Councils encourage solar water heating

Carterton District Council is the latest local authority to encourage solar water heating by waiving building consent fees for domestic dwellings.

Carterton joins five other councils around the country that have committed to the initiative. They include Hamilton City Council, Waitakere City Council, Westland District Council, South Waikato District Council and Stratford District Council. Several other councils are also currently considering the initiative and are close to joining them.

Jeanette Fitzsimons, Government Spokesperson for Energy Efficiency and Conservation, said: “I am delighted that these councils are taking the lead with this positive step to encourage homeowners to install solar water heating. Building consent fees for solar water heating vary significantly across councils and can be a barrier for homeowners considering installing a system.

“I strongly encourage other local authorities to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by following the example set by these six councils to date. I also challenge the solar industry to take advantage of this initiative and do some targeted marketing in those areas offering free consents where installations will be cheaper for households.”