Zealand Houses Research Articles

Going for Gold: New Zealand houses in the 60s through the veil of the NZIA Bronze Medals

Going for Gold: New Zealand houses in the 60s through the veil of the NZIA Bronze Medals

Retrofitting home insulation reduces incidence and severity of chronic respiratory disease.

To assess whether retrofitting home insulation can reduce the risk of respiratory disease incidence and exacerbation, a retrospective cohort study was undertaken using linked data from a national intervention program. The study population was made up of 1 004 795 residents from 205 001 New Zealand houses that received an insulation subsidy though a national Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority program. A difference‐in‐difference model compared changes in the number of prescriptions dispensed for respiratory illness post‐ insulation to a control population over the same timeframe. New prescribing of chronic respiratory disease medication at follow‐up was used to compare incidence risk ratios between intervention and control groups. Chronic respiratory disease incidence was significantly lower in the intervention group at follow‐up: odds ratio 0.90 (95% CI: 0.86–0.94). There was also a 4% reduction in medication dispensed for treating exacerbations of chronic respiratory disease symptoms in the intervention group compared with the control group: relative rate ratio (RRR) 0.96 (95% CI: 0.96–0.97). There was no change in medication dispensed to prevent symptoms of chronic respiratory disease RRR: 1,00 (95% CI: 0.99–1.00). These findings support home insulation interventions as a means of improving respiratory health outcomes.

Seismic performance of single-storey light timber-framed buildings braced by gypsum plasterboards considering rigidity of ceiling diaphragms

Light timber framed (LTF) structures provide a cost-effective and structurally efficient solution for low-rise residential buildings. This paper studies seismic performance of single-storey LTF buildings sheathed by gypsum-plasterboards (GPBs) that are a typical lining product in New Zealand houses. Compared with wood-based structural panels, GPBs tend to be more susceptible to damage when they are used in bracing walls to resist earthquake loads. This study aims to provide insights on how the bracing wall irregularity allowed by the current New Zealand standard NZS 3604 and the in-plane rigidity of ceiling diaphragms affect the overall seismic performance of these GPB-braced LTF buildings. Nonlinear time-history analyses were conducted on a series of single-storey baseline buildings with different levels of bracing wall irregularities and ceiling diaphragm rigidity. The results showed significant torsional effect caused by the eccentric bracing wall layout with semi-rigid/rigid ceiling diaphragms. On average, bracing wall drift demand caused by the extreme bracing wall irregularities was three times of that in the regular bracing wall layout under the rigid diaphragm assumption. This finding agreed well with the house survey after the 2011 Canterbury Earthquake in which significantly more damage was observed in the houses with irregular bracing wall layouts and relatively rigid diaphragms. Therefore, it is recommended to limit the level of bracing wall eccentricity and ensure the sufficiently rigid diaphragms to avoid excessive damage in these LTF buildings in future events.

Historical inclusion and exclusion: New Zealand archives as primary resources for historical research

PurposeIn response to the special issue call for papers on international sources for advertising and marketing history, this paper aims to provide information, this paper provides information on two prominent New Zealand archives: Archives New Zealand and the Alexander Turnbull Library (ATL).Design/methodology/approachArchives New Zealand and the ATL were chosen as they are the two largest archives in New Zealand, and both have different but complementary roles – one for the preservation of government records and the other for the preservation of private collections. The history of each is provided as well as a discussion of relevant materials for marketing historians. This is followed by a discussion of the limitations of the archives with regards to their colonial contexts and potential for ignoring the “other” over the years.FindingsArchives New Zealand houses official government documents and thus occupational registrations, licences, trademarks, patents and copyright records are held, along with unique product design registration files and the complete history of health promotion in New Zealand. The ATL houses personal and thus biographically useful photographs, society records and minutes, personal letters and diaries, photos and glass plate negatives, portraits and paintings, architectural works and music.Originality/valueFor researchers pursuing historical research in marketing, the archival documents offered by government archives and donated private collections from throughout the world provide invaluable resources. This paper also provides a discussion of the colonial focus on record-keeping and potential bias stemming from colonial structures of government and lack of representation of marginalised groups.

