Sustainability Options
Who and what is Sustainability Options?
Sustainability Options was set up by two brothers, Nik and Phil Gregg, who challenge themselves to help make the world better by providing sustainability focused housing advice to create healthier homes for families. They have also enlisted the expertise of Jo Wills, who's been involved in the Home Performance Advisor programme since its inception and affordable housing projects in Western Bay of Plenty.
It is an altruistic business that aims to provide free independent advice about how to make your home healthier, warmer and cheaper to run in a sustainable way.
It aims to bring down barriers which prevent future generations from living in healthy homes, one home at a time.
What type of work does Sustainability Options do?
- Sharing knowledge about how to create healthy homes in a way that is focussed on sustainability. They talk to anyone including tenants, homeowners, builders, architects, property developers, rental agencies, councils, health related agencies, and at public forums
- They have assessed more than well over 2000 homes of all types in Bay of Plenty and have given advice about how to make them warmer, drier, healthier and cheaper to heat
- They are an active member of Healthy Whare community initiative and have provided free counsel, advice and support to both the community and to homeowners and tenants
- Regularly run DIY and home performance workshops in partnerships with many local Rotorua agencies.
- They can also refer householders to the minor repairs and maintenance (R&M) programme 20 Degrees, to provide support and guidance to homeowners for R&M opportunities
- Set up and run Tauranga-based resource banks with support from sponsors:
- Curtains to insulate homes of families in need
- Heaters for homes without heating
- Blankets for families with young children during the winter months.
Will Sustainability Options need to come into our home or just look around outside?
In order to provide you with the best advice, Nik or Phil Gregg (Home Performance Advisors) would need to come and take a look around as many rooms as possible in your home so they can see what tips they can provide to improve your home's efficiency.
This means someone who can answer questions would need to be home to show either Nik or Phil around your home.
Will Sustainability Options try to sell me something?
No, Sustainability Options isn't trying to sell something to you. It aims to provide free and independent advice to improve your home. Whether you choose to act on the advice is up to you.
Is the advice really free?
Yes, it is free.
Sustainability Options works in partnership with various organisations including Rotorua Lakes Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council and sponsors to help provide this service as well as additional aid such as the blanket, curtain and heat bank drives in Bay of Plenty.
Sustainability Options is conscious of the social pressures and barriers some families face in creating a healthy warm home and made the leap to offer its knowledge to help families - one home at a time.
If I want to know more about the free home assessments, can I talk to someone by phone?
You can call or text Sustainability Options on 022 497 2529 or you can email the team: service@so.org.nz
Otherwise, if you're interested in a free assessment come into Rotorua Lakes Council and talk to one of the Customer service team members, who can take your name, address and phone number and pass it on to Sustainability Options.
Or call the Council's Customer Service team on 07 348 4199, and the team will help you get in touch with Sustainability Options.
If my home needs major work done, who will do it?
Sustainability Options won't carry out work on your home.
If Sustainability Options identifies major issues requiring work (for instance roofing or electrical work), it would recommend that you get three quotes from trusted tradespeople in your local area before you decide on who you want to carry out the repairs.
Would Sustainability Options help us if we're building a new home?
Yes, its Home Performance Advisors can help you with new housing plans.
They will ask your objectives for the build so they can recommend building material, heating, energy use and layout that can help you achieve your goals.
