Net-zero Homes Hold the Key to New Zealand’s Carbon Neutral Goals

Climate change continues to be one of the greatest challenges facing Aotearoa and the rest of the world in the 21st Century. New Zealand has committed to meeting the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, and that means fundamental changes, not just to the homes we build but also how we build them.

As we’ve written before, New Zealand has been slow to push for better-performing buildings, although companies like Craft Homes are making a difference one home at a time through innovative design, sustainable building practices, and public advocacy. Fortunately, more ambitious goals from the government, along with a wealth of new policy proposals, suggest change may be on the horizon!

• ​Read our summary of Proposed Party Policies for Sustainable Housing​

​The Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment (MBIE) has recently unveiled Building for Climate Change, a programme intended to reduce “emissions from buildings during their construction and operation, while also preparing buildings to withstand changes in the climate.”
 
This programme is very important because it recognises and addresses the role that construction practices and design principles play in the carbon emissions of New Zealand’s built environment. These policies target many of the largest barriers to more sustainable homes that New Zealand faces, and the construction industry will play a crucial role in their success. That’s where net-zero buildings enter the frame!

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