Stärke makes recessed window install clear

It’s great to see the data from our work on the High-Performance Construction Details Handbook being used to improve the industry. Starke is a window fabricator that has got on...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jul 2022

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Haiku sums up warmer home benefits

Who the hell composes a haiku as the summary in a technical report to a government agency? A New Zealander, that’s who. I love this country. People’s ability to care...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jul 2022

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Elements of building industry lobbying to delay H1 changes

Like I’ve said before, if we want to change, we actually will need to change. Seems simple enough, right? But many in the “pro-cold-home” contingent of our building sector don’t...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jul 2022

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BRANZ edition of HPCD out now

It’s great to finally pin a bow on this project and call it done. The final version of the HPCD (the High Performance Construction Details Handbook) has now been fully reviewed...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: May 2022

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Builder backlash to H1 upgrade begins

And, it’s begun: the backlash to the update to the energy efficiency requirements in New Zealand’s Building Code announced last November. It’s been a long time since the last upgrade....

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jul 2022

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Be a certification pro

Passive House certification offers many benefits and the cost is tiny relative to the whole budget for a new home. As a Passive House designer, you can make the process...

by Sara Wareing

Updated: Apr 2022

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998 days to reach climate change reduction goals

The latest IPCC report emphasises that we have to peak our CO2 emissions by 2025 at the latest to reach 1.5 degrees global warming, to follow those rational paths that...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Lazy overglazing is causing expensive problems

What is it with glass? Buildings in Australia and New Zealand tend to be over-glazed. Is it because huge windows look good in the renders and are a quick go-to...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Apr 2022

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Student skimp on food to pay rent on cold, mouldy flats

Radio New Zealand has really done an excellent job of summarising the plight of New Zealand university students—all in less than four minutes. Listen here, to hear how bad it...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jul 2022

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Think twice about that wood burner

I still surprise Passive House folk when I point out it’s better to use a heat pump than a wood burning fireplace for heating. It’s better for their clients’ health,...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Apr 2022

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Cold bedrooms make people sick

I know folks who still argue for not heating bedrooms. They love kids but just refuse to believe the research. Cold bedrooms make kids more likely to be sick with...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Passive House for my mom

Awesome to see Architecture New Zealand linking to this great video primer on Passive House from Dave Borlace, who publishes a channel on climate and sustainable energy on You Tube....

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Jul 2022

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First Bushland Park homes certified, go up for auction

The certification of 8 and 10 Bushland Place is a milestone the entire Passive House community in New Zealand should celebrate. These are the first certified Passive House homes to...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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UK progress on Passive House

The UK is way ahead of New Zealand in terms of numbers of certified Passive House buildings so it’s certainly instructive to see what we can learn. A recent article...

by ike saniel

Updated: Mar 2022

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Passive House social housing transformative for NYC tenants

Passive House social housing in New York City is taking off, according to this Guardian feature story. Two things stand out: the extent of the uptake (dozens of affordable Passive...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2022

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Evaluating embodied carbon of solar panels

Elementa Consulting has released a very easy to follow report on a very complex topic: how good are PV panels and what matters when you consider their embodied carbon? The...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2022

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Carbon budget modelled for NZ new builds and existing stock

This is an excellent paper on modelling the carbon emitted by New Zealand homes during construction and use against the IPCC 1.5 degree emission targets. The authors follow population weighting...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Mar 2026

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Time for deep retrofits

MBIE’s Building for Climate Change programme is going to drive greater energy efficiency in new buildings. Among other things, it will introduce actual performance modeling for New Zealand buildings. This...

by Jason Quinn

Updated: Feb 2022

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