Embodied carbon/energy—it’s in the floors
I know this seems obvious when you think about timber-framed residential buildings: all the embodied CO2 is in the concrete and steel, so the bulk of it is used in...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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Carbon-positive landscapes too
The basic idea? The chosen materials and landscape components sequester carbon to balance out the carbon it took to create it, all within five to 20 years. (Five for greener...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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Consider social responsibility also
I try and read Daniel Overbey’ posts for the technical content but in his first post of the year, he presented a real challenge. “John Elkington is often credited with...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Mar 2026
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About time: Damn right, mechanical ventilation is appropriate in all new buildings
Why am I sounding overjoyed at this simple text from BRANZ? The backstory goes a long way back. In its <December 2019 Guideline https://www.branz.co.nz/guideline>, the front story is about...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Dec 2019
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2019 December 16 Construction Canada: B.C. Setting New Standard For Building Energy Performance
BC Step Code Way Out In Front Comparing New Zealand to British Columbia, Canada is an interesting one. Its population is very similar to NZ (5.1 million people compared to...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 26 Otago Daily Times: Sustainable Communal Housing Requires Skill
This is a great short video of the co-housing project. If you watch closely you can see lots of construction details and products. My favourite Easter egg is the shot...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 26 Radio New Zealand: Mouldy Home Victims Get New Lease On Life
In our opinion every home needs continuous mechanical ventilation. EVERY HOME. Alice Peacock, who works as a social worker with the healthy housing programme, travels around the Bay helping vulnerable...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 22 Newsroom: NZ is still building leaky homes
We are still building leaky homes. “According to journalist Peter Dyer, who has spent the past seven years researching the crisis, we are still making the same mistakes. ‘Everyone I...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 21 Wanaka Sun: Meeting Luggate Community Needs
“QLDC endorsed an ultra‐low energy passive house concept for the new hall in late 2018, which will make it one of the first community facilities built and certified to passive...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 21 Scoop Business: Build a Healthy Home for Asthma Sufferers
“Often the last place considered to improve health, thermal efficiencies, home comforts, and more, is the slab your house is built on. Yet it might surprise you to learn that...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 20 “Architects Declare”: NZ Profession Takes a Stand on Combating Climate Change
“Architects Declare”: NZ profession takes a stand on combatting climate change “We have a New Zealand version of Architects Declare, an international set of guidelines that signatories pledge to follow...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 11 Otago Daily Times: Sustainable Architectural Approach Earns Distinguished Award
I had the pleasure of meeting Anne for the first time last week, at her office in Wanaka. She is the architect for Luggate Hall, which is targeting Certified Passive...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 9 Newsroom: Unanimous Support For Landmark Zero Carbon Bill
Very excited to see the New Zealand Zero Carbon Bill passed … unanimously. Didn’t expect that but I’m very pleased. We know that buildings can contribute significantly to reducing carbon...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 5 Passive House Institute: districtPH – Assessing Energy-Saving Potentials at the District Level!
Sustainable Engineering just purchased the first license for new modelling software, districtPH. This was developed in Germany by Passive House International with funding from the EU. Think of it as...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Mar 2026
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2019 November 4 Architecture Now: In Focus: Building Smarter (Part Two)
This is the second in a series of articles put out by Prefab NZ. Good to see the references to performance, as well as off-site construction. I think prefabrication could...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 November 4 University of Otago Wellington: Improving Housing Standards for Co-Benefits for Energy Efficiency, Carbon Mitigation and Health
The Public Health Summer School symposium on 11 February will be eye-opening and I recommend you attend. This is the team that made the Healthy Home Guidelines a political reality...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Mar 2026
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2019 October 31 Stuff: On the Ladder: Building a Passive House on First-Home Budget
“But how much will it cost?”. Anyone involved with Passive Houses hears that question a lot. Ross Brown of eHaus reckons an extra 20%, according to this article. I’ve also...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Aug 2020
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2019 October 31 Chapman Tripp: Climate Change Risk – Implications For New Zealand Company Directors And Managed Investment Scheme Providers
Chapman Tripp – Legal opinion – October 2019 This is pretty intense when you realise the implications of this legal opinion. Directors of companies and/or investment schemes have a ‘legal...
by Jason Quinn
Updated: Mar 2026
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