Sustainable technologies to improve indoor air quality in a residential house – A case study in Waikato, New Zealand

Many New Zealand residential homes suffer from poor indoor air quality (IAQ). Cold, damp and mould-ridden homes can cause severe respiratory health problems. Poor IAQ can arise due to inadequate insulation and ventilation and is compounded when dwellers cannot afford to heat their homes during colder months. Grandfathering of standards means many New Zealand houses have single glazed windows and insufficient or no wall insulation. These have become mandatory for newly built houses since 2016 under the New Zealand Standard NZS4246:2016 Energy Efficiency. This paper aims to present the results of modified ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) lights-dehumidifier coupled with two different types of filters (carbon-fibre or polyester). The modified devices were designed to improve ambient air temperature by removing moisture, particulate matter and reducing mould and bacteria growth in a room. Seven different scenarios were investigated, which include combinations of UV light and filtration. The results showed that the UVGI was superior to filtration only; however, the polyester filter with UV lights (PFUV) was the most effective configuration. The PFUV effectively impeded the mould growth, with a 13.3% reduction in relative humidity and a 4.1 °C increase in the room temperature in the absence of a heating source. The results showed good potential for improving the IAQ of buildings.

System Approach in Complex Integral Design Methodology and Its Application in New Zealand

Many New Zealand houses are energy-inefficient, unhealthy, cold, mouldy, and damp. Therefore, a new approach to building design is imminent. This article proposes a framework for the transformation of housing that integrates construction planning and design, optimization, and control tools at strategic, tactical, and operational levels. The introduced Complex Integral Design New Zealand (CIDNZ) represents a comprehensive and balanced system-based design and delivery process that facilitates and accelerates cross-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary expertise and knowledge. CIDNZ delineates a new way of designing the process based on integral, complex, and systems thinking. The emerging novel understanding of sustainability, which guides the transformation process, might lead to a balance between individuals, groups, society, and existing ecosystems. CIDNZ comprises all stages in the life cycle of buildings and all significant factors in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, particularly, people, processes, technology, and the environment. Therefore, the entire construction process that implements a system approach to buildings as a vital part of environmental systems, goes from the environment to humans and vice versa and offers unlimited possibilities. The consequent practical application of these principles might eliminate or reduce the design defects and lead accordingly to the reduction of costs involved in their rectification.

BUBBLE WRAP OR SLIPPERS? THAT IS THE QUESTION: FROM HAMLET TO HOME INSULATION

There has been much publicity about New Zealand houses having indoor temperatures below World Health Organization standards and how insulation can benefit the health and comfort of the occupants. Landlords are required to install underfloor and ceiling insulation. In Christchurch, in some council flats, it has been suggested that commercial insulation is not practical and too expensive to retrofit, and tenants have been asked to use bubble wrap on windows. So, does bubble wrap actually improve interior comfort? In this study, air temperatures were measured in a typical New Zealand, three bedrooms, 100 m2, 1960s house. A heat-pump in the living room was set to heat to 18 °C. Bubble wrap was applied to bedroom windows during the winter and spring of 2019. Temperatures were compared to 2016 data, which was prior to the installation of the bubble wrap. Regression analysis was employed to determine if the bubble-wrap had any effect on air temperature by either reducing variability or improving average temperatures.

Investigating the New Zealand policy response to methamphetamine-contaminated houses.

