About this programme
Aims to develop and pilot a range of teaching resources relating to home performance and aimed at young people, to be delivered primarily through the Enviroschools Programme and potentially also through Te Aho T? Roa, depending on the region chosen. The knowledge and understanding of how to improve New Zealand house performance is well established (e.g. BRANZ and Beacon research). However, Beacon’s retrofit programme of work identified that homeowners need to be started on a journey toward good home performance and that independent credible advice and information is important to encourage action. This project aims to test how effective home performance education targeted at young people (as both current and future home consumers, and as influencers of their own families) is in enabling better understanding of the principles of home performance, energy and water use, and how to make their homes warmer, drier and healthier. This project leverages the successful Toimata Foundation programmes of Enviroschools and Te Aho T? Roa (in 31% of NZ schools) which has developed a clear structure and process to empower children and young people to take action for sustainability. Homes and home performance are a missing component. This proposal brings together Beacon’s expertise in home performance research with Toimata Foundation’s network and expertise in child-centred learning, and the Home Performance Advisor programme’s knowledge base to develop a learning product specifically for young people.