A greener district

Eco Design

We offer free sustainable home assessments providing personalised, impartial advice to suit you and your circumstances.

Whether you are building a new home, renovating an existing home, retrofitting an existing home, or trying to do what you can in a rental property, we've got your back!

Warm fire

What we provide

  • in-home assessments for your existing dwelling - advising options to ensure a warmer, drier, healthier and more sustainable home
  • assistance for planned new builds and renovation projects - assessing plans and advising options to ensure the desired performance levels are achieved.
Mum and baby

Who can access the service

  • owner-occupiers seeking to improve the quality of their home
  • renters looking to improve healthy home habits
  • landlords looking to improve the quality of their properties for their tenants.

Apply for a free sustainable home assessment

If you would like to make an appointment to discuss please call the Contact Centre on 06 759 6060 or fill in the online form.

Apply here

Further information

Clothes drying on a line outside

Free ways to save

  • take showers not baths
  • limit your shower time
  • use and maintain bathroom and kitchen extractors
  • dry your clothes outside of the house
  • find an alternative to gas heaters
  • limit the number of pot plants in your home
  • when washing your clothes, use cold water and wash full loads
  • turn off lights when leaving the room
  • fix leaky taps
  • close your curtains at sunset
  • switch off appliances at the wall
  • block off open fire places when they are not in use (as per fire service advice)
  • turn off ‘second’ or ‘beer’ fridges when they are not in use
  • only heat rooms that are occupied
  • move your bed away from windows.
Installing a shower head

Low cost ways to save

  • install an energy efficient/low flow shower head
  • check your insulation and fill in any gaps
  • install a hot water cylinder wrap – even on new hot water cylinders
  • insulate your hot water pipes
  • install compact fluorescent light bulbs in the rooms you use most
  • replace down lights with surface mounted lights and re-insulate the ceiling area
  • draught proof your doors and windows
  • install and maintain smoke detectors
  • when shopping for new appliances, check their energy efficiency rating
  • install security stays on the windows for passive ventilation.
Heatpump being turned on

Further ways to save

  • install or increase ceiling, floor and wall insulation
  • install pelmets and full length lined thermal curtains
  • replace old appliances with energy efficient appliances – check for the energy star rating
  • install kitchen and bathroom extractors with timers
  • install rain water and grey water systems
  • double glaze your windows
  • install windows with passive air vents or security stays
  • install exterior mechanisms to shade windows which overheat your home in the summer
  • remove carpets from the kitchen, bathroom and laundry areas to prevent moisture build-up
  • use solar water heating or a heat pump to heat your living spaces to 18-24 degrees celsius.

Page last updated: 01:21PM Thu 14 March 2024

Contact us
06 759 6060 enquiries@npdc.govt.nz
Visit us

84 Liardet Street
New Plymouth

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