The contamination of houses from clandestine methamphetamine manufacture emerged as an issue in New Zealand in the early 2000s. This perspective reviews and discusses the series of policies developed to address methamphetamine contamination in New Zealand houses over a 15-year period, ending with the reversal of the established policy approach in 2018. The policies addressing methamphetamine contamination of New Zealand properties were influenced by a range of sources including overseas scientific guidelines, local scientific reviews, public housing agency policies, and the local methamphetamine testing industry. A post-remediation methamphetamine level of 0.5 μg/100 cm2 was initially implemented in 2010, leading to the termination of public housing tenancies, suspensions from the public housing list, and financial charges for decontamination on public housing tenants. Subsequent reviews of the policy led to some increase in the thresholds (up to 1.5-3.8 μg/100 cm2 ) and the adoption of less punitive sanction processes. A scientific review in 2018 recommended a substantial threshold increase to 15 μg/100 cm2 (a 30-fold increase on the 2010 standard), resulting in HNZ initiating a plan to compensate previously sanctioned tenants. Overreliance on the "precautionary principle"; strict interpretation of scientific guidelines; and the public housing agency's "zero tolerance approach" to drug use, contributed to an overly punitive policy approach to methamphetamine contamination in New Zealand that negatively impacted vulnerable public housing tenants, landlords, and property owners. Investigation into the extent that all possible influences had on the development of the policies, as well as the consequences of their implementation, should be undertaken.

How house size impacts on the number of furniture, appliance and tool items (FATs) in a house: An embodied energy study of New Zealand houses

Various sources show an increase in average house floor area in many developed countries including New Zealand. Obviously larger houses need more materials for their construction but there is little research on the contents of various sized houses. As part of a larger New Zealand study, an online survey of owner-occupiers from mid-February to mid-April 2015 asked about the type and number of furniture, appliance and tool items (FATs) along with the type and number of rooms in their houses. The embodied energy (EE) of FATs in each house was calculated using the input-output on the basis of cost method. The overall embodied energy for furnishing each house was then calculated and mapped with house size. The results showed the number of FATs in NZ houses is significantly different by house size but not by household size. This study also showed that together the embodied energy alone of small and large appliances makes up 51% of the total life cycle energy of FATs in a house in year 0, increasing to 59%, 60%, 62% and 62% after 25, 50, 75 and 100 years.

How house size impacts type, combination and size of rooms: a floor plan study of New Zealand houses

ABSTRACTSeveral sources indicate a recent increase in the average floor area of New Zealand houses, making these often much larger than their older counterparts, and a similar pattern can be seen in other developed countries. While building and living in large houses seem to have become accepted, the features of these large houses have been less investigated. In addition, there is limited knowledge of how the increase in houses size has affected the size and configuration of the internal spaces. Building larger houses also equates to using more natural resources, but to investigate this further, more detail on the layout of these houses is needed. To this end, floor plans of 287 New Zealand houses of varying ages were analysed using Auto Cad 2015–2016. Internal spaces were categorised and average floor areas of all types were calculated for each house size. The results were further analysed in SPSS using analysis of variance one-way and independent sample t-tests. These results were checked against those of a survey of 286 households. Both sets of results showed that as houses increased in size, so did the floor areas of similar room types. The investigation also revealed that larger houses have more multiple rooms of the same function, sanitary spaces, specialised rooms and living rooms. Additionally, the average floor area allocated to bedrooms in an 8-room house is 133% more than that of a 4-room house, whereas the comparable figures for sanitary and circulation spaces are 185% and 364%, respectively, meaning more of the additional floor area of large houses is going into spaces that may be seldom used and into circulation areas. These results should be considered against a background of falling household size, which is important when it comes to considering how efficiently resources are used in different sized houses.

Time-use in different rooms of selected New Zealand houses and the influence of plan layout

House interiors are affected by outdoor and indoor pollutants although levels of exposure differ with room type. The times people spend in rooms also differ, and hence their potential level of exposure, which is the focus of this article. Additionally, time spent in a kitchen during cooking, which is the main source of indoor particulates for non-smoking households, could affect indoor air quality in other rooms, especially where the kitchen is part of an open plan arrangement. This study investigated the time people spend in all rooms including kitchens and open plan kitchen/dining/living in New Zealand houses. On average, New Zealanders spend 54% of time at home indoors in usual bedrooms and 29%–36% in a living room, dining room, and kitchen (or combination of these). People in open plan houses spend less time in living areas than those in cellular plan houses, but effectively more time in the ‘kitchen’. Given time spent in a combined living room/dining/kitchen, combined living room/kitchen or combined dining room/kitchen is effectively time spent in a kitchen, people spend respectively 3.23, 1.36 and 0.53 h/day more in the kitchen compared to those having a separate kitchen, which could increase their chance of exposure to kitchen pollutants.

