As a country known for its stunning scenery and landscapes, it’s hardly a surprise to learn that New Zealand consumers are now demanding better sustainable and environmental solutions from the companies they choose to do business with.
The recent ban of single-use plastic bags shows NZ’s willingness to prioritise sustainability as an important issue for future generations.
With over twenty years’ experience in NZ, G.J. Gardner Homes has developed a balanced approach to sustainability to ensure they protect the environment without compromising quality or comfort.
During the planning stage of any new home, G.J.’s follows a concept known as the ‘4E Sustainability Model’. The model balances key drivers of sustainability to ensure cost, comfort, sustainability and good design are all incorporated as standard.
Environment: Understanding the life cycle of building materials is important, as many common products can differ in their long term performance or maintenance requirements. For example, clay bricks are often cited as being environmentally unfriendly given their high-temperature manufacture process. However, when we consider clay as an all-natural material, with exceptionally low maintenance, little manufacture waste, fully recyclable and amongst the longest durability guarantees.
G.J.’s look to only use those suppliers who embody good environmental practice. Evidence of this supply chain focus is G.J.’s being able to provide a Responsible Sourcing document, outlining the environmental management systems of all major national preferred building material suppliers, something unique in New Zealand. A copy of this document can be provided by your local G.J. Gardner Homes franchise on request.
Energy: One of the simplest examples of energy focussed design is known as ‘Passive Design’, ensuring the house design and site layout optimise the use of free solar energy. By orientating and placing living areas in locations which benefit from year-round sunlight and ensuring bedrooms are placed away from the late summer sun, the year-round need for artificial heating or cooling is reduced. Not only does this reduce energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions, it also saves money.
Economy: Many customers care for the environment and always want to understand the choices they make have a positive impact. However, many sustainable choices can be more expensive, reducing the affordability of homes, or creating compromise in other choices within a home. This can, unfortunately, mean customers often leave out more expensive sustainable options such as solar, in favour of features which will promote the liveability of their home. At G.J.’s we understand by making good choices through design and specification, good sustainability principles can be embodied into the home, remaining practical and affordable.
Emotion: A home represents many things: safety, security, family, happiness, memories and more. Sustainable principles should serve to enhance the overall comfort, quality and durability of a home. Often the largest investment many people make, sustainability will always be sacrificed if the overall performance of a home is adversely affected in the pursuit of environmental responsibility.
With G.J. Gardner Homes, minimising the environmental impact of your new home is an automatic consideration and just one part of an extremely rewarding building journey. By carefully balancing environmental, energy, economic and emotional factors, G.J.s can help ensure your home is designed and built to the highest quality standards, whilst ensuring a minimal environmental impact for the protection of our planet for future generations.
If sustainability is something which matters to you, why not visit your local G.J. Gardner Homes franchise to find out more about our approach to sustainability. There you can request our Home Wise brochure and see how G.J.’s make sustainability in your home seamlessly practical. For more info, head over to gjgardner.co.nz
