Pride Property Management takes home the title

The Southland Warm Homes Trust (SWHT) is pleased to announce the winner of the 2016 Southland Property Management Company of the Year Award is Pride Property Management.

Southland Warm Homes Trust Chairman, Jim Hargest said the team at Pride Property Management displayed a strong level of support to both tenants and landlords encouraging energy efficiency ideas and insulation improvements to rental properties in Southland during the year.  These improvements helping to make a healthier living environment for many tenants.

“Several entries were submitted for the award and the Southland Warm Homes Trust were impressed to see the effort and commitment Southland property management businesses have been making towards improving the energy efficiency of rental properties,” Mr Hargest said.

This is the first year the Southland Property Management Company of the Year Award has been offered to property managers in the region.  The award recognises property managers who are actively improving the living conditions of tenants and supporting the vision of the SWHT by providing energy-saving information and ideas to tenants, and working with landlords to make warmer, healthier rental properties.

The award will be presented to the team of Pride Property Management at a function on Thursday 26 January 2017.

“The Southland Warm Homes Trust has been helping Southland families live in warmer, healthier, and more energy-efficient homes since 2008.  Through the support of Government and local funders, and in conjunction with local service provider Awarua Synergy, subsidised home assessments and insulation installations have been delivered by to more than 5,000 families across Southland,” Mr Hargest said. 

Under the current Tenancy Act legislation, from 1 July 2019, all rental properties will be required to meet a high standard of insulation.  To help with this transition, the Government introduced the Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes Rental initiative, which with additional support from the Southland Warm Homes Trust, enables Southland Landlords to access a 50% subsidy for the cost of insulating eligible rental properties.

The Southland Warm Homes Trust is joint funded by Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA), and local funding providers Electricity Invercargill Ltd, The Power Company Ltd, The Community Trust of Southland, Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, Environment Southland, Gore District Council, The Southern Trust, NZ Oil & Gas Ltd, and The Guy Waddell Charitable Trust. Additional support is provided to the SWHT from the Southland Electric Power Supply Consumer Trust, Well South and PowerNet Ltd.

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Great work Dave Tyagi and Michelle Collins!

Big congratulations to Dave Tyagi and Michelle Collins for achieving level two of the Home Performance Advisor Course.

HPA certification ensures our advisor’s service clients based on the core principles that, advice should be: independent, based on best practice and good science, personalised and in the best interests of the client. It ensures the highest level of competency and professional standards are met, and advice is delivered in an honest and ethical manner.

Southland residents can have confidence that when they engage with Awarua Synergy’s certified advisor’s they will get high quality, individualised advice, and be provided with a robust set of recommendations and actions to help improve the performance of their home and quality of their life.

Awarua Synergy has been providing home insulation and heating services to Southland residents for more than 10 years, Awarua Synergy delivers part of these services on behalf of the Southland Warm Homes Trust. “Our team have years of local experience and training, the latest Home Performance certification adds to the competency of our team members, we want to ensure the advice we give fits your unique needs within your home,” said Sumaria Beaton, Awarua Synergy General Manager.

HPA advisors have custom ID proving their accreditation. The Home Performance Advisor training programme was developed by not-for-profit leaders Beacon Pathway, Community Energy Network and The Enviroschools Foundation, through a collaborative initiative.

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A successful project with more success to come

The Bluff Healthy Homes Project has celebrated 10 years of successfully ensuring the people of Bluff have protection against the cold winter climate.

This has been accomplished by insulating more than half the homes in New Zealand’s southernmost town, as well as providing one-on-one home education packages to help people unlock the benefits of energy efficiency, eco-friendly heating, and sustainable living.

After a year of research and development, the Bluff Healthy Homes Project, run by Awarua Research and Development (a subsidiary of the Te Runaka o Awarua Charitable Trust) was launched in 2005.

The launch of the Bluff Healthy Homes Project was a memorable day occurring at the Te Rau Aroha Marae in Bluff. Ta Tipene provided a welcoming speech and guests included representatives from one of our main sponsors, Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, local, regional and national funders and marae whanau.

“The Bluff Healthy Homes Project proved to be so successful that we were encouraged to offer some of its best products, services and ideas to the great people of Southland with the Southland Warm Homes Trust (SWHT) and that’s how Awarua Synergy was born”, says Sumaria.

The SWHT was formed in 2008 to deliver insulation, heating assessments and installations on behalf of the Energy Efficient and Conservation Authority (EECA) programme. 

Awarua Synergy has since brought warmth, drier air and power savings to more than 5,000 homeowners and tenants in the Southland region.

