Health burden of cold damp houses costs millions every year

I’ve often wondered in the past exactly what percentage of New Zealand’s health burden is due to our damp and cold homes. Well I obviously didn’t look in the right...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2021

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Lessons from failed UK retrofit programmes

This excellent top-level round-up of multiple UK retrofit programmes sadly reveals how many were really poorly done. The most recent was a politically driven voucher system that lasted less than...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Ireland nails affordable Passive House

They won’t win points for style, but these semi-detached, two-storey Irish homes fit seamlessly amongst their neighbours. This is a very familiar UK building style, now made better: both Passive...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2021

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MBIE responds to climate change consultation

MBIE has provided its initial feedback based on consultation with industry on its “Building for climate change”. There are some promising signs from industry as the snapshot below indicates. We...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Join US expert on marketing PH to homeowners

I’m looking forward to this seminar on how to effectively market Passive House and encourage those working on and designing Passive Houses to attend. This Zoom seminar is hosted by...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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More Passive House certifiers in NZ

Jason Quinn of Sustainable Engineering Ltd has been New Zealand’s sole Passive House certifier for five years but he’s no longer alone in the job. Toby Brooke and Sara Wareing...

by Rachel Rose

Updated: Mar 2026

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Aus Passive House vs passive solar misses the point

If you haven’t heard about the Passive Solar versus Passive House bash up argument in Australia, you missed an entertaining example of people talking past each other. I am reminded...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Apr 2021

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Leaky buildings aren’t over: thermal bridges create moisture issues

PREDOS director Rory Crosbie’s article in BRANZ’s Build magazine mostly argues for a national home warranty scheme based on the Canadian model. He does briefly touch on the inadequacy of...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Apr 2021

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“Must do better”: Education Ministry sets new standards for school buildings

The Ministry of Education manages a huge property portfolio (>15,000 buildings, 2100 sites, >$31 billion replacement value). There are a lot of problem buildings, including some that are only a...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Apr 2021

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We can build Passive House quality for the same price as Code-minimum: here’s proof

Joe Lyth is an Auckland based architect and newly-minted Passive House designer. He’s also an UK import who looks on the crappy homes New Zealanders put up with through an...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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NZ’s first Passive House subdivision

Bushland Park is a new subdivision south-west of the Christchurch city centre, at the foot of the Port Hills and all its 12 homes are targeting Passive House performance. Given...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Worthwhile training course: next week!

I highly recommend attending the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors’ training day in Auckland on 20 March. You’ll hear about Kāinga Ora moving to low carbon building at scale,...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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First, use less energy: #EfficiencyFirst!

The International Passive House Association (iPHA) has launched a campaign called #EfficiencyFirst! It makes the case for focusing on energy efficiency first, before increasing renewable energy. This makes sense from...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2021

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The Building Code is a minimum, not a quality mark!

I’ve had clients call me with issues but then tell me, “the salesperson said it met Building Code”, as if that means something. All it means is the developer wasn’t...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2021

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Mechanical ventilation everywhere: not just high-performance buildings

Well-built high-performance buildings need mechanical ventilation. Times have changed, nobody’s really arguing about this any more. But all the other homes built in the last 50 years need mechanical ventilation...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2021

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Don’t get scammed

Recently my son asked me if I’d ever been scanned. (He was really interested, which is becoming less common when I’m speaking now he’s 12.) At first I couldn’t think...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2021

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Taking the Passive House story to the people

How do we (“we” being those who care about high-performance buildings and all the benefits they deliver to people and the environment) bring about the change we want to see?...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2021

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Social housing, re-imagined

This analysis from The NewStatesman, comparing Vienna’s tradition of social housing to the UK, is a concise and insightful account and I recommend you go and read it in its...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2021

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