Report: Housing, heating and health study - heater analysis
Prepared by He Kainga Oranga/the Housing and Heath Research Programme with the assistance of Dr Ralph Chapman1, based on a technical report by Darci Westergard.2, University of Otago Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences
The Housing, Heating and Health (HHH) Study involves replacing up to 600 households’ unflued gas heaters and electric heaters with:
- Wood pellet burners, or
- Heat pumps, or
- Flued mains gas heaters.
This report analyses the comparative costs and performance, availability and possible suppliers, of the three main heating options for the HHH Study. This report is primarily to inform the researchers in the HHH study about the range of heaters which meet the desired criteria set out below. The report will also be made available to households in the Study so that they can have full background information when making their choices between heater types (i.e. heat pumps, pellet burners or flued gas heaters). However, the researchers will tender for a preferred model for each type of heater, and only this model will be available to households as part of their involvement in the Study. Owner-occupiers will be able to choose their preferred heater type but in the case of rental housing, it is the landlord who will make the choice, in consultation with the tenant.