Finch Residence
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, …
Waikuku
Carman Residence
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 …
Queenstown
Martins Farmhouse
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 …
Whanganui
The Heights Whare
A clear vision and a great team produced a beautiful Low Energy Building (LEB) home in one of New Zealand’s most challenging climates. The Heights Whare superbly illustrates that it’s possible to achieve a high-performance build on a modest budget. This home is notably small, just 86m2. That’s the perfect size for its owners, who returned after five years comfortably …
Wānaka
Muriwai Valley Passive House
This stunning family home on Auckland’s west coast had a point to prove to those who criticise the Passive House performance standard for “requiring square boxes”. Passive House can be anything within reason, says the owner and designer Nick Gaites. “I understand why engineers would design a rectangle, I don’t know why architects do it. I wanted a home that …
Muriwai Valley
