New Zealand Reviews Building Rules for Overheating Homes
New Zealand: New Zealand authorities are facing calls to introduce changes to building regulations addressing overheating in newly constructed homes. Organisations including the Building Research Association of New Zealand and the Green Building Council have raised concerns about homes reaching high indoor temperatures during summer, citing factors such as large windows, limited ventilation, lack of external shading and insufficient eaves. The current Building Code does not include controls for overheating or maximum internal temperatures. Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment officials have confirmed that the issue is being considered, but comprehensive changes are not expected to form part of the regular building code review in 2028 and could instead be considered during the subsequent review in 2031.
Green Building Council chief executive Andrew Eagles said: “We're really shocked to hear that we're facing a significant delay in dealing with this.” Auckland resident Jared Laidlaw reported that temperatures on the upper floor of his townhouse reached 35°C during the day and remained in the high 20s in the evening. His home had a west-facing orientation, floor-to-ceiling windows, limited ventilation, no eaves and no external window shading. The family installed ceiling fans, a portable air-conditioning unit and later a ducted air-conditioning system. Laidlaw also used reflective window coverings to reduce solar heat gain. Eagles said the features contributing to overheating were common in many new-build townhouses and apartments.
Source: RNZ
