Warmer Kiwis Study: cost-benefit analysis of heat pumps

Mar 27, 2023

Warmer Kiwi Homes is an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) programme aimed at making homes warmer, drier and healthier. EECA does this by offering grants to owner-occupying homeowners for home insulation and/or an efficient heater.

EECA commissioned Motu Research to investigate the impact of heat pumps installed under the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme. In response, Motu Research set up the Warmer Kiwis Study in 2021.

In this seminar, we reported on results from our sample of around 160 homeowners who had received a Warmer Kiwi Homes grant for an energy-efficient heating device. These results relate to:

• people’s health and wellbeing in their homes
• the homes’ indoor environment (including temperature and humidity)
• the outdoor environment from nearby weather stations
• electricity consumption.

Motu Research’s work concluded using heat pumps in homes results in warmer and drier living areas through winter, and households save on electricity bills. Overall, the study’s findings show the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme is effective.

Here is a recording of the seminar. 

See the PowerPoint presentation slides.

Presenters:

• Gareth Gretton, Senior Advisor - Evidence, Insight and Innovation, EECA – to give an introduction
• Arthur Grimes, Senior Fellow, Motu Research
• Caroline Fyfe, Fellow, Motu Research
• Shannon Minehan, Research Analyst, Motu Research
• Phoebe Taptiklis, Fellow, Motu Research

Motu Public Policy Seminars are free to the public, but please subscribe to receive email notifications of Motu's events and publications.

Thanks to The Treasury, the Productivity Commission, Stats NZ and EECA for their generous support.