This is a new paper by Jack et al looking at how residential space heating and hot water varies across New Zealand regions with a focus on the amounts and carbon emissions. The idea is that by knowing where the higher carbon emissions are located and what’s going on we could focus on these higher carbon items first. To do this they used stats data and then checked these results against electricity consumption. Once checked they then estimated what would happen to emissions if we fully switched to heat pumps for heating and hot water (spoiler switching resulted in an increase in winter electricity usage for homes of only 12% with full electrification if we also go full on heat pump).
As the paper notes, looking at the energy in versus heat energy out figures, only about 20% of the energy ‘delivered’ to homes as electricity currently results in a whopping 54% of the ‘end use’ heating, thanks to other less efficient heating methods. This suggests that a widespread adoption of heat pumps could indeed lead to significant energy savings at the consumption level for the same heating outcome. It’s also worth noting the continued prevalence of wood for heating in New Zealand. While it might feel like a ‘natural’ choice, its emissions profile varies and understanding its regional significance on health means it is not a free pass on emissions.
This research by Jack et al. provides crucial insights for planning a low-carbon future for our homes. By identifying regions with high emission intensity, policymakers and energy providers can focus their efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact. This detailed regional breakdown sets the stage for more targeted decarbonisation initiatives and a more efficient, cleaner way to keep our homes warm and our water hot.
M.W. Jack, H.B. Konings, G.I. Gretton, “Regional breakdown of New Zealand’s residential heat demand and associated emissions,” Energy and Buildings, Volume 338, 2025, 115715, ISSN 0378-7788, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115715.