The SWHT is a provider for the Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes project which offers ceiling and underfloor insulation to low-income households with people who have health needs related to cold, damp housing.

It is estimated that every dollar spent on the project results in a $5 return on investment for society with the improved living conditions and quality of life for families. It also reduces tax payer’s dollars on hospital emissions and another further $3 return on the local economy.  This results in many benefits including more productive adults at work, healthier and happier families and reduced medical costs. 

Awarua Synergy is also constantly looking for new ways to educate the community about the benefits of insulation and engaging a specialist.  “We actively meet with local Maori health providers, attend the Southland Energy Conference and present at over 20 regional events per annum. We also host school groups to teach them about the benefits of eco-efficiency and using natural resources for energy such as solar,” explains Sumaria.

“We are proud of how we have developed from the Bluff Healthy Homes project, operating out of a small building at our marae to the professional company we are today and want to continue to improve the living and health conditions of as many Southland families as possible,” she adds. 

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Teaching through action

Borland Lodge Adventure and Education Trust are leading the way by investing in one of Southland’s largest Solar PV systems, the system will help reduce energy costs on-site and provide a valuable education example for school students who visit the lodge.

Awarua Synergy is proud to have worked with Borland Lodge and Venture Southland on one of the largest solar installs in Southland.  Our team have installed a 24 kW solar photovoltaic system, this includes 3 arrays of 30 panels in each array with a total of 90 panels.   

Borland Lodge Adventure and Education Trust is a Charitable Trust is a regional outdoor educational facility which serves schools and community groups throughout Southland as well as many Otago groups. Borland Lodge is situated at the gateway to Fiordland National Park in southern New Zealand – a World Heritage area. It is 12km west of the Southern Scenic Route, between Lake Manapouri and Lake Monowai, south of Te Anau.

Borland Lodge has been operating for 40 years and the trust recently completed an upgrade of the existing facilities and has built new accommodation, eco-centre and amenity facilities at the camp. The Manapouri – Invercargill transmission line traverses through the lodge site. The building of the Manapouri power station and the transmission line has been a strong element of the lodge heritage, which was the location of the Pig Creek construction camp. Energy is a significant operating cost and this project is aimed at both reducing the energy cost as well as promoting the benefits of renewable energy and the role of the grid in the distribution of power.

This is a ‘non-profit’ ‘public good facility’ caters for the outdoor education needs of 150 schools, community groups and territory institutions from throughout Southland and Otago. The project will contribute directly to the community as the facility provides over 1000 bed nights per month in support of the many programmes which run from Borland Lodge.

Energy efficiency and electricity interpretation is an important aspect of the Borland experience. The Borland Lodge Adventure and Education Trust have been fundraising for capital cost contributions for a solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the lodge.

This project has provided an opportunity to develop the skills of the community and industry as well as creating awareness of energy technology and a focus on educational and ongoing interpretation opportunities.

This solar PV project will provide a sustainable future beyond the support of the Trust support as any funding assistance will contribute to the capital cost for the PV system. The lodge manager will carry out routine maintenance and panel wash down and any ongoing maintenance will be covered initially by the supplier, inverter and panel guarantees.

The next stage of the project will be installing education billboards to explain how solar works and the display of the solars daily production.

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Hundreds of New Zealand farmers are getting ahead with Solar PV and Southland firm, Awarua Synergy, is offering more ways for Southland farmers to save on their electricity power bills.

Since 2004, we have helped more than 5000 households in the deep south achieve warmer, drier, healthier homes. We offer innovative state-of-the-art products to boost energy efficiency and provide proven expertise in design.

We have searched the world for the best eco-power and energy solutions for the tough environment of the deep south, sourcing products and methods that fit the specific demands of this region.

Solar power is cheaper, smarter, more self-sufficient and can even be sold back to the grid. It is a simple choice to save money in the long run and make the most of our natural resources. Our team is proud to announce we were awarded the biggest solar PV install in Southland over four other tenders.

The system includes solar panels, which are manufactured by the company `Life’s Good’ (LG).
Customers can be assured of cutting edge technology, dependability and high standards from LG, which have guided the company for more than 50 years. EnaSolar provides the inverters, which are manufactured in New Zealand and exports them worldwide.

You do not need to live in a hot climate to generate renewable energy as Solar PV relies on daylight hours not sunshine hours. A photovoltaic system, or PV system, is an arrangement of solar panels designed to generate electric power using the sunlight as the power source. We know that Germany ranks low for sunshine hours yet is the solar energy capital of the world.

