REINZ Welcomes Amendments To Healthy Homes Standards

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) welcomes recently announced changes to the Healthy Homes Standards, which see amendments to the heating formula and ventilation standard.

REINZ provided feedback to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on this industry concern. Following consultation, we are pleased to see Cabinet has agreed amendments to the heating formula for homes built to the 2008 building code requirements for insulation and glazing and apartments of at least three storey and 6 units or more. The changes made by Government to the Residential Tenancies (Healthy Homes Standards) Regulations 2019 are expected to come into effect in April 2022.

In addition to the heating formula, the ventilation standard will also be amended to enable the use of continuous mechanical ventilation that extracts outdoors from kitchens and bathrooms. The change will apply to systems that received building consent on or after 1 November 2019.

Joanne Rae, Head of Property Management at REINZ, says: “REINZ has advocated on behalf of members and submitted feedback to Government bodies on the Healthy Homes Standards. We’re glad to see our members have had their voices heard.

“We welcome the amendments that have been announced and now look forward to the issuance of the legislative proposals and the further guidance these will provide on the use of energy-efficient technologies and what is required for specialist certification of a rental home’s heating system. As well as details on the allowance of some geothermal heating systems.”

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