2022 is a huge year for all councils in Aotearoa. Every local authority will be having elections this year, on 8 October. That’s all our local and regional councils. They all do important work and work that can help – or sometimes hinder – green buildings, healthy homes and resilient communities.
Each local authority should be putting people first, and that means delivering flourishing places where all New Zealanders can thrive.
Right now, there are three major challenges lining up in front of our local government bodies.
The first of these is the long overdue reform of the Resource Management Act. The main piece of legislation due to replace the RMA is the Natural and Built Environments Act. In our submission on this, we highlighted that under the previous regime, councils in New Zealand have their hands tied when it comes to their ability to request homes and buildings to be built to a standard above our much criticised Building Code. Regional incentives to promote higher building standards are also tightly restricted.
Reforming the RMA, and the introduction of the NBA, is an opportunity for councils to slash the carbon emissions from homes and buildings, and make them healthier, better places.
The second challenge is the three waters reform programme. This is the government’s plan to fix the wastewater, stormwater and drinking water networks to make them sustainable, safer and fit for the future. It’s a huge project, and our water system is sorely in need of a significant overhaul. Wastewater is treated differently across the country, people are charged differently depending on where they live, and billions of dollars are required to upgrade infrastructure – and these aren’t the only issues. Councils are going to have a massive role in delivering this programme.
The third challenge facing local authorities is the review into the future of local government. This review is examining how councils and local democracy need to change over the next 30 years. Climate change will require differing local measures for both mitigation and adaptation, and it’s vital our councils can respond to this.
These three challenges have a common theme running through them – and that’s the importance of local councils being able to deliver low carbon, healthy, resilient communities. And that means green sustainable homes and buildings in every district and region in Aotearoa.
So it is great to see councils around the country delivering lower carbon buildings and homes.
Eke Panuku is using Green Star Communities to ensure lower carbon, more resilient communities across Tāmaki Makaurau. Ōtautahi Community Housing Trust is building lower carbon healthier homes at 7 Homestar. Tauranga City Council is committed to building their master planning buildings to 5 or 6 Green Star. And Auckland Council is building all their new buildings over $10m to 5 Green Star.
We are in a climate crisis. It is time for action. When we do this right, we get benefits for our community and whanau. If you want some support or assistance on delivering to proven lower carbon more resilient standards, do get in touch.
Ngā mihi
Andrew