Awarua Synergy operations manager Jason Harrison said Solar PV systems were a perfect fit for farmers, as the energy demand was highest during the day when the system performed best.
“We also strongly advise using solar panels from a trusted brand like LG, as we know a number of international companies dealing in solar systems have gone into liquidation and that increases the risk of failure to honour long-term warranties those companies offer,” Mr Harrison said.
“Our local team are qualified Solar PV installers and we take care of everything.”
A site assessment will be carried out to determine the correct-sized system for the client’s needs without selling products that were not needed.

We also offer an independent financial report produced by Crowe Horwath accountants that will calculate the return on investment, average annual cash recovery, cash payback period and deprecation. The calculations are based on southern region’s sunshine hours using NIWA data and local electricity pricing. Our expert adviser will take the client through the entire process and ensure we include all costs of the system up front.

We encourage Southlanders to visit our showroom with a live system operating at 117 Eye Street, Invercargill. They can also book a free consultation by contacting us on 03 214 2927.

For further information, contact: general manager Sumaria Beaton, 03 214 2927, or 021 408 751 and Jason Harrison, business development/ operations manager – 03 214 2927, or 021 231 2889

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Let your energy work smarter, not harder

Power bills always seem to be on the rise, and it sometimes seems like we’re at the mercy of the power companies. But, it doesn’t have to be that way – you can get power over your power bill. With Awarua Synergy’s great range of more eco-friendly power saving solutions, you can reduce your power consumption – or even take steps to generate your own power!

Our team of home energy and insulation experts has already helped more than 5000 Deep South homes get better control of their power bills. It’s not just about energy-efficient heating – it’s about ensuring your home is best set up to capture and retain the heat you generate, so it doesn’t escape outdoors through the floors, windows, roof or other gaps. Whatever your budget, we’ve got the right solutions to help you make immediate savings, and ‘future proof’ your power bill for the coming years.

Get power over your power bill – chat to your expert team at Awarua Synergy on 0800 WARM SOUTH for your FREE, unconditional home energy health check!

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The Borland Lodge is about to go solar!

Awarua Synergy is very proud to be working with Borland Lodge and Venture Southland on the largest solar install in Southland.  Our team have started preparation work on-site for a 22 kW solar photovoltaic system.   

Borland Lodge Adventure and Education Trust is a Charitable Trust. The Lodge is a regional outdoor educational facility which serves schools and community groups throughout Southland as well as many Otago groups. Borland Lodge is situated at the gateway to Fiordland National Park in southern New Zealand – a World Heritage area. It is 12km west of the Southern Scenic Route, between Lake Manapouri and Lake Monowai, south of Te Anau.

Borland Lodge has been operating for 40 years and the trust recently completed an upgrade of the existing facilities and has built new accommodation, eco-centre and amenity facilities at the camp. The Manapouri – Invercargill transmission line traverses through the lodge site. The building of the Manapouri power station and the transmission line has been a strong element of the lodge heritage, which was the location of the Pig Creek construction camp. Energy is a significant operating cost and this project is aimed at both reducing the energy cost as well as promoting the benefits of renewable energy and the role of the grid in the distribution of power.

This is a ‘non-profit’ ‘public good facility’ that caters for the outdoor education needs of 150 schools, community groups and territory institutions from throughout Southland and Otago. The project will contribute directly to the community as the facility provides over 1000 bed nights per month in support of the many programmes which run from Borland Lodge.

Energy efficiency and electricity interpretation is an important aspect of the Borland experience. The Borland Lodge Adventure and Education Trust have been fundraising for capital cost contributions for a solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the lodge. This includes a 22kW ground-mounted system for the lodge.

The objectives of this project are to reduce energy costs by utilising PV renewable power generation and to provide an interpretation opportunity for renewable energy. This project will sustain and improve the quality of the Borland Lodge environment for the community by providing a public education opportunity and the reduced operating cost will help to ensure that children are able to use the facility at an affordable cost.

This project provides an opportunity to develop the skills of the community and industry as well as creating awareness of energy technology and a focus towards educational and ongoing interpretation opportunities.

The performance measures of this project are expected to be the reduced electricity costs and the production of electricity for the facility will guarantee the reliability of power supply to the region.

This solar PV project will provide a sustainable future beyond the support of the Trust support as any funding assistance will contribute to the capital cost for the PV system. The lodge manager will carry out routine maintenance and panel wash down and any ongoing maintenance will be covered initially by the supplier, inverter and panel guarantees.

The install will provide a valuable electricity supply on-site and be used as an education platform for groups visiting.  Our team look forward to the progress.

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