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This paper is one of the limited studies to investigate rebound effects in sectoral electricity consumption and the specific case of New Zealand. New Zealand, like other OECD economies, has aimed for energy efficiency improvements and reduced electricity consumption from 9.2 MWh per capita in 2010 to 8.6 MWh per capita in 2015. However, following a significant decline since 2010, electricity consumption in the main New Zealand sectors is increasing. Energy conservation could play an important role in meeting the growing demand for electricity but rebound effects can affect the effectiveness of conservation policies. We decompose the sectoral electricity prices to capture the asymmetric demand response to electricity price changes and estimate electricity demand elasticity during 1980 and 2015 to estimate the sectoral rebound effects. We find partial rebound effects of 54% and 23% in the industrial and commercial sectors respectively while we find no rebound effect at the aggregate level. The rebound effect is insignificant in the residential sector. These findings lead to policy recommendations for sector specific energy conservation measures and policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Although fuel poverty is becoming increasingly researched, there is very limited information currently available on the experiences of and effects on children living in fuel poverty. This paper examines the consequences of using prepayment metering, a payment method typically used by low-income households, on households with children., Methods: We present new results from two postal survey datasets, the Electricity Prepayment Meter Users' Survey undertaken in late 2010 and the follow-up survey undertaken in 2011, which explore the outcomes of prepayment metering and living on low-incomes for households with children., Results: Among prepayment consumers, households with children experience greater levels of hardship. Households with children were statistically significantly more likely to cut back on grocery spending, and indicated greater levels of financial difficulty than childless households. Although there were no differences between the groups for most indicators of poor thermal comfort levels, households with children were statistically significantly more likely to report seeing their breath condensing indoors on at least one occasion during the winter., Conclusions: Policies to address fuel poverty should include protections for prepayment meter consumers, and households with children using this payment method who are especially vulnerable.

Abstract: New Zealand has a temperate maritime climate. Despite mild winters compared to nations with continental climates, New Zealand houses have been reported to often be at temperatures below internationally recommended levels. Sources of additional heating are therefore of interest to many New Zealand home occupants. Roof space solar gains have been identified as one possible source of heating. This paper investigates the energy gains available in New Zealand homes from ventilation systems drawing air from the roof cavity. Three New Zealand houses were monitored and a computer-based thermal building simulation developed to quantify the heating and cooling energy that might be transferred by home ventilation systems. The computer model simulating the temperature in the roof space and occupied spaces was constructed using MATLAB, and used publicly available weather station data as the inputs. A good match between measured and modelled results was obtained. Small heating and cooling benefits are possible at certain times from pumping roof space air into the living areas of some New Zealand houses. The magnitude of these benefits, however, is not significant compared with the space heating required to maintain reasonable indoor temperatures over the New Zealand winter. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Elevated wintertime particulate concentrations in the New Zealand cities of Christchurch and Timaru are mostly attributed to the burning of wood and coal for residential heating. A carrot-and-stick approach was adopted for managing air quality in Christchurch, where strict intervention measures were introduced together with a residential heater replacement programme to encourage householders to change to cleaner forms of heating. A similar approach was only recently implemented for Timaru. This paper presents the results of a partial accountability analysis, where the impact of these measures on the target source, PM10 emissions, and PM10 concentrations are quantified. A statistical model was developed to estimate trends in the concentrations, which were tested for significance after accounting for meteorological effects, and to estimate the probability of meeting air quality targets. Results for Christchurch and Timaru are compared to illustrate the impacts of differing levels of intervention on air quality. In Christchurch, approximately 34,000 (76%) open fires and old solid fuel burners were replaced with cleaner heating technology from 2002 to 2009, and total open fires and solid fuel burner numbers decreased by 45%. Over the same time period, estimated PM10 emissions reduced by 71% and PM10 concentrations by 52% (maxima), 36% (winter mean), 26% (winter median) and 41% (meteorology-adjusted winter means). In Timaru, just 3000 (50%) open fires and old solid fuel burners were replaced from 2001 to 2008, with total open fire and solid fuel burner numbers reduced by 24%. PM10 emissions declined by 32%, with low reductions in the PM10 concentrations (maxima decreased by 7%, winter means by 11% and winter medians by 3%). These findings, supported by the results of the meteorology corrected trend analysis for Christchurch, strongly indicate that the combination of stringent intervention measures and financial incentives has led to substantial air quality improvements in the city. The lesser impact of more lenient rules and the late introduction of an incentives programme are obvious on air quality in Timaru. Trends established for the two cities were extrapolated under various scenarios to determine the likelihood of meeting air quality targets. In Christchurch the probability of compliance is low and is essentially impossible for Timaru if recent trends continue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background New Zealand homes are underheated by international standards, with average indoor temperatures below the WHO recommended minimum of 18°C. Research has highlighted the connection between low indoor temperatures and adverse health outcomes, including social functioning and psychological well-being. Both health effects and social effects can impact on school absence rates. The aim of this study was to determine whether more effective home heating affects school absence for children with asthma. Methods A single-blinded randomised controlled trial of heating intervention in 409 households containing an asthmatic child aged 6-12 years, where the previous heating was an open fire, plug-in electric heater or unflued gas heater. The intervention was the installation of a more effective heater of at least 6 kW before the winter of 2006 in half the houses. Demographic and health information was collected both before and after the intervention. Each child's school was contacted directly and term-by-term absence information for that child obtained for 2006 and previous years where available. Results Complete absence data were obtained for 269 out of 409 children. Compared with the control group, children in households receiving the intervention experienced on average 21% (p=0.02) fewer days of absence after allowing for the effects of other factors. Conclusion More effective, non-indoor polluting heating reduces school absence for asthmatic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]