Community housing leader now a Homestar Champion
ŌCHT chief executive Cate Kearney accepts the NZGBC Homestar Champion certificate from NZGBC business development manager Matthew Cutler-Welsh at the recent NZGBC Housing Summit.
ŌCHT has been recognised as among an elite group of housing providers committed to building better homes.
The South Island’s biggest non-government social and affordable housing provider was named a Homestar Champion at the recent New Zealand Green Building Council Housing Summit.
The award is for “consistently demonstrating leadership in sustainable residential development” through ŌCHT’s commitment to building healthier, warmer, drier, and more sustainable homes using the Homestar rating system.
This has been the Trust’s focus since early in its building programme which since 2019 has so-far added more than 360 new community and affordable homes to the Christchurch cityscape.
Where possible, ŌCHT’s new homes are typically designed to achieve at least Homestar 6. Many - especially those on ŌCHT’s growing list of award-winners - just-as-comfortably achieve Homestar 7.
NZGBC says ŌCHT is not just building homes - the Trust and the other champions freshly minted at recent summit are building a better future for Aotearoa.
“By embracing Homestar, they are helping to transform the residential market, delivering low carbon homes that are warmer, drier, healthier, and more comfortable,” NZGBC says.
“Their work is a powerful example of how voluntary standards can drive meaningful change in our communities.”
ŌCHT chief executive Cate Kearney accepted the title on ŌCHT's behalf. She was incredibly proud Christchurch’s pre-eminent NGO community housing provider was recognised for its commitment to sustainable building.
The award is testament to the Trust's approach, and the team and partners who realise that vision to create low carbon homes that are warm, dry, healthy, and comfortable, Cate says.
“With each design and innovation, we're raising the bar for community housing,” she says.
“We’re honoured to be part of a community that’s leading the way toward a more sustainable future for Aotearoa."
Read NZGBC's story about the presentation here.
