Household Energy End-use Project 2 (HEEP2): Energy Insights from our Homes

The Household Energy End-use Project (HEEP2) is an update of the original Household Energy End-use Project (HEEP), which ran from 1996–2010. HEEP provided an understanding of how, where, when and why energy was used in New Zealand homes. That picture is now many years old and does not account for a host of building, social and technological changes in the intervening period, including the Warm Up NZ scheme, the use of household appliances (such as heat pumps) and rising fuel costs. This prompted widespread interest in an updated household energy use study. HEEP2 involves data collection to understand how energy is used in New Zealand homes. <br><br>The original feasibility project fostered a culture of co-design, and as a result, we will continue working with Stats NZ to recruit households for the study. The dataset will be used to inform initiatives and policies that will reduce the number of houses with temperatures below WHO-recommended levels and the number of households facing energy hardship. It will also provide the science and development of solutions to help improve energy efficiency and conservation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with our housing stock. The ability to track these parameters over time will help New Zealand meet the challenges of fighting climate change and energy hardship and improve the indoor environments provided by our housing stock. Understanding how and why energy is used in New Zealand homes will inform research in both the Warmer, drier, healthier homes and Transition to a zero-carbon built environment programmes.