More households throughout New Zealand can now get access to independent, personalised advice to make their homes warmer and healthier.
The Home Performance Advisor training programme, a collaborative not for profit initiative by Beacon Pathway, Community Energy Network and The Enviroschools Foundation, has trained another five advisors who are now available to offer in-home advice.
Community Energy Network Executive Officer Jo Wills says there are now 27 advisors working throughout the country.
She says the programme is delivering a much needed boost to the numbers of people properly trained to offer independent home performance advice.
“Advice provided is independent and based on best practice, ensuring Kiwis who want a warmer more energy efficient home get the information they actually need to take action and make improvements.“
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has welcomed the programme and says access to independent, personalised advice will help homeowners make the right decisions to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
General Manager Residential Robert Linterman says homeowners can get confused by conflicting information but the Home Performance Advisor programme advice is not tied to a particular product and is tailored to the needs of the household.
Ms Wills says advisors go through intensive science-based training to gain a comprehensive understanding of how a house functions and how to translate this into meaningful and relevant information for Kiwis.
Leigh Featherstone, Homestar Director at New Zealand Green Building Council says ‘High quality and unbiased advice is important for homeowners. The (HPA) certification makes this more widely available and we think this is a good thing!’
Community Energy Network members have certified advisors across the country, to enquire about the service of a certified Home Performance Advisor go click here or contact hpa@communityenergy.org.nz
For more information contact:
Jo Wills, Executive Officer, Community Energy Network
jo@communityenergy.org.nz
www.communityenergy.org.nz
021 2777 042
About the Home Performance Advisor programme
The Home Performance Advisor (HPA) programme is an exciting new initiative aimed at developing a trusted brand and improving the quality and effectiveness of whole of house resource efficiency advice to New Zealanders, improving house performance and the quality of life of New Zealanders. The programme is under pinned by three principles: advice and recommendations are independent, based on science and best practice, and in the best interests of the client.
Developed by Beacon Pathway, The Enviroschools Foundation and Community Energy Network, through a uniquely collaborative initiative, the HPA certification programme delivers to two major outcomes:
1. A pathway for practitioners to develop competency as effective residential energy and resource efficiency advisors, with a specific focus on existing housing stock.
2. The resulting certification provides a foundation of expertise and ethics to assist New Zealand householders, tenants and landlords to know who to trust for high quality, independent, personalised advice to help them improve the performance of their homes and investments and as well as quality of life for those residing.