House Profile

This appealing minor dwelling in the Coromandel bush has achieved Passive House Premium  certification—only the third to do so in Aotearoa/New Zealand—and is believed to be this country’s first off-grid Passive House. It is a remarkable achievement. The building’s footprint is a mere 60m2; it’s inherently harder to reach Passive House levels of performance in such a small dwelling because …

“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 …

House Profile

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 …

    House Profile  

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 …