Broad support for Policy CC/NZ: Net zero carbon new buildings.
Minor OBJECT that the Policies as written are rather aspirational than achievable and needs refinement of issues such as:
• avoidance of new build. This is a higher priority since this avoids embodied carbon, One, rather dated, source describes 65to 80% of such emissions lasting 20 to 200 years. The economic and housing growth targets proposed in the Plan are excessive. The proposed relocation of the WWTW is a second prime example of avoidable new build.
• reuse of existing buildings should be emphasised (Grafton Centre?)
• a ‘brownfield first’ policy for new building
• halting the use of scarce farm land for solar energy generation
• recognising that not all electricity has the same cost and carbon content. Peak power is much worse the shorter the time period over which it occurs also depending on the time of day and year when it occurs.
Solar installations might be mandated on all industrial buildings, new and existing. The cost, cost sharing and carbon footprint of district heating/cooling needs to be investigated and a comparison made of air source and ground source HPs. It is insufficient, even if convenient, to treat each building in isolation.
The role of the grid to supply part of the demand must be described since this has access to low cost and carbon sources as well as providing resilience.
Does the Plan envisage “smart” demands that avoid short duration peaks in the system?
The role of hot water storage should be described since this avoids use of power in short duration peak periods.