Hohaia House sits unobtrusively among other new homes in a Matamata suburb, a modern, house with brick cladding and a long-run roof. But under the skin, it’s a very different thing to its neighbours. It’s certified as a Low Energy Building by the Passive House Institute, one of the first of its kind in New Zealand. It’s a new …

This striking family home was the first in Australasia to be certified Passive House Plus. Its performance has been monitored and reported on and it also features in the book Positive Energy Homes.The metal-clad south wall faces the road and is devoid of windows, blending in with the rural setting. The other three walls are clad with the Rockcote Insulated …

Jon Iliffe and Baden and Glenda Brown formed eHaus in 2010 and from its base in Whanganui, the firm has been instrumental in establishing the Passive House concept in New Zealand. eHaus is designing houses around the country and to date the firm has licensed 15 partner construction companies who are trained to build them. Ross Brown has headed his …

              Queenstown is one of New Zealand’s more challenging climates yet Passive House methodology can deliver a warm, dry, healthy home. This home is a family residence in one of the city’s newest suburbs, nestled below the Remarkables. The interest in making this build a Passive House came from the owners. The original brief …

This two-storey bach overlooks the spectacular Lake Tarawera. It is a low-maintenance, durable house, with carefully chosen materials and facade textures that help the building meld into the landscape. The building takes advantage of the solar aspect and view. The walls are constructed with Ecoblock insulated concrete forms (ICF); the reinforced concrete layer provides both structural strength and the air …

This project was a melding of like minds. The clients told their architectural designer that they wanted a Passive House. They had already chosen their builder, who had experience in building to the Passive House standard. This beautiful house stunningly illustrates how Passive House standards can be met without constraining architectural creativity. It features curved ply ceilings and a subtle …

The owners previously lived in a pristine 1930s-built character home, which was damaged beyond repair in the Canterbury earthquakes. A protracted settlement with their insurers gave the couple years to consider the type of house they wanted to live in. They chose a design that echoed the era of the previous home and suited the vernacular of their neighbourhood. The …

This eHaus design provides a contemporary 3 bedroom home with excellent use of space. Designed as the Kapiti expoHaus in 2015 it featured on Breakfast TV as the first certified project in the Wellington Region. It has been a catalyst for many others to choose Passive House homes. Fitted with a hydronic underfloor heating system and split hot water heat …

Passive House Taupo is notable because its owner also designed and built it himself. Kim Feldborg is an experienced NZCB-certified builder who apprenticed in Denmark and has built timber homes around Europe, as far north as Greenland. This four bedrooms plus office, 260 m² family home blends into a new sub-division and offers majestic mountain views to the south across …