Sharing the Sun: Why high performance is essential for a fair grid

I was super thrilled when Philippa Howden-Chapman invited me to contribute to a new book, Sharing the Sun: Empowering small-scale renewable generation in Aotearoa. Edited by Helen Viggers, Keriata Stuart, and...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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Streamlining certification for multi-building projects

If you are working on a project with multiple thermal envelopes—even if they are just separated by breezeways—you need to remember the ground rules. Separate thermal envelopes imply separate PHPPs,...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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High performance airtightness costs no extra carbon

I wanted to point out a recent LinkedIn post by Sally Godber from WARM in the UK. I know Sally from discussions at a few Passive House conferences; she is a straight...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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EVs add to winter energy demand peaks

New research is a sharp reminder that if New Zealand wants a stable, affordable, 100% renewable grid, reducing demand is just as critical as increasing supply. The choices we make—about...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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How much is healthy indoor air worth? This study has an answer

The energy savings offered by building to the Passive House standard are easy to quantify. The comfort and healthiness of these homes is very much felt by those living in...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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PHINZ hui 2025: a summary and ideas for next year

What did you enjoy most? Well, talking to mates about Passive House is always my favourite. The Pecha kucha thing though! My expectations were low, I’m not familiar with the...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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Energy performance certificates for NZ homes

Talk of mandatory energy performance certificates (EPC) for New Zealand homes is always guaranteed to spark a lively debate. I admit to still being a bit on the fence on...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Ara collab spreads Passive House influence

Ara Institute of Canterbury, a leading provider of construction training in the region, was the location for Sustainable Engineering’s last in-person certified Passive House tradesperson course. It was a great...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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How to talk to your clients about Passive House

Model’s plans for massive build-to-rent Passive House developments in Melbourne was what set the 2025 Thrive conference in Australia buzzing but there were other presentations that really galvanised my attention. Kieran Leong...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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That’s not Passivhaus, that’s just expensive

Years ago I warned of what I dubbed cargo-cult architecture, where architects throw in a few high-performance components like expensive windows and lots of insulation and expect a high-performance building to magically...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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Winthrop Center: world’s largest Passive House office space

I visited a bunch of big American Passive House projects while in the US last year to visit family. Among these was the Winthrop Center in Boston, MA. It’s currently...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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As-built tests for thermal performance of building envelopes

Of course I’m going to love a presentation that included differential equations! Fellow engineers Cameron Munro (Passive Analytics) and Harley Truong (Logikhaus) put their heads together shortly before the conference...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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What I saw at Thrive: a model Model

Everybody was talking about Model and with good reason. Conference organisers gave this property developer and its consultants a lot of time to talk about its concept and the work currently in...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Energy-efficient homes sell for (a lot) more

UPDATE [11 July 2024] This post, first published on 13 June, has been edited. See the addition under the Methodology heading below. We’re not putting too much weight on its claims...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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A new conversation about housing in New Zealand

If you’re in the business of designing, building or advocating for better buildings in New Zealand, you need to read “Homes that meet our real needs“, a BRANZ report written...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Stay dry: how to prevent moisture-related problems in construction

This half-day workshop is offered on 30 July 2025, immediately prior to the PHINZ hui in Christchurch. It’s designed for architects, Passive House designers and tradespeople and its practical focus will...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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NZ homes are still cold, damp and unhealthy

New Zealand homes are slightly less cold in winter compared to 20 years ago. More New Zealanders appear to be heating at least some bedrooms, some of the time, to...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2026

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Useful advice on avoiding household mould

The prevalence of mould in New Zealand houses is a disgrace but it’s also not unique, as this American paper in the latest ASHRAE journal makes clear. The author claims about a...

by ike saniel

Updated: Jan 2026

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