This tool is for all New Zealanders who wish to live with higher levels of comfort and health, whilst saving valuable resources. The language, solutions and market for home efficiency and sustainable housing can be complex and confusing. The rating tool provides a pathway for achieving a warmer, drier, healthier home. Once you have entered some details about the house, Homestar™ will provide you with advice and information on how you can improve comfort, reduce operating costs and make your home better for the environment. Source: BRANZ, Beacon Pathway and the New Zealand Green Building Council

If not, Energy Leader will help you get a competitive edge through saving on energy. Take five minutes to answer some simple questions about your company, and you'll get a fully customised action plan to help your business save energy and money. Source: EECA Business

The 2010 edition of the World Energy Outlook (WEO) was released on 9 November and it provides updated projections of energy demand, production, trade and investment, fuel by fuel and region by region to 2035. It includes, for the first time, a new scenario that anticipates future actions by governments to meet the commitments they have made to tackle climate change and growing energy insecurity. Source: International Energy Agency

The report, produced in co-operation with Chatham House, explores the key global energy trends over the next 10 to 20 years and examines the major implications for business both in terms of future resource constraints and the need to move to a low carbon economy. The report identifies the major energy risks facing business over the short to medium term, including operational, supply chain, regulatory, financial and reputational risks. It also identifies potential opportunities for companies in the areas of renewables and energy efficiency. Source: Lloyds

EECA provides independent authoritiative advice to help New Zealand businesses boost productivity through energy efficiency energy-saving technology and renewable energy. Includes case studies fact sheets advice and funding. Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority

The site provides advice and tools that suit the demands of various business sectors: accommodation and education property and business services retail trade and industrial operations. For each sector there are specific practical energy management tips that target the priority areas for achieving energy savings. Source: New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development

Lists various cost-effective energy saving measures that can be easily implemented in most businesses and will reduce energy usage greatly. Tips are organised by the type of equipment they are associated with eg. Lighting computers etc. Source: Meridian Energy

Lists a variety of simple no-cost strategies to save energy. Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Business

Lists a few energy saving actions you can implement in your business at a very low cost. Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Business

This page gives ideas for getting staff aware of the importance of energy effiency and getting them involved with an energy effiency plan Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Business

Information about the Southland Solar Pilot, including how to register, and a questionnaire to find out the public's attitudes towards solar. Source: Venture Southland

The aim of this Guidance is to streamline and simplify the consenting process for solar water heaters through improving the understanding of the Building Code performance criteria related to solar water heaters, and providing a framework for preparing and assessing alternative solutions. Source: Department of Building and Housing

Is solar water heating for me? Solar water heating options. Installing and using a solar water heating system. Source: Smarter Homes

Describes some easy low-cost actions you can take to increase the energy efficiency of your business, small local hot water systems as well as providing descriptions of NZ businesses using solar and heat pump heating. Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Business

Detailed analysis of solar water heating providing the following information to help with your decision: the benefits the desirable design and location of a house and points to consider when choosing a solar water heating system Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Energywise

Energy Leader is a new, interactive tool that will guide and support businesses making decisions regarding energy management. Source: EECA

Would you conserve energy if you could monitor your consumption by the hour? Lucid Design Group has developed new software that provides users with instant feedback on how much energy they're using. SmartPlanet visits the start-up to see their dashboard up close. Source: Smart Planet

These webinars offer training on a range of energy efficiency areas. Source: Energy Star

Explains three basic steps steps you can follow to keep track of your business' energy use: Reading your energy bills Analysing your energy bills and monitoring your energy use Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Business

Outlines simple changes you can make to the way you use monitor and maintain equipment that will cause significant savings for the costs of your business and the environment. Source: Ministry for the Environment

A variety of downloadable Target Sustainability Guides Calculators and Worksheets to help your business become more sustainable.Topics include: The Path to Sustainability Waste Energy and Water. Source: Christchurch City Council

