Better building design improves sleep

Sleep is super important for good health and a good life. We know this but generally overlook how building design choices impact sleep quality.  An ASHRAE Journal article just published...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jun 2023

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Filtering out fine particulates increases life expectancy

Indoor air filtration capable of reducing PM2.5 particles increases life expectancy and experts argue should change standards to require better filtration. In general, the filters in ventilation equipment are primarily...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jun 2023

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Scotland sets example for new building performance

Commit to the outcome then work out how to get there, argues Andy Marlow, a leading Australian Passive House designer and former APHA board member. In a recent essay on...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2023

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Australian homes aren’t warm either

Australia is much warmer than New Zealand but apparently not inside their homes in winter. This new study points out that 80% (!) of the Australian homes measured failed to...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2023

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Economic benefits to extensive housing retrofits

Large-scale retrofit programmes to improve New Zealand housing would generate huge benefits, according to a recent report by BERL: $50 billion in health and energy savings and over $116 billion...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2023

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Embodied carbon tools from NZ Green Building Council

The NZ Green Building Council undertook detailed consultation into what its clients needed to assess embodied carbon. It has released a suite of tools to assist with measuring, verifying and...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Q&A with Jason: explain heating load vs demand

Q. What is the difference between heating demand and heating load and how is each measured? How do these numbers impact on Passive House certification? A. Both these numbers are...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jul 2023

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“The most sustainable house is the one you don’t build”

New Zealanders have a vast job ahead retrofitting existing housing stock. Massively improving the thermal performance and energy efficiency of existing residential buildings is not optional if we are to...

by Rachel Rose

Updated: Apr 2023

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Owners loving Bushland Park’s first Passive House homes

Bushland Park set out to be New Zealand’s first Passive House subdivision and builders Ethos Homes boldly built the first two homes on spec. The build went smoothly but the...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2023

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Is natural plaster airtight?

UPDATE Aug 2023 This project’s final blower door test showed a significant improvement in airtightness, which qualifies the initial commentary made below at the time of the preliminary test. The...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Aug 2023

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Momentum gathering on multi-occupancy Passive House projects

Architype in Dunedin has notched up another Passive House win, with successful certification of the country’s first social housing units. Our case study notes the challenges that were met with...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2023

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Aus leads way on educational Passive House buildings

A private childcare centre operator in Canberra, Australia had the foresight more than five years ago to build facilities to Passive House standards. Her aim was to build the healthiest...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2023

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Just a matter of time

I’ve always said: once you’ve lived in a certified Passive House home, you wouldn’t settle for anything less. I’d better change that to ‘once you’ve lived or worked…’ because these...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2023

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Passive House award winners featured in online flipbook

Check this out: a lovely flipbook with in-depth case studies of the projects from the Passive House Architectural awards in 2021. Lavishly illustrated, illuminating text and lots of drawings: this...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2023

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Mary James’ work influential

Mary James is the director of publications at Passive House Accelerator in the US. She’s written multiple books on aspects of Passive House and her work New York Passive House...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jan 2023

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Passive House in the spotlight

Josefine Watterson’s Featherston home has just received certification but already it is doubtless the nation’s best known Passive House home, thanks to being featured on Grand Designs. Josefine is the...

by Rachel Rose

Updated: Jan 2023

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Jessica Eyers moving to Sustainable Engineering Ltd

Jessica Eyers is joining Sustainable Engineering Ltd in 2023. Jessica needs little introduction to New Zealand’s Passive House community as she has been a certified Passive House designer for nearly...

by Rachel Rose

Updated: Dec 2022

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Grand design at Tapu more than meets the eye

Stuff’s ranking of this season’s homes featured on Grand Designs is of course highly subjective and arguably not particularly useful. Sustainability did feature as a criteria but frankly was a...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Dec 2022

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