Impacts of an Innovative Residential Construction Method on Internal Conditions

New Zealand houses are known for producing sub-optimal internal thermal conditions and unacceptably high internal moisture levels. These contribute to poor levels of health, mould and can coincide with the decay of structural timber frames. A proposed solution is to provide an alternative structure utilising plywood, a vapour check on the internal face of the timber frame and an additional air gap, followed by the internal lining. The internal vapour check is designed to prevent moisture vapour diffusion from inside into the frame and to permit moisture diffusion from outside through the structure to the internal environment. Two full scale houses had temperatures, dew points and humidity levels monitored in passive, unoccupied conditions. The test case house incorporated the innovative construction solution. The control house was of identical design and location, using standard construction practice. The calculated internal moisture content profile appeared to be unrelated to the external moisture content as expected, instead following the profile of the changing internal temperature. Whilst the innovative construction appeared to prevent moisture diffusion into the structure in winter and permit it inside in summer, this resulted in a generally higher internal relative humidity than the control house.

The potential benefits of retrofitting thermal mass into New Zealand houses

This article reports on a study undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of thermal mass to moderate indoor air temperatures and to reduce energy demand when it is introduced into existing timber frame residential buildings. The research investigated characteristics of the existing New Zealand housing stock and how energy is used in those dwellings. Six different house typologies were defined and computer models created. Different combinations of thermal mass retrofits were assigned to each house type with variations also involving heat pumps. In all, the investigation produced 72 different scenarios, each of which was modelled for thermal performance using IES VE software. General trends indicate that thermal mass retrofits are more effective in older houses, with more recent dwellings generating little improvement on average annual indoor temperatures. This is most likely a consequence of the higher insulation levels required in the newer houses as well as lower infiltration rates. In a sense, these newer houses start from a higher performance level and the introduced thermal mass provides relatively smaller improvements. The research concludes that, while thermal mass is an integral part of passive solar design, insulation is much more important, particularly in houses where smaller areas of glazing limit the extent to which the sun can charge the mass. A useful outcome of the project is a set of cases that can help inform residential owners about different passive retrofit options and the associated benefits to costs.

Changing places: New Zealand Houses by Winkler & Eisenhofer 1958 to 1969

The Austrian-born architects Erwin Winkler and Fritz Eisenhofer immigrated to New Zealand during the 1950s. After working at the Housing Division of the Ministry of Works, they established a joint architectural practice in 1958 when the growing New Zealand economy and governmental efforts, such as the Group Housing Scheme, increased the building of homes. At the same time the repetitive appearance of English Cottage Style state houses, that had been built in reaction to a severe housing shortage after the Second World War, led to a demand for architecturally designed homes. In reaction to this,Winkler & Eisenhofer established a reputation as a non-conformist practice in creating homes that not only offered modern open-plan living, but also featured unusual features, murals or sculptures. After New Zealand had overcome the housing shortage by the early 1960s, and during an economic upsurge, the practice received commissions from wealthy clients and was no longer competing with builders who offered standardised homes. Winkler & Eisenhofer now oriented their houses towards contemporary American precedents created for a clientele who wished their homes to reflect individuality, internationality and modernity. A number of architectural practices sought at the same time to develop a distinct New Zealand architectural idiom. This paper investigates how the careers of Winkler & Eisenhofer developed at a time when the demand for homes that were designed to overcome a housing shortage, shifted to a demand for modern houses that reflected a newly developing life-style. Within the complex discourse on architectural modernism in New Zealand, Winkler & Eisenhofer's houses were created outside of the ongoing search for a distinct New Zealand style.

