Radical rethink required for school buildings

Replacing eight schools’ coal-fired boilers with ones that run on biomass, as reported earlier this year, is a good move but it wouldn’t be necessary if our schools weren’t built...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Lockdown Passive House style: it’s warm and quiet and the air is fresh in here

As we near the end of Level 4 lockdown, we asked some Passive House owners around the country about their experience at home these past weeks.  It’s hardly a spoiler...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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Learning from the Canucks: remove barriers, add incentives, invest in training

“The City understood that more Passive House projects would be needed to serve as the icebreakers, making way for all buildings to move toward high-performance outcomes.” Vancouver is heading to...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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CLT passive house apartments blaze near-zero carbon path

I’m pleased to see a five-story Passive House apartment building planned for Boston, built from cross-laminated timber (CLT). In my opinion, the best way to reduce the embodied energy or...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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The future of Kiwi architecture is more Certified Passive House

Article by Colleen Hawkes for Stuff What will define Kiwi architecture in the 2020s? ” And what does the future hold? In a nutshell, we can expect to see more...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Nov 2020

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Need more than just higher performance building code changes to decarbonize

“In buildings, it has become clear that there are two very distinct problems. One concerns new buildings — where, for example, advanced heat pump technology can allow for electrification of...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Leaking, mouldy classrooms are just the symptom

Mould can make kids sick, that’s the key takeaway here. It gets worse the more mould there is and the more time they are exposed to it. Kids are required...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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Into the lion’s den: talking Passive House to earth builders

“What I didn’t realise is that Passivhaus is actually a simplification of design, where I originally thought it was all about complicated mechanical systems. This speaker made me realise that...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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Mouldy Schools Resource

Mouldy Schools Resource Some advice from health professionals and articles on damp mouldy schools. We are building scientists and are not health professionals or even public health researchers (we strongly...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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New Yorkers get behind Passive House

New York City is a hot spot of Passive House development due to forward-thinking owners and developers and encouragement from the city government and utilities. New apartment blocks are being...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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How to trigger social tipping points to get action on climate

Systemic change is needed to fix the issues we have with buildings in New Zealand. It can’t just be left to individuals choosing to do better. Doing it right and...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Europe’s plan to create jobs and reach zero carbon

Creating net jobs while cutting net emissions is going to be challenging. Although the building sector can do this through efficiency—saving money at the same time as we build better...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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Can a small building with a complex shape hit PH performance?

This showhome in NSW Australia is targeting Passive House performance levels. This is a very challenging project: it is small but also complex with a high form factor because of...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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Thinkstep report: 20% of NZ’s carbon emissions from built environment

A fifth of New Zealand’s carbon emissions is due to our built environment. Unlike other parts of the economy, significantly lowering this sector’s carbon emissions can be done while making...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2021

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Solaire Properties Passive House a subtropical Passive House

Solaire Properties Passive House a subtropical Passive House “Solaire Properties is close to completion of what it claims is the world’s first subtropical passive house. The Brisbane-based property development company...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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Better buildings easier than better cows

Although we have the Thinkstep report showing that New Zealand’s built environment contributes only 20% of our overall carbon emissions (compared to 40% for the USA and much of Europe) this...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Niche public facilities an obvious target for energy-efficient design

Public swimming pools: a niche type of building but important community fixtures. They are also invariably shocking gluttons for energy thanks to stupid design (or stupid decisions by those commissioning...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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Work harder, commit more to decarbonising public assets

Some interesting analysis here, although you have to read carefully to see the high-performance building connection. Of the $12 billion in infrastructure spending announced last week, $200 million has been...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2020

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