b"individuals and businesses affected. Previously,tips to keep your home warm this winter there has been no mandatory emission level for woodburners installed in most regions of New Installing or upgrading insulation in ceilings and under floor areas will not only keep Zealand,although a large proportion ofsuchyour house warm but reduce your energy bill. appliances have been tested to NewZealandIf youareinstallingnew heatersconsidersomeof theseoptions:Low emission Standard 4013 andcomply withthe 4.0g/kgwoodburner, heat pump, pelletburner or flued gas heating can all cut costs and heat emission limit specified in that rating.your home more effectively. Remember, thermal-backed curtains are a great way to retain heat in the home. Implementing a national standardfor woodburnerswillentailappliancetestingandWHOindoor air pollution study approving,and~\\~IIincur administrationand compliancemonitoringcosts.ThestandardAccording to The World Health Organisation (WHO) report 2002, indoor air pollution is ~\\~II also result in a reduced choice of burnersresponsible for 2.7% of the global burden of disease. available on the market for householders, andMore than two billion people worldwide continue to depend on solid fuels, including manufacturebeing unable to sel rsI appliancesbiomass fuels (wood, dung, agricultural residues) and coal, for their energy needs. not meeting the required emission limit. Cooking and heating with solid fuels on open fires or traditional stoves results in high NewZealandhomeshavenottraditionallylevels of indoor air pollution. been designed foror energy efficiency. warmth As a result, many of them take a fair amountIndoor smoke contains a range of health-damaging pollutants, such as small particles ofenergytoheat.Tocoincidewiththeand carbon monoxide. Particulate pollution levels may be 20 times higher than accepted introduction of the new standard, the Ministryguideline values. for theEnvironmentisworkingwithEnergyTocombat this substantialandgrowing burden of disease, WHO hasdevelopeda Efficiency andthe Conservation Authority oncomprehensive programme focusing on a thorough evaluation of the various health and an initiative named the Warm Homes Project.broader impacts of interventions to reduce indoor air pollution; and encouraging and supporting the assessment of the nationa I buen of disease due to indoor air pol I ution, Thisscheme,basedona nationa I survey lastrd year,initially looked into how families heatedand the cost-effectiveness or cost-benefit analyses of interventions. and insulated their homes, and what influencedWHO recommends your home is kept warm. A warmer home reduces the risk of many consumer choices in this regard. It also lookedrespiratory and cardiovascular diseases. at howhouseholdscouldbe encouragedto make their homes more energy efficient by suchthenthere's gas . means as upgrading insulation and considering Natura I gas currently provides 3 0 % of the country's toI primary energy. ta s~\\~tchingas gas. to greener energy sources, such Gas-fired electricity generation is likely to be the most cost-effective large-scale energy II The data is stibeing processed, but results are expected to be made public later this year.Hsource for medium-term generation capacity requirements in the North Island. The most common gas used domestically is natural gas, which is distributed around the North Island to some 200,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers. burn smartBottledgasisahighlypracticalheating,water-heatingandcookingoptionfor households not on a gas line. 0A'rways use well-seasoned wood. Gas accounts for 16 percent of the total North Island energy market - including the OCreate small, fast-burning fires.LPG used in vehicles. ONever leave your fire to smoulderMost of our gas comes from two large Taranaki fields - the onshore Kapuni field and overnight.the offshore Maui field. ONever burn rubbish materials, plastic On geological grounds, scientific opinion indicates there is every reasonto believe or painted wood.New Zealand has not yet discovered aits gas resources. II 52habitat"