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Appendix C: Comparative Analysis of the Four Warm Homes Workshops

This appendix lists the factors likely to influence the nature of community responses to a national Warm Homes programme in each of four communities where workshops were held. Note that some values are indicative only, while other values have not been researched for this investigation.

Extent of the air quality problem [Note that theses figures are approximate only.]

(As indicated by the typical number of winter-time air quality exceedances currently being experienced, the proportion of households using solid fuels for home heating.)

Tokoroa
  • 40 nights per year
  • 80% households using solid fuels
Masterton
  • no data provided
  • 75% households using solid fuels
Christchurch
  • 30 nights per year
  • 55% households using solid fuels
Timaru
  • 20 nights per year
  • 70% households using solid fuels

Degree of the air quality problem

(As indicated by the extent to which 24-hour bad-pollution conditions typically exceed the NES 'Alert' threshold.)

Tokoroa
  • worst nights are typically 50% above the threshold value
Masterton
  • no data provided
Christchurch
  • worst nights can often be up to two or three times the threshold value
Timaru
  • worst nights can occasionally be up to two times the threshold value but are typically only marginally over the threshold value

Resource/ technical aspects influencing response

(As indicated by relative accessibility of different heating fuels.)

Tokoroa
  • ready access for most households, including low-income households, to very inexpensive wood supplies nearby
  • mains gas pipeline passes through Tokoroa
Masterton
  • ready sources of wood in vicinity of town
  • expensive electricity compared to other parts of the country
  • no reticulated gas leading to heavy use of unflued LPG heaters
Christchurch
  • access to 'free' firewood is relatively limited
  • no reticulated mains gas supply in the city
  • significant potential distribution constraints for electricity to some parts of the city
Timaru
  • no reticulated mains gas supply in the city

Social/ demographic/ community aspects influencing response

(As indicated by levels of household income/social deprivation, ethnic diversity, proportion of households in rental accommodation, proportion of absentee property investors.)

Tokoroa
  • high proportions of low-income households- significant proportions of Maori and Pacific Islands households
  • above-average proportions of households in rental accommodation
  • significant proportions of absentee property investors (eg, Australians)
Masterton
  • LPG heaters offer low-income households a measure of control over bills
  • wood fires popular across the socio-economic spectrum, by tradition
Christchurch
  • small Maori, Pacific Islands and immigrant communities (therefore requiring specific channels of access)
Timaru
  • predominance of Pakeha households

Community awareness of the problem

(As a health problem as well as an air quality problem.)

Tokoroa
  • the Warm Homes workshop was the first introduction to the nature and extent of the problem; extremely low levels of awareness of either air quality or related health problems
Masterton
  • awareness of health issues/ energy efficiency from Healthy Homes project
  • little present awareness of an air quality problem
Christchurch
  • extended history of public debate about winter-time air quality problems. with a high degree of community acceptance that a problem exists; much lower levels of community awareness of related health problems
Timaru
  • moderate levels of awareness of the extent of the air quality problem and related health problems

Experience of public programmes of any kind which address air quality and/or health issues or energy efficiency improvements

Tokoroa
  • none to this point; Ministry for the Environment's pilot Warm Homes project with six homes in Tokoroa was initiated at the same time as the workshop was being set up

Masterton

  • Healthy Homes project initiated about three years ago has raised awareness of the health benefits of energy-efficiency upgrades to address energy poverty in low-income households

Christchurch

  • major Ecan-driven Clean Heat programme has been in place for the past 18 months to two years, with some successes, mainly in the low-income, full assistance segment
  • previous subsidised programmes driven by Christchurch City Council, with modest uptake mainly among middle to upper income households
  • a number of EECA-facilitated projects aimed at improving the energy performance of private residential dwellings in the city

Timaru

  • major initiative with EECA and local funding just getting under way to improve insulation in several hundred houses over the next three years involving the Energy Efficiency Trust

Agency networking and active collaboration

Tokoroa
  • Environment Waikato and South Waikato District Health Board (SWDHB) prominent in launching the Tokoroa initiative at the workshop
  • the workshop deliberately invited participation by iwi, local health providers and local business interests
  • SWDC is intent on fostering business involvement with the community in addressing social and environmental issues
Masterton
  • good collaboration between community agencies (eg, elderly, local government and health services providers, DHB) working together on the Healthy Homes initiative
Christchurch
  • little active collaboration between ECan and Canterbury DHB; the latter has subsequently become involved in a separate but complementary initiative through an elder care project
  • no engagement of community groups in promoting the ECan Clean Heat programme so far
Timaru
  • local networking around the South Canterbury Healthy Homes Project and the Energy Efficiency Trust initiative

Programme local funding constraints in relation to the extent and degree of the air quality/cold homes problem and the socio-economic status of the community

Tokoroa
  • extensive air quality problem involving large majority of residents who are typically in lower-income brackets
  • very small ratepayer base
Masterton
  • neither elderly nor low-income households have the financial resources, and landlords will be disinclined to invest in improvements
Christchurch
  • extensive air quality problem involving a significant majority of residents but spread across all income brackets
  • relatively large ratepayer base
Timaru
  • extensive air quality problem involving a significant majority of residents but spread across all income brackets
  • relatively small ratepayer base


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