Energy Strategy Aligns With Engineers Proposals

14 December 2006
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Energy Strategy Aligns With Engineers Proposals

The Chief Executive of Institution of Professional Engineers (IPENZ) Dr Andrew Cleland says the draft New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy picks up all the principles and expands on the detail put forward in IPENZ’s Engineering a National Energy Strategy, released in June of this year.

Dr Cleland says it is pleasing to see the government has picked up the engineering profession’s strong messages that measures should be based on minimum life-cycle costs, which can be justified in a market economy.

He went on to say IPENZ supports proposed measures that avoid the need for energy, such as urban and transport planning, which were strongly recommended by IPENZ in June.

“Improving the efficiency of the existing building stock does present a challenge – we suggested upgrades prior to sale and we think this should be looked at in more detail.

However, the transition to renewable energy should be implemented as fast as possible and without imposing economic penalty. In practice this as not as easy as it sounds. Detailed engineering analysis will be required– this is an area where the engineering profession has a role to play.”

Dr Cleland says that increased investment in research, particularly on new technologies and adaptation would be beneficial and IPENZ would have liked to have seen more emphasis on the importance of research.

ENDS

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