Heat pumps linked to drop in CO2 in Kiwi homes

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-01-28 08:20

New Zealand

PHOTO: ArnoldReinhold - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=111376617

Homes in NZ’s biggest cities became more comfortable, warmer, and better ventilated after a heat pump was installed - all while energy use likely fell. These are the halfway point results of a commissioned evaluation of almost 130 homes in the EECA’s Warmer Kiwi Homes programme, which provides heat pumps to living areas that don’t have one. The analysis found that heat pump installation was linked to a drop in carbon dioxide levels, which researchers guess may be due to people leaving a living area door open when the heat pump is running. Before installation, 95 per cent of homes also reported having condensation on their windows, which dropped to 30 per cent after installation. Full results will be available next year.

Media release

From: Motu Economic and Public Policy Research Trust

New research from Motu: interim results for impact of NZ Government heating programme on household wellbeing

Interim results from a Motu Research study show that houses in Aotearoa New Zealand became more comfortable, warmer and less damp after heat pump installation, compared to a house without a heat pump yet installed. Also, carbon dioxide levels fell in houses with heat pumps. These gains were achieved despite a likely fall in energy use.

EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) has commissioned Motu Research to investigate the impact of heat pumps in homes with heat pumps installed under the EECA Warmer Kiwi Homes programme.

Warmer Kiwi Homes is an EECA programme aimed at making homes warmer, drier and healthier. EECA does this by offering grants to lower-income homeowners for home insulation and/or an efficient heater.

The Motu Research study (known as the Warmer Kiwis Study) is collecting data in homes of Kiwis who have a heat pump installed through the EECA Warmer Kiwi Homes programme.

The study began in 2021. Interim results from the first winter of the study were published in January 2022. We will publish the final results in early 2023.

Motu Research is working to determine if the health and wellbeing of the household improves because of using heat pumps. Our evaluation is also growing the public evidence base about what works best to make homes warmer, drier and healthier.

For more information about the Warmer Kiwis Study, please see the EECA website.

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Research Motu Economic and Public Policy Research Trust, Web page

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Organisation/s: Motu Economic and Public Policy Research Trust

Funder: This research was funded by EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority). However, the views and interpretations in this report are those of the authors and are not the official position of EECA.

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