8 minute read
MBIE’s options versus FMI ZE-costs
Before comparing MBIE and FMI’s cost estimates, we need to acknowledge two caveats.
House design: Between MBIE’s and FMI’s builds we are comparing apples and oranges to some degree. MBIE’s house has four bedrooms and a 150m2 floor area, whereas FMI’s home has 3 bedrooms on a 120m2 floor area. MBIE has also restricted its design changes to the energy efficiency of the building envelope while FMI, as described elsewhere, has also addressed water heating and increased airtightness which has added cost.
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Recency of costings: MBIE will likely have compiled its building costs in early 2021 whereas the FMI cost data in Figure M was refreshed late in Q3 2021. Again, we are to some extent comparing apples and oranges. This is partly due to the ongoing rises in building material costs throughout this year and partly to the potential for price relativities of key materials to have shifted. Shifting relativities could affect the premium payable to deliver an energy efficient home. Confirming the build cost premium for FMI’s ZER design is a core reason for the next step of building a test house.
With those caveats noted, we can return to comparing the cost premiums for the MBIE options and for FMI’s ZER house. The premiums estimated by MBIE in their April consultation document struck us as high for merely improving the insulation in the building envelope, even acknowledging they are for a larger house. The highest premium is $50,000 or about 12% of total home building cost excluding land for Option 3 in Climate Zone 6. This concerns us: if these numbers are not verified with relevant sources in the industry, the high premiums could sap interest and support for energy-efficient improvements.
By contrast, our FMI ZER house in Climate Zone 6 – the house that needed only a fifth of the energy for heating demand as MBIE’s Option 3 – carries a premium over a Code-built house of slightly over 4%. Figure M shows that about 35% of the GST inclusive premium is driven by very highperforming R0.95 windows, with the remaining two thirds split fairly equally between the investment in air tightness (ventilation, spray foam and weatherisation layer) and the appliances.
Note that the recent costing we obtained in fact priced a heat pump into the Code built home. Rather than make estimates to align the Code house’s air heating method back to our thermal modelling assumptions, we have left it as is to reflect an emerging trend in group home builders’ choices. Importantly, the cost impact of about $1000-1500 on the ZE premium is truly lost in the rounding! For the solar panels, we were advised by a specialist company to use a one-size solution across all climate zones. This aligned well with our views on simplicity. We have costed an installation of 18 panels each rated at 370W capacity to provide a system capable of delivering the annual energy demand of the ZE house in all six proposed climate zones. The premium for the ZE home is a little over half as much again as for the ZER house.
Costs are of course shifting all the time as technology changes and as global and local supply-demand balances alter. What is right at the time of writing will soon be out of date.
FIGURE M: BUILD COSTS
for Code-built and FMI ZER homes ($)
This is as true of windows as of other components. The very modest window cost premium in Table Three is worth specific comment.
Domestic supply of highperformance windows has historically been expensive and linked to low volumes; it has been the domain of high-end architects and specifiers who have often resorted to imports from overseas. As a local window and door manufacturer with over fifty years’ experience, however, FMI is in a privileged position to understand the true challenges, opportunities and costs associated with highperformance windows. The costings used here reflect market prices achievable with good levels of demand and thus good factory throughput for an onshore supplier.
As communicated in our submission, FMI would be glad to work with MBIE and others to share understanding of what is achievable in modern window design, manufacture and economics. It is possible MBIE has been misled as to the latest cost situation. Affordable, highperformance windows may well be the key to unlocking costeffective and energy-efficient new homes in this country.
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Technoform, the global leader in thermal Technoform, the global leader in thermal break Technologies.break Technologies.
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Technoform, more than just energy saving solutions… Technoform, more than just energy saving solutions…
“Our industry is driven by the topic of energy efficiency, or alternatively energy effectiveness. A completely “Our industry is driven by the topic of energy efficiency, or alternatively energy effectiveness. A completely different, current field of endeavour is grey energy. What is meant is the indirect energy demand, i.e. the different, current field of endeavour is grey energy. What is meant is the indirect energy demand, i.e. the sum of the amounts of energy that have to be consumed for the manufacture, transport, storage, sales and sum of the amounts of energy that have to be consumed for the manufacture, transport, storage, sales and disposal, including the energy needed for the production of the components. This approach opens up a very disposal, including the energy needed for the production of the components. This approach opens up a very important new view of production with significant potential for the conservation of resources.” important new view of production with significant potential for the conservation of resources.” Pierre Schlosser – Technoform. Pierre Schlosser – Technoform.
Why Cradle to Cradle certification? Why Cradle to Cradle certification?
Sustainability is more than a trend for Technoform, it is an attitude: Acting on behalf of coming generations. Sustainability is more than a trend for Technoform, it is an attitude: Acting on behalf of coming generations. Focusing on people. Developing intelligent innovations. These are the three central principles of the Focusing on people. Developing intelligent innovations. These are the three central principles of the corporate culture. This led to dealing with the visionary design concept Cradle to Cradle ® (C2C) at an corporate culture. This led to dealing with the visionary design concept Cradle to Cradle ® (C2C) at an early stage. That is because C2C not only depicts these values, Cradle to Cradle® makes them quantifiable, early stage. That is because C2C not only depicts these values, Cradle to Cradle® makes them quantifiable, traceable and alive. traceable and alive. The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program sets the global standard for products that are safe, The Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program sets the global standard for products that are safe, circular and made responsibly according to the world’s most advanced science-based measures for material circular and made responsibly according to the world’s most advanced science-based measures for material health, product circularity, renewable energy and climate, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness. health, product circularity, renewable energy and climate, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness.
Technoform - Advocate of the circular Technoform - Advocate of the circular economy.economy.
In order to receive certification, a strategic concept had to be In order to receive certification, a strategic concept had to be developed for the future post-consumer recycling. “We made the developed for the future post-consumer recycling. “We made the commitment that when aluminium and plastic are separated, we take the plastic part, sort it according to type and up-cycle it. The goal is to process 100% of our new products out of this postconsumer plastic” commitment that when aluminium and plastic are separated, we take the plastic part, sort it according to type and up-cycle it. The goal is to process 100% of our new products out of this postconsumer plastic” A lot of development work still needs to be done until this goal is reached. But, the first steps have been taken. If everything is going in circles, Technoform is not standing still. We are forging ahead and leading the circle with ambition, expertise and passion –until the circle is closed. A lot of development work still needs to be done until this goal is reached. But, the first steps have been taken. If everything is going in circles, Technoform is not standing still. We are forging ahead and leading the circle with ambition, expertise and passion –until the circle is closed.
