Trickle vents cheap but not ideal

Trickle vents are making a comeback in New Zealand because in combination with small extract fans they are the lowest-cost way to meet Homestar v5 requirements for continuous ventilation. However...

Updated: Aug 2024

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PHPP Expert credential on offer in NZ

New Zealand Passive House designers with suitable experience can now prepare for the PHPP Expert exam that grants official PHI-granted Expert status via a learning pathway developed by local experts...

Updated: Mar 2026

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New carbon calculator integrates with PHPP

We built The Carbonator, a simple tool calculating building embodied and operational carbon emissions and it is now available so all Passive House designers can use it. Visit sustainableengineering.co.nz/thecarbonator/ for...

Updated: Sep 2024

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PHI timber thermal bridge catalogue worth downloading

PHI has released an extensive catalogue of 600 timber frame thermal bridge calculations, plus a results file in Excel format that shows the resulting PSI values. The goal was to...

Updated: Jul 2024

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Essential to manage risks from moisture in CLT buildings

There are some advantages to being laggards in adopting new building products and methods. CLT is more common in Europe and has a longer history of use there. Damage and...

Updated: Feb 2025

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Aggregate heat loss testing (coheating) standard released

Good news: a European Standard for heat load testing has been released. I hope it will lead to more research that measures the performance gap (if any) between the heating...

Updated: Aug 2024

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Streamlining Passive House design

There’s some anticipation about the release of easyPH, understandable given its promise to make Passive House design easier. Here’s some advice for new designers about how to streamline and simplify...

Updated: Jun 2024

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easyPH tool aims to simplify Passive House design

A new tool for Passive House designers aims to simplify the entry of data into the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) software. Called easyPH, the beta version is bundled with...

Updated: Jun 2024

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Making certified Passive House tradesperson training even better

Ideas on how to make certified Passive House tradespersons training even better: that’s one of the things I took away from the THRIVE 2024 Passivhaus Conference in Melbourne. UK architect...

Updated: May 2024

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Highlights from the 2024 Thrive Passivhaus Conference

The Thrive 2024 Passivhaus Conference in Melbourne last week was great—here are my highlights. It was well worth nipping across the ditch for two days. (Was I really the only...

Updated: May 2024

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Earthbuilding Standards x3 out for consultation

Three revised New Zealand Earthbuilding Standards are out for public comment. This is a great opportunity—very time limited—to review the content of the draft standards without having to purchase them....

Updated: May 2024

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Three steps to mitigate condensation risk in wall assemblies

Significant changes are proposed to minimum Code requirements for commercial buildings in Australia and I’ve been particularly interested in measures to mitigate condensation risk in walls. It’s important New Zealand...

Updated: May 2024

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Developers need a way to participate in the carbon market

We work with motivated clients focused on reducing the carbon emissions associated with their construction projects. In general, I’d characterise their (our) main reason for doing this as the belief...

Updated: May 2024

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Four very good reasons to sign up for designPH Skills right now

You’ll hear me talking a lot about designPH over the next couple of months. That’s because it’s a seriously useful tool that, once mastered, delivers staggering efficiencies and improvements in...

Updated: May 2024

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Thermal bypass a basic step to improving building performance

I get asked periodically how to increase building performance without spending extra money. Well, better-than-Code performance is going to cost something so I focus on low-hanging fruit: what’s the greatest...

Updated: Apr 2024

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Keep heat pump and ventilation systems separate for best results

Buildings need fresh air, every single one of them. Even the very best-performing ones will also need some (possibly very little) heating or cooling at peak times of year. Ducting...

Updated: Apr 2024

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SketchUp’s new release does not work with designPH 2.1

SketchUp 2024 is now available but if you are using designPH, please hold off on updating SketchUp until designPH2.2 is released! Otherwise you won’t be able to use designPH.  PHI...

Updated: Apr 2024

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Is Passive House actually worth it?

I’m often asked (usually politely): Is building to the Passive House standard actually worth it? Yes it is, is the unequivocal answer. There’s a brilliant summary paper written by Dr...

Updated: Apr 2024

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