COLD COMFORT

Why are so many Kiwi homes unhealthy?

Despite millions in spending and research, there is still a large amount of substandard housing in New Zealand, with respiratory illnesses increasing every year and very clear links between healthy housing and respiratory health.

This is the view from building science and architectural engineering experts Oculus, who’ve released a Healthy Home Guide to help Kiwis make simple changes to their homes, and ask questions about whether the spaces they live in are healthy enough, especially as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of their philosophy of questioning governance and the building industry about these issues, while educating people about how buildings should be operated by their occupants in ways that are healthy, comfortable and affordable, Oculus saw a gap in the delivery of adequate information – which is where the new Healthy Home Guide comes in.

The guide outlines the science behind how buildings work: Explaining heating, ventilation and moisture in simple terms, dispelling myths and providing suggestions for healthier ways to live in a home.

Examples include the fact that contrary to popular opinion, heating and ventilation are healthier and more effective at removing moisture than dehumidifiers or opening windows, and that studies have shown leaving heat pumps on to regulate temperature can be up to 13 percent more efficient than turning them on and off. However, while the suggestions in the Healthy Home Guide will help, Oculus co-director and architectural engineer, Shawn McIsaac, says the problems with Kiwi housing run deep, and now more than ever is the time to address this.

In fact, respiratory “ illness statistics continue to rise every single year. There is a well-researched link between healthy housing and respiratory illness. ”

“The substandard housing in New Zealand has been a topic of conversation for a number of years now and despite spending tens of millions of dollars in research through the Building Levy, there has been very little in the way of improvement,” he says.

“In fact, respiratory illness statistics continue to rise every single year. There is a well-researched link between healthy housing and respiratory illness so this suggests the information in the public about healthy housing either isn’t being followed or is incorrect. Oculus believes both of those are true.”

Oculus co-director and structural engineering expert, James Powers, says it comes down to Kiwis just not being well enough informed about healthy homes, with messaging from key industry leaders about ‘warm, healthy, drier housing’ focusing on the intentions of the building’s design but not on educating the occupants about how that home is supposed to be operated. “We find there is this market assumption that ‘code minimum’ homes operate themselves and don’t require user intervention, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our current building stock requires enormous amounts of user input to function correctly,” James says.