Thermal upgrade to more homes in Hutt Valley

The retrofit programme follows an initial pilot of upgrading existing Housing NZ properties in Lower Hutt.

Two hundred more Housing NZ homes in the Hutt Valley will receive a thermal upgrade, Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford announced today.

The retrofit programme follows an initial pilot of upgrading existing Housing NZ properties in Lower Hutt. Sixty homes have been completed to date as part of the pilot and a further six will be completed next month.

“The Housing NZ programme is making these homes warmer through insulation, double glazing, improved air-tightness, ventilation, and new heating to ensure a healthy indoor living environment,” Phil Twyford said.

“This will help the homes achieve an indoor winter temperature of 20 degrees in the living area, 18 degrees in the bedrooms and 16 degrees elsewhere, which is in line with World Health Organisation recommendations.”

The upgrades will begin later in the year and will be completed by mid-2019.

The Hutt Valley is home to some of Housing New Zealand’s oldest stock and it is vital that these older properties are brought up to a more modern standard. The retrofit programme will extend the lives of these homes for generations to come.

Phil Twyford said families that have benefited from the pilot have found their upgraded homes to be a vast improvement on their previous properties, especially during the cold winter months.

“The retrofit programme is an essential part of Housing NZ’s efforts to renew its current housing stock in the Hutt. It is also looking to build up to 300 new homes in Lower Hutt over the next two to three years, with the first new homes expected to be delivered from next year,” Phil Twyford said.

(With inputs from New Zealand Government press release)