Energy Usage Calculator to determine where energy is being consumed and what equipment needs to be targeted to improve effiency. Source: New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development

An easy-to-use tool for medium and large business to assess their energy management and identify opportunities to improve energy use. Source: Contact Energy

Community Energy Action sells a variety of DIY insulation materials to keep you warm and reduce your heating bill. We only sell products which we are confident to be practical, cost-effective and performing well in the New Zealand climate. Most products can be bought both from our office and online (where postage is cost-effective and practical). Source: CEA

A list of low-cost actions to insulate your building and thereby require less energy to maintain comfortable energy temperatures. Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Business

Comprehensive information explaining types of insulation how much is enough and when where and how to install it. Plenty of links to even more detailed information too. Source: Smarter Homes

Coherent information about the 5 types of insulation Right House specifies in and installs Source: Right House (insulation service provider)

This guide outlines the changes that have been made to energy effiency and building requirements so it's worth a read to check ur current situation and/or plans are compliant. Source: Department of Building and Housing

"Contains documents explaining minimum energy efficiency measures to meet NZ building code (clause H1 of the building code). " Source: Department of Building and Housing

Can be used to evaluate the energy production and savings, life-cycle costs, emission reductions, financial viability and risk for various types of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies (RETs). The software is free to download and the website includes data and case studies. Energy studies include technologies such as wind energy, solar hot water, solar space heating, biomass heating, passive solar heating, ground source heat pumps, photovoltaics and wind energy. Source: Natural Resources Canada

The Southeast False Creek Olympic Village in Vancouver has won international recognition for the design of their eco-village. Source: TVNZ

Daily news for New Zealand designers and architects Source: idealog

The Smarter Homes website contains information on sustainable design, water use, landscaping, energy use, building materials and construction. Source: Smarter Homes

Homesmarts is a quick, easy way to find out how your home measures up, and learn about the simple steps you can take to create a better living environment for yourself and your family. Source: Beacon Pathway

Level will help you design and build homes which have less impact on the environment and are healthier, more comfortable, and have lower running costs. Source: BRANZ

This page and attached brochure provides advice on how to utilize the sun's energy when designing a house (relevant to any building). Source: Tasman District Council

This guide includes a selection of medium to long term potential energy and resource saving ideas that can be easily integrated into the design of a new building in the early stages at little or no extra cost. Source: Christchurch City Council

Includes a variety of information about designing and building sustainable buildings. Start by exploring build magazine or checking out the range of interactive tools. Source: BRANZ

Well-explained wikipedia entry describing thermal mass it's use and the materials used. Source: Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia

SolarView gives an estimate of the available solar energy at a particular location for people considering installing a solar energy system. The program allows users to determine the amount of solar energy (insolation) that would be received at a given location based on local topography (landscape), orientation of the solar panels and other obstructions,such as buildings. Source: NIWA

Range of tools and calculators relating to wood energy that may assist you. Source: EECA

This guide outlines the potential of wood energy within the New Zealand business environment. It outlines the strong environmental and economic benefits, as well as the emerging opportunities. Source: EECA

Provides guidance to both home and business owners who are interested in generating their own electricity, but need more information before going ahead. It is directed at the layperson who already has some basic knowledge of micro-generation. Source: EECA

This report focuses on two critical areas that have disproportionate impact on energy and climate considerations. Transportation: biofuels and electric vehicles. Power generation: concentrated solar power, solar PV, wind and clean coal. Source: Boston Consulting Group

SIESA has been investigating alternative means of power generation for Stewart Island for both the environmental and economic benefits of renewable generation. The widgets show realtime and historical information about how the two different solar arrays are performing. Source: SIESA

Introduction explaining reasons for using renewable energy in your business with links to detailed information on specificways to generate renewable energy. Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Business

Describes the benefits of generating renewable energy Source: Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority - Energywise

This page gives reasons why you should generate your own electricity and options of how to do it. Source: Smarter Homes

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