An energy-efficient home or business saves money. Insulation in the ceiling can cut heat losses by around 40%; under-floor insulation can cut losses by up to 15%. Check out the EECA HOUSE graphic showing where key heat losses occur.

Hot water accounts for around 40% of total power costs in most homes. Many families use as much as 200 litres of hot water per day – SOLAR WATER HEATING will reduce the cost of heating your household's water by up to 75%. Energy Options is an industry leader in the design, specification and installation of solar water heating systems.

If your hot water cylinder feels warm to the touch, heat is escaping from it: a NOVAWRAP CYLINDER COVER will keep the heat in and save you more money. Cost-effective and easy to install we can deliver a Novawrap DIY kit to your door within days of your order. If your hot water cylinder has seen better days, you will want to talk to Energy Options about a cylinder from our extensive range of efficient, solar compatible hot water storage options.

Energy-efficient compact fluorescent LIGHT BULBS are a simple way to save money. If every homeowner in New Zealand simply replaced their home’s five most-used lights with energy-efficient bulbs, New Zealand would save 5% of its domestic energy! These light bulbs cost more, but they last around 10,000 hours, and they use as little as 20% of the electricity of a standard bulb. See CONSUMER ONLINE REPORT for a detailed comparison of energy-efficient lights or CONTACT US for advice on your lighting needs.

There are many other things you can do to be energy-efficient and save money: put up thermal curtains, close doors and stop draughts, turn off unneeded lights, do a cold wash in the laundry, take shorter showers, turn off 'standby' appliances at the wall. Find out more at www.energywise.org.nz

A well-insulated building is healthier and more comfortable, because it’s drier and warmer. A cold, damp home can encourage the growth of mould and mildew. That can lead to health problems like asthma, bronchitis and recurring colds and flu.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the ideal minimum temperature for a home is 18ºC. Without effective insulation, that’s difficult and expensive to achieve and almost impossible to maintain. World-first research by the Wellington School of Medicine in 2003 showed a remarkable improvement for health, reduced hospital admissions and reduced days off work and school where insulation had been upgraded.

For businesses, an energy-efficient workplace is healthier for staff - and a lot more welcoming for customers.

Unfortunately, many people are unaware that older insulation products have not stood the test of time. Check your ceiling insulation – if it is thin (75mm or less) or uneven and patchy, it's not doing its job. Talk to Energy Options about an insulation upgrade. It's the single most significant thing you can do to improve energy-efficiency, comfort and health.

New Zealand faces huge energy challenges. The national power supply is not keeping up with increasing electricity consumption. That means more power needs to be generated: the country needs to invest in new hydro (dams), wind, or thermal (coal or gas powered) electricity generation.

As well as costing hundreds of millions of dollars, these options all raise huge environmental issues for New Zealand.

Hydro and wind electricity generation impact on the local environment. Thermal power generation creates carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming. There are also major issues with the placement of new high-voltage transmission lines.

By being more energy efficient as individuals, New Zealand’s existing power supply will cope for longer. That’s good for all of us.