Warm Up West Coast Insulation Scheme

17 December 2012

Warm Up West Coast Insulation Scheme

Healthy West Coast has received notice that the Warm Up West Coast Home Insulation Programme has come to a close.

The programme has insulated almost 300 homes over a 14-month period at little or no cost to the homeowner. That represents a direct investment into West Coast homes, occupied by some of the most high-needs residents, of around $1.45 million.

“Arrangements are being made for the final 40 homes, which have already applied to the programme and meet programme eligibility requirements, to be insulated in the New Year,” Dr Cheryl Brunton, Chair of Healthy West Coast and West Coast Medical Officer of Health says.

“This investment will have a significant positive impact on the health and wellbeing of those that occupy these homes and also means fewer hospital admissions are likely from respiratory related illnesses caused by cold and damp housing”, Dr Brunton says.

Eligibility for the programme was determined by living in a home built before 1 January 2000, having a community services card and with one member of the household having a housing related health problem, such as a respiratory condition, or being under 2 or over 65 years old.

The programme originally planned to insulate up to 500 homes of eligible West Coasters within an 18-month period, but has had to discontinue due to increasing financial constraints on the service provider.

“Whilst Healthy West Coast is disappointed the project has ended short of its target”, Dr Brunton says, “if the programme partners had not approached us with this opportunity last year, almost 300 households may well be still suffering in poor housing conditions.”

No further applications can be considered for the Warm Up West Coast Home Insulation Programme.

The Warm Up West Coast Home Insulation Programme was a joint venture between Healthy West Coast, Autex GreenStuf, contractor The Insulation Company, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) via the Government's insulation programme Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart. Healthy West Coast had neither a funding nor an administrative role in the programme. Its only role was to identify people in the community most at risk due to living in uninsulated homes.

Healthy West Coast is a partnership between the West Coast DHB, the West Coast Primary Health Organisation and Community and Public Health.

ENDS

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