“A poster child for no drama,” is how building scientist Sara Wareing describes this appealing Blenheim home. It could have all gone very differently. The architect had not designed a PHI-certified project before and the plans were already well developed by the time the client decided to seek certification. The home’s form factor was quite high and eaves or overhangs …
This beautiful new home in the Auckland region was designed as a spec build for Rusa Construction, headed by a builder-turned-developer who had been long interested in the Passive House standard. This rural subdivision was his opportunity to build his first Passive House home and he proved himself an excellent client as well as a conscientious builder. The builder costed …
Āhuru nestles into the land above Raglan harbour, a sublime spot for an exquisitely detailed home. It is a product of a seemingly perfect match of values between the architect and homeowners. The architect was in the very first cohort to gain Passive House designer certification in New Zealand, designed this country’s second-ever Passive House and his practice has come …
The Finch Residence will be very familiar to many readers as, under the Waikuku Beach Passive House moniker, its progress was meticulously documented on social media. Paul Finch is both its owner and mastermind. As an experienced project manager, Paul was supremely qualified and he was hands-on at every step of the way. The family’s goal was achieved: a modest, …
Queenstown has some of the largest temperature ranges in Aotearoa so its buildings need to keep humans warm when it’s below zero outside and cool when it’s over 30 degrees. This ambitious home designed to shelter three generations succeeds beautifully. Its success rests on beautiful aesthetics and careful Passive House design. The clients were attracted to their architect’s sustainability and …
This rural home outside of Whanganui is a complex blend of traditional building and hi-tech performance, proof of the adage that Passive House is agnostic with regard to materials. It was inspired by and builds on the success of Hiberna, the first strawbale Passive House building in New Zealand and seemingly the first in the world to rely on natural …
