SEEC energy support helps households across Taranaki and Whanganui manage energy costs, make practical changes at home and feel more confident about staying warm and comfortable.
Keeping a home warm and dry can be difficult when power costs are high. Sometimes, small changes can make a noticeable difference. Other times, a household may need help understanding their power bill, finding a better electricity plan or addressing issues such as draughts, poor ventilation, moisture or inefficient heating.
That is where WISE can help.
What is SEEC?
WISE’s Support for Energy Education in Communities, known as SEEC, provides free, practical energy support for households experiencing energy hardship.
Our trained team visits your home, talks with you about your energy use and looks at the things that may be making your home harder or more expensive to heat. We then work with you to identify practical solutions that suit your household.
Importantly, SEEC can support households who may not meet the eligibility requirements for the Healthy Homes Initiative. You do not need to have children living in your home to apply.
The aim is simple: helping people and whānau have homes that are warmer, drier, healthier and more affordable to run.
Could your home be using more energy than it needs?
Sometimes it is difficult to know what is causing a home to feel cold or uncomfortable.
During a SEEC visit, our team can look for common issues such as:
- Poor or insufficient insulation
- Draughts around windows, doors and other areas
- Inefficient heating
- Ventilation problems
- Moisture, condensation and mould
- Other factors that can increase energy use or make a home harder to heat
Once we understand what is happening in your home, we can help you work out where to focus your efforts.
Simple changes can make a difference
You do not always need to make major changes to improve the way your home uses energy.
For example, you can start by checking that doors and windows close properly and looking for obvious draughts. Keeping curtains closed once the sun goes down can also help retain warmth. Using your heating efficiently and keeping an eye on hot water use can make a difference too.
However, knowing what to change is not always straightforward.
That is why SEEC looks at your home as a whole rather than simply giving you a list of energy saving tips.
Depending on your household’s needs, WISE may be able to provide or arrange practical products and minor improvements such as draught stoppers, draught sealing, window insulation kits, curtains through the Taranaki Curtain Bank, LED light bulbs, energy efficient power strips and hot water cylinder wraps.
Understanding your power bill matters too
Energy costs are not only about how much electricity you use. Your electricity retailer and plan can also affect what you pay.
As part of SEEC, our team can look at your electricity bill with you and help you understand your energy use. We can also help you compare electricity retailers and find an option that better suits your household and energy needs.
If you are struggling with your power costs, there may also be additional support available. Where appropriate, WISE can help connect you with hardship assistance, grants, Work and Income, power company support and other community or government services.
What happens during a SEEC visit?
A SEEC visit starts with a conversation.
We will ask about your home, how you use energy, your power bills and any challenges you are experiencing. We will then check your home for issues that could affect warmth, ventilation, moisture and energy efficiency.
Together, we will identify the changes that could make the biggest difference for your household.
Where appropriate, WISE can provide practical products or minor improvements. If you need additional support, we can also help connect you with another service.
The support is tailored to you. There is no one size fits all approach.
SEEC is available across Taranaki and Whanganui
WISE provides SEEC support throughout the Taranaki and Whanganui regions.
The service is available to households experiencing energy hardship who may not qualify for the Healthy Homes Initiative. SEEC support is free for eligible households.
If you are unsure whether you qualify, you do not need to work it out on your own.
Need help with energy costs?
If your home is difficult to keep warm, your power bills are becoming harder to manage or you are unsure how to make your home more energy efficient, talk to us energywellbeing@wise.org.nz
Our team can help you understand your options and work with you to find practical next steps.
You can also contact WISE if you have questions about the service or want to find out whether SEEC could help your household.
A warmer, healthier home does not always start with a big change. Sometimes it starts with understanding what is happening in your home and having the right support to do something about it.
