Meridian First Light eco-house shows way forward for NZ homes

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“This prototype should inspire New Zealanders to think about the kinds of energy efficiency investments they can make when building or renovating that will make a difference to their ongoing energy bills, and their impact on the environment.
“Constructing a house like this which can be taken apart and shipped across the world and reassembled is a hugely ambitious project, and the First Light team deserve to be congratulated for their hard work and commitment,” Mr Underhill says.

The “eco-bach” is on temporary public display at Frank Kitts Park on Wellington’s waterfront before being shipped to Washington DC to take part in the US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon later this year.
EECA helped to sponsor the project because it incorporates many of the energy efficiency elements that EECA promotes, including high levels of insulation, energy efficient appliances and lighting, smart building design, solar water heating and renewable energy, Mr Underhill says.

“Many homes in New Zealand waste energy due to poor design, inadequate insulation, and inefficient heating and appliances. 
“For example, around 800,000 New Zealand homes are estimated to have substandard insulation, which costs home owners much more to heat their houses, as well as being linked to respiratory illness,” he says.

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