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I get that NZ is fairly temperate. Still, would you feel comfortable inside on a winters morning with your thermostat set to 40F?

That was my life for a while. The bedroom was warmer (space heater still worked despite gaps in the floor boards & single glazed windows). I'd get up out of bed, put on a few layers of clothing, then walk out into the cold living room to start a wood fire. Completely normal thing to do here for all but the wealthiest people.

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I do know what you mean. I grew up in northern Canada where seeing -40 was an annual occurrence. But when I've traveled to warmer places I've often found that I can be colder indoors than I ever would be at home.

When it's the difference between life and death then buildings have central heating. But if it's a matter of comfort, central heating seems to be relatively rare. Even in the wealthiest countries.

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