Eastland Community Trust Healthy Homes

healthy homes family

The Eastland Community Trust Healthy Homes scheme has ensured over 1,000 Gisborne and East Coast homes will be healthier and more energy-efficient.

Peter and Deborah Watson both suffer from medical conditions that respond badly to cold temperatures. Deborah has a debilitating heart and lung condition and Peter has leukemia so trips to the doctor were common as their 1940’s home had virtually no insulation and the bedrooms were cold and damp.

An energy-efficient home was a necessity for the family of six to remain healthy through the colder months but the cost of full insulation was out of their reach because the couple were unable to work. Fortunately, Deborah’s cardiac nurse put the Watsons on the healthy homes waiting list. 

A few months later moisture was a thing of the past. The Watsons are grateful for ECT and the healthy homes project. “Our health has improved so much and the kids don’t have to put up with the condensation. We are pretty lucky to live in a community that looks after those in need,” they said.

ECT has contributed $500,000 per year for three years to the healthy homes project – a community partnership run by Energy Options Charitable Company.  

The scheme prioritises homes built before 1978 where owners (who must live in the house) have a community services card and high health needs. Eligible residents can apply for a full subsidy Healthy Homes retrofit valued at around $3,000. The retrofit includes a home energy check through to under-floor and ceiling insulation, hot water cylinder wrap and draught-stopping where necessary.

The project has been running since 2005 but local financial support couldn’t keep up with demand and the sustainability of the project was questioned.

Seeing the long-term benefits of the project such as fewer sick days off school and work and fewer trips to the doctor, and realising the project needed to be community-driven and governed by local funding, ECT stepped in.

Although the scheme is to primarily provide health benefits to those who receive a healthy homes package the Trust was also interested in the underlying objective to create local employment. With an annual budget of over $1.3 million, a project coordinator is now based in Gisborne, with a supervisor and two installation teams.

The spin-off from having a localised team in Eastland is that the project can now reach some of the more remote areas.

Since the ECT has come on board 1500 families like the Watsons have benefited. It is hoped the project will continue past the three-year timeline and continue to contribute to a warmer, healthier energy-efficient community.