Invercargill City Council is celebrating the completion of four new energy-efficient housing units in the city this week.

The new units, built in Stirrat St, were constructed as part of Council’s long-term policy to replace and increase social housing for elderly people.

“These new units are the first step in renovating and revitalising Council housing for the elderly in Southland,” Invercargill Deputy Mayor Tom Campbell said.

“This aligns with Council’s desire to act based on social responsibility and to meet an identified need for a vulnerable segment of our population.”

Invercargill City Council Infrastructure Group Manager Erin Moogan said the project went above and beyond building standards for warm, dry and healthy homes that were built to last.

“The main frames are New Zealand pine and all insulation levels are sustainable and surpass the minimum set out in the building code to ensure that the units need less energy to stay warm,” Moogan said.

“The design of the units can also fit in various configurations on various Council-owned sites, reducing design and construction costs over time.”

Council’s Long-term Plan consultation, which closed this week, also asked the community whether they’d like to further invest in replacing the city’s aged housing units.

Councillors will deliberate on the feedback on this issue, along with the rest of the draft Long-term Plan, in the coming months before adoption in June.