Abstract
Sustainable home technologies are widely regarded as being a responsive tool to the increase in awareness of the warming climate and detrimental impact of fossil fuels. As more homeowners are beginning to shift away from traditional sources of energy, ensuring regulatory and non-regulatory provisions are supportive of the transition is vital. Within the literature on sustainable home technologies and the role of government policies, several arguments have developed regarding the appropriate approach to take in order to increase uptake. Given that effective provisions should be based on research and exemplars of best practice, this raises the question of whether the current Aotearoa New Zealand planning framework is providing enough support to homeowners. International case studies provide best practice models and guidance that can be used to inform the development of a suitable system and the features it includes.
This research aims to identify what provisions are in the current planning framework, how they were formed and why they were included, to see if they provide effective support to homeowners, and how they can be improved going forward. Four local government jurisdictions, including South Taranaki, Wellington, Marlborough, and Christchurch, are examined to provide a benchmark for the provisions presently in place in Aotearoa New Zealand. Interviews with key informants and a document analysis were used to identify and assess how well they have achieved the objectives of various plans, strategies, and reports.
This research found that while there were some provisions in place, both regulatory and non-regulatory, these were not enough to provide effective support to homeowners implementing sustainable home technologies. Legislation at the national level has taken an effects-based approach, while the local government district plans have prescribed the type of development which should be occurring. While in some areas of environmental management this approach has been a success, this study has found that specific technologies need to be directly provided for to increase the rate of uptake by homeowners.
The implementation of a more permissive and incentivising planning framework would give homeowners more leeway to develop a system which provides for their household needs. However, the current approach is lacking in multiple areas and requires considerable review. Several recommendations for improving current provisions have been formed as a result of this research. They include:
• A review of the Building Act (2004) and the associated Building Code.
• Providing local government with more controls over the development in their jurisdiction.
• Implementing additional non-regulatory mechanisms.
• Providing for the contribution of additional actors, such as financial institutions and energy companies.
• Increasing education and awareness of sustainable home technologies and the benefits derived from such an installation.
Adopting these recommendations will increase the rate of uptake of sustainable home technologies throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. The collaboration of various actors will ensure national and local government provisions are meeting the needs of homeowners, providing adequate support, encouragement, and, where necessary, regulation.