Canterbury homes warmer, drier
Before the Tauveli family took part in the Healthy Homes Programme, their six-year-old son hadn't gone a year without being in hospital for his respiratory issues.
The family's home in southwest Christchurch was one of about 1400 homes in the region that were made warmer and drier in the past three years, thanks to the Healthy Homes Programme - a partnership between several organisations, including Community Energy Action Trust, Canterbury District Health Board and Pegasus Health.
Talasinga Tauveli
The programme, which started in late 2011 and finished in late 2014, provided insulation and heating installations to people who frequently visited their family doctor or local hospital for conditions or illnesses including diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, heart disease, chronic depression and rheumatoid arthritis.
The Tauveli family received ceiling and underfloor insulation and thermal curtains in mid 2014.
Talasinga and Veisinia Tauveli found out about Healthy Homes through Christchurch Hospital, which referred them to the programme because of their son's regular hospital visits.
"When we first moved into our house, there was no underfloor insulation. I put in plastic sheets and foil insulation, but we couldn't afford to install ceiling insulation so we just cranked up the heat pump," Talasinga says.
Since their home has been made warmer and drier, the family of seven have hardly used their heat pump and only use their logburner in the evenings.
Their son no longer needs regular trips to hospital, as his respiratory issues are under control. In fact, the entire family is healthier and happier, Talasinga says.
The organisations behind the Healthy Homes Programme wanted to provide warm and dry homes to improve the health and wellbeing of Canterbury people and reduce the pressure on health services.
In late 2011, Canterbury District Health Board and the region's three Primary Healthcare Organisations formed a strategic partnership with Environment Canterbury, the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority and Community Energy Action Trust to develop and implement the programme.
The programme was set up in response to rising demand for hospital and emergency department services due, in part to the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes, and the limited impact other programmes had on environmental determinants of health, like housing.
Funding from the partnering organisations provided 1396 insulation installations and 399 heating installations.
According to a survey of people who took part in the programme, benefits included:
- improved physical health, mental health and/or an improved general state of mind/wellbeing
- reduced use of health services
- the holistic benefit of living in a warmer, drier home, which extended to other family members living there
The Healthy Homes Programme has led to other initiatives, such as the Christchurch City Council's Complex Insulation Upgrade Programme, which targets clients with high health needs living in council houses and flats.
The Community Energy Action Trust continues to work with people with high health needs who require insulation and heating upgrades.