In New Zealand, hot summer days and evenings can be a pain – especially for those who rent homes and struggle to afford electricity bills. But don’t panic – there are options to help you cool your home without blowing the budget on electricity.
The energy demand for cooling in commercial buildings is growing at 3% per year, more than double the rate of heating over the next three decades (OECD 2017).
Evolution
Currently, air conditioners and heat pumps sold in New Zealand must comply with minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and must display an energy rating label. In May 2019, New Zealand Cabinet approved a policy proposal to revise these regulations, and the project is still underway at the time of writing.
The E3 Programme is a joint Commonwealth state and territory government initiative working with industry to drive improvements in the energy efficiency of equipment, and reduce the cost of electricity and greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, MEPS and the Energy Rating Label are important tools for reducing energy consumption and emissions.
Despite the declining price of electricity since the privatisation of the electricity supply industry, commercial buildings in NZ still need to use a large amount of energy to keep cool. This is a problem that needs to be addressed.
Installation
New Zealand air conditioning systems come in a variety of styles and brands. It’s important to choose a unit that meets your individual needs.
For example, some models have an energy rating label and are rated for their efficiency (MEPS). This can be helpful to identify the best options for your home.
It also means that you can save money on your electricity bill! You can find more tips on using your air conditioner more efficiently on the government website Energywise.
Air conditioning NZ is a great way to beat the heat and stay cool, but it can be hard to know how to use it properly. Here are some tips from Canstar Blue to help you get the most out of your system:
Brands
There are many air conditioning brands in New Zealand, and each brand has its own unique features. Some are better for the environment and have higher energy efficiency ratings than others.
One of the top air conditioning brands in New Zealand is LG. The company is known for its innovative technology and stylish designs.
Other top brands include Fujitsu, Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, and Daikin. They all offer high-quality air conditioners and heat pumps with a variety of features and stylish designs.
Heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from one place to another, and are often used to warm houses during the winter. They’re also energy efficient and can save you money on your heating bills.
Energy efficiency
Air conditioning is often considered to be one of the least energy efficient forms of heating and cooling but this doesn’t have to be the case. As long as a heat pump is properly sized, installed and used it can be an extremely energy efficient form of space heating and cooling.
However, it is important to note that the energy consumption of air-conditioning in New Zealand buildings is not well documented and the data available is highly variable. This makes it difficult to provide the evidence needed for policy on energy efficiency and climate change.
In addition to the climatic variation between different areas of New Zealand, there are other factors that impact on energy use in New Zealand buildings. These include building codes and standards, voluntary ‘green’ criteria and the low cost of energy for commercial