Over the years, Dialogue staff have undertaken a wide range of energy projects.  Before joining Dialogue, Murray Ellis worked for the Ministry of Energy Resources, the Ministry of Works, and was the Senior Energy Advisor at SPBEC, the forerunner of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.  Peter Phillips undertook many projects for the NZERDC, including the first national study of household attitudes to energy use and conservation and a range of transport-related and alternative fuels studies.  Both Murray and Peter were retained by ECNZ for ten years on strategic and corporate planning.  One investigation was an international study of energy efficiency leading a team from six countries.  In recent years Peter Phillips has focused on consultation and social impacts of energy projects while Murray Ellis has continued to work on energy efficiency-related projects including:

Heat pumps for domestic hot water heating

New Zealanders are now familiar with heat pumps as space heaters.  These were introduced in the form of reverse cycle air conditioners, but have become known primarily as heat pumps.  Not so familiar, at least as yet, is the use of heat pumps to heat domestic water (HPWH).  This review of the Heat Pump Water Heating industry....More>>

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Intervention options for insulation products

EECA commissioned this study in 2005 to investigate “what regulatory interventions and processes are appropriate for insulation materials and products, covering both cylinder wraps and products used for building insulation.” The study found that New Zealanders are not yet getting good value from their investment .....More>>

Transformer MEPS assessment

Nearly all New Zealand’s electricity supply passes through one of 175,000 or so distribution transformers owned by network companies, or a smaller number owned by end-user businesses.  A small proportion of this energy is dissipated as heat in the process. This study for EECA was prompted by an Australian proposal .....More>>

Standby power strategy

This study investigated an Australian scheme, undertook analyses of a wide variety of appliances, and consulted with a range of parties to provide advice as New Zealand considered introducing a Standby Power Strategy, compatible with Australia’s Standby Power Strategy 2002-2012 .....More>>

Domestic ventilation systems

Increasing weather-tightness of New Zealand’s often excessively “ventilated’ homes (including through gaps around windows and doors) has raised concerns about ventilation and the growth of moulds, affecting the building and the health of residents.  Bold claims are made for heating benefits of systems using heat from the roof space .....More>>

Refrigerator MEPS assessment

This study was initiated in response to an Australian proposal to increase efficiency standard for refrigerators raising questions about whether New Zealand should move in concert. The report recommended that New Zealand proceed to implement a stringency upgrade of the MEPS for domestic refrigerators and freezers .....More>>