Formulating a programme of repairs to structural home injury hazards in New Zealand

Home injuries are a substantial health burden worldwide, with the home setting being at least as important as the road for injury. Focusing on common injury hazards presented by the home environment, we sought to examine the justification for significant expenditure on safety-related repairs to the housing stock. Trained inspectors assessed 961 New Zealand houses for injury hazards. Using administrative data from the Accident Compensation Corporation (the national injury insurance agency), 1328 home injuries were identified amongst the 1612 occupants of these houses over the 2006–2009 period. Telephone interviews gathered data on the location and nature of these injuries, and the attitudes of those injured to potential injury hazards in their homes. Commonly occurring injury hazards that could be repaired at modest cost were identified based on their prevalence estimated by the housing inspection, and their location with respect to the areas of the home where the injuries occurred (identified during the telephone interviews). About 38% of the home injuries studied were potentially related to a structural aspect of the home environment. Common safety hazards included the lack of working smoke detectors (65% of the sample), inadequately fenced driveways (55%), hot water temperatures measured at over 60° (49%) and poorly lit access to the house (34%). A protocol for identifying and repairing important common hazards was designed. The actual safety effects of this protocol are in the process of being examined in a randomised controlled trial.

A measure for quantifying the impact of housing quality on respiratory health: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDamp and mould in homes have been established as risk factors for respiratory health. There is a need for a relatively straightforward assessment of the home that quantifies this risk.MethodsUsing data from 891 New Zealand houses, the utility of a Respiratory Hazard Index quantifying key attributes related to damp and mould was tested by studying its associations with self-reported respiratory symptoms.ResultsA dose–response relationship was found whereby each unit increase in the Respiratory Hazard Index was associated with an 11% increase in the odds of at least one episode of wheezing/whistling in the chest over the last 12 months (relative odds of 1.11 with a 95% CI 1.04%–1.20%). An 11% increase in the odds of an asthma attack over the last 12 months was estimated (relative odds of 1.11 with a 95% CI 1.01%–1.22%). These estimates were adjusted for household crowding levels, age, sex and smoking status. There was suggestive evidence of more steeply increasing odds of respiratory symptoms with increasing levels of the Respiratory Hazard Index for children aged under 7. In the worst performing houses according to the Index, a 33% reduction in the number of people experiencing respiratory symptoms (relative risk 0.67 with 95% CI 0.53 to 0.85) could be expected if people were housed in the best performing houses.ConclusionsThis study showed that increased evidence of housing conditions supporting dampness and mould was associated with increased odds of respiratory symptoms. A valid housing assessment tool can provide a rational basis for investment in improved housing quality to improve respiratory health.

An assessment of roof space solar gains in a temperate maritime climate

New Zealand has a temperate maritime climate. Despite mild winters compared to nations with continental climates, New Zealand houses have been reported to often be at temperatures below internationally recommended levels. Sources of additional heating are therefore of interest to many New Zealand home occupants. Roof space solar gains have been identified as one possible source of heating. This paper investigates the energy gains available in New Zealand homes from ventilation systems drawing air from the roof cavity. Three New Zealand houses were monitored and a computer-based thermal building simulation developed to quantify the heating and cooling energy that might be transferred by home ventilation systems. The computer model simulating the temperature in the roof space and occupied spaces was constructed using MATLAB, and used publicly available weather station data as the inputs. A good match between measured and modelled results was obtained. Small heating and cooling benefits are possible at certain times from pumping roof space air into the living areas of some New Zealand houses. The magnitude of these benefits, however, is not significant compared with the space heating required to maintain reasonable indoor temperatures over the New Zealand winter.

