Retrofitting wall insulation is not risk-free

This article from the BBC discusses claims cavity wall insulation installed as part of a government retrofit scheme has led to homes filled with black mould. The installer has gone...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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All homes need mechanical ventilation

I was happy to see this lovely article on a very high-performance home down in Greymouth but I take issue with the last sentence, which implies that mechanical ventilation is...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jun 2023

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Better building design improves sleep

Sleep is super important for good health and a good life. We know this but generally overlook how building design choices impact sleep quality.  An ASHRAE Journal article just published...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jun 2023

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Filtering out fine particulates increases life expectancy

Indoor air filtration capable of reducing PM2.5 particles increases life expectancy and experts argue should change standards to require better filtration. In general, the filters in ventilation equipment are primarily...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jun 2023

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Scotland sets example for new building performance

Commit to the outcome then work out how to get there, argues Andy Marlow, a leading Australian Passive House designer and former APHA board member. In a recent essay on...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2023

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Australian homes aren’t warm either

Australia is much warmer than New Zealand but apparently not inside their homes in winter. This new study points out that 80% (!) of the Australian homes measured failed to...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2023

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Economic benefits to extensive housing retrofits

Large-scale retrofit programmes to improve New Zealand housing would generate huge benefits, according to a recent report by BERL: $50 billion in health and energy savings and over $116 billion...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2023

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Embodied carbon tools from NZ Green Building Council

The NZ Green Building Council undertook detailed consultation into what its clients needed to assess embodied carbon. It has released a suite of tools to assist with measuring, verifying and...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Q&A with Jason: explain heating load vs demand

Q. What is the difference between heating demand and heating load and how is each measured? How do these numbers impact on Passive House certification? A. Both these numbers are...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jul 2023

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Your clients must own the risk that goes with cost-cutting

How is risk allocated in the design of new buildings? Who benefits and who pays for it? This is at the crux of some very interesting conversations I’ve been having...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Apr 2023

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The slow switch to ISO standards in NZBC

New Zealand is slowly switching over to using ISO standards, at least for our building energy work and code in H1. The revised H1 switches to the following standards, so...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Apr 2023

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Least cost, most benefit from jumping straight to Passive House performance

Something I learned from my dad growing up was to do something right … so you only had to do it once. When you do a half-arsed job, you often...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Apr 2023

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Passive House in NZ: certification and rate of uptake rising

Sustainable Engineering is often asked how many PHI certified Passive House buildings there are in New Zealand. So a while back, we added a counter to our website here. We...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Exceptional airtightness results achieved

We’re aware builders are competing to get the lowest air leakage results (well below the 0.6 ACHn50 Passive House requirement). It’s good fun: we have some great Passive House builders...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2023

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RIBA Passivhaus Overlay is essential reading

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has produced an extremely well done resource that will be very helpful for New Zealand Passive House designers and architects too. The Passivhaus...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2023

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Owners loving Bushland Park’s first Passive House homes

Bushland Park set out to be New Zealand’s first Passive House subdivision and builders Ethos Homes boldly built the first two homes on spec. The build went smoothly but the...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2023

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Is natural plaster airtight?

UPDATE Aug 2023 This project’s final blower door test showed a significant improvement in airtightness, which qualifies the initial commentary made below at the time of the preliminary test. The...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2023

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Momentum gathering on multi-occupancy Passive House projects

Architype in Dunedin has notched up another Passive House win, with successful certification of the country’s first social housing units. Our case study notes the challenges that were met with...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2023

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