The human version (we wrote this, not the council)
This policy requires new homes, where viable, to be designed for net zero or net negative operational energy use. Homes must have space heating demand of no more than 20 kWh per square metre a year and total energy use of no more than 35 kWh per square metre a year, which can be a site-wide average provided no home exceeds 60. On-site renewable electricity is required to a set formula, and developments must not connect to the gas grid. Accurate energy predictions must be shown at application stage and confirmed on completion.
An unofficial plain English summary. The official wording below is
what counts at examination; check it before you rely on anything here.
The text below is extracted automatically from the official PDF and may
contain artefacts; the PDF is authoritative.
silience.
Policy NZ.1
Operational Net Zero in New Residential Buildings
Where viable new-build residential development of 1 or more homes shall make the
fullest possible contribution towards mitigating climate change (reducing carbon
emissions) by meeting all of the following steps.
a. The new-build residential development shall be designed to achieve net zero,
or where possible net negative, operational energy use, through meeting all of
the following energy performance requirements:
i. ≤ 20 kWh/m2/year space heat demand.
ii. ≤ 35 kWh/m2/year total energy use intensity (EUI). On developments of
multiple buildings, it will be acceptable for this to be met as a site-wide
average, provided that no individual home exceeds 60kWh/m2/year.)
iii. Onsite renewable electricity generation capacity kWp equal to (ground
floor area x 60% / 4.5).
1. Or, if the kWp target is unfeasible, then provide renewable electricity
generation kWh equal to the home’s annual total energy use.
2. It is acceptable for the renewable target to be met on a site-wide
basis, including in mixed-use (see policy NZ.2 for non-residential).
iv. The development shall not be connected to the gas grid. Buildings shall
not use fossil fuel other than safety-critical backup power systems.
b. To minimise the energy performance gap between design and use:
i. Compliance with the above targets at application stage shall be
demonstrated using an accurate energy prediction method.
ii. On completion: Major schemes should update the calculations to reflect
the building’s actual construction. Minor schemes should reconfirm the
specifications to which they have been built.