Energy in New Zealand houses: comfort, physics and consumption

The Household Energy End-use Study (HEEP) quantified how, where, when, and why energy was used in New Zealand houses based on the monitoring of energy and end-uses in a national sample of 400 houses. Based on these data, space heating was found to average 34% of total household energy use. Three issues are highlighted in relation to space heating: firstly, the extent to which low indoor temperatures are associated with persistent under-heating; secondly, whether some space-heating sources tend to be associated with higher (or lower) winter indoor temperatures than others; and thirdly, what the drivers of under-heating might be. An overview of the HEEP research and its complex data set is provided. The range of winter indoor temperatures are then compared with international benchmarks and established healthy temperature ranges. Occupants’ perceptions of winter indoor temperature conditions are presented and explored in relation to heating patterns and household energy consumption. The impacts of this research have assisted in changing public policy, moving from a narrow focus on energy efficiency toward an integrated energy, environmental, and health policy for the building stock and future interventions. L'Etude sur l'Utilisation Finale de l'Energie par les Ménages (HEEP) a quantifié comment, où, quand et pourquoi il a été utilisé de l’énergie dans les maisons de Nouvelle-Zélande, en se basant sur un suivi de l’énergie et des utilisations finales dans un échantillon national de 400 maisons. Sur la base de ces données, il a été constaté que le chauffage des volumes s’élevait en moyenne à 34% de l'utilisation totale de l’énergie domestique. Trois problèmes sont mis en évidence par rapport au chauffage des volumes: premièrement, il s'agit de savoir dans quelle mesure des températures intérieures basses sont associées à une insuffisance de chauffage persistante; deuxièmement, il s'agit de savoir si certaines sources de chauffage des volumes ont, plus que d'autres, tendance à être associées à des températures hivernales intérieures plus élevées (ou plus basses); et troisièmement, il s'agit de savoir ce que pourraient être les facteurs causant cette insuffisance de chauffage. Un panorama de l’étude HEEP et de ses données complexes est fourni. Les plages relatives aux température hivernales intérieures sont ensuite comparées aux données de référence internationales et aux plages de température admises comme bonnes pour la santé. La manière dont les occupants perçoivent les conditions de température hivernales intérieures est présentée et examinée par rapport aux habitudes de chauffage et à la consommation d’énergie par les ménages. Les répercussions de ces recherches ont contribué à modifier les politiques publiques, en évoluant d'une approche étroite axée sur le rendement énergétique à une politique énergétique, environnementale et de santé intégrée concernant le parc bâti et les opérations futures. Mots clés: performances des bâtiments, parc bâti, température demandée, précarité énergétique, logement, comportement des habitants, utilisation de l’énergie par les ménages, chauffage des volumes, Nouvelle-Zélande

‘Tame Kākā’ Still? Māori Members and the Use of Māori Language in the New Zealand Houses of Representatives

As the 21st century advances, the Māori language (te reo Māori) has remained the primary language of the marae ātea, the bounded space usually positioned in front of the meeting house of a marae complex (Te Puni Kōkiri 2008: 31). Important language components of the rituals of encounter carried out on the marae ātea are also used for similar ritualistic purposes in the Parliamentary debating chamber. These shared language components have been able to survive, in Parliament, throughout 142 years of Māori representation. In fact it appears that the language used in both types of spaces has enabled the formation of an important linguistic and performative framework that has fostered the survival of Māori collective memory as well as Māori political participation.

Roof-top wind turbines for microgeneration in urban houses in New Zealand

Microgeneration using roof-top wind turbines is at present not common in New Zealand. It is, however, being trialled by the electricity network company, Vector, in a range of urban locations. Limitations of size mean roof-top wind turbines may not satisfy the total energy requirement of New Zealand houses. Ensuring structural stability and complying with stringent noise standards in New Zealand are further issues. In addition, roof-top turbines may be inefficient in terms of net energy and carbon emissions, performance indicators that are fundamental for the adoption of this technology. This paper considers the feasibility of using roof-top wind turbines in urban houses in New Zealand and, using life cycle assessment, evaluates the net energy and carbon emissions associated with their use. The results indicate that the electricity-generating potential of centralised wind farms in New Zealand using large turbines is 11.3–7 times the generating potential of roof-top turbines mounted on urban houses. In spite of this the roof-top turbines that are currently being trialled, could have the potential to reduce the energy and carbon intensity of New Zealand electricity by 81% and 26%, respectively.