around $1.5 million each year in energy and maintenance costs. This has also reduced carbon emissions by more than 1,150 tonnes per year. 

Using biogas for energy  

We collect biogas from the Burwood Landfill and pipe it 10 kilometres to Te Hononga, the Council’s Civic Offices, to run one of the first tri-generator engines in New Zealand. From this biogas, the tri-generator produces electricity, heating and cooling for the building. This short video explains the process and other energy innovations at Te Hononga(external link).

Using energy-efficient heating and cooling technologies  

Extremely energy-efficient heat pumps, which harness the stable temperature of the ground, are being used to heat and cool Tūranga Library, the Christchurch Town Hall, Christchurch Arts Centre, the Bus Interchange and the Pita Te Hori Centre. The heat from a nearby sewer will also be used as energy for the Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre. 

Partnering to encourage energy innovation. An Energy Hub has been created in Christchurch to accelerate our transition to a clean energy future. The Hub enables greater collaboration across the local energy sector and supports energy innovation. Learn more at EnergyHub(external link).