Australasian Leisure Management magazine has published a great article on Passive House aquatic facilities by Alex Head from Architecture HDT Christchurch and Sustainable Engineering’s Jason Quinn. As Alex explains, “aquatic and recreation facilities are known for their extremely high cost of ownership, a result of their significant staffing and extremely high energy usage—the highest energy use intensity of any public …
Toxic mould condemns $17m mansion
It’s rare to hear about building failures as owners of properties that require remediation often want it kept very quiet. As the new owner is the local council, which claims it bought it for the land, this case made headlines locally. The property at 516 Frankton-Ladies Mile boasts a five bedroom, copper-roofed house sprawling over 440m2, plus additional 320m2 of …
New airtight resource available from ProClima
ProClima has released an in-depth look at lightweight timber framing construction for walls and roof (and including warm roofs and their hybrids) across the climate zones of Australia. The report, by Jesse Clarke, is An Australian Based Study On Airtightness and Moisture Management and it is available to download. It includes tropical climates. That will be of considerable academic interest …
BIM models are accurate enough
Engineers use lots of computer modelling tools. It’s our professional responsibility to understand those tools well enough to understand their limitations and determine when they are sufficiently accurate. This accuracy (ie computer prediction matching reality) is essential to providing good competent advice. At the core of understanding are validation studies like the ones below: ASHRAE RP-1117 and the more recent …
Thermal bypassing publication a must-read
If you design building assemblies you need to make the time to read this new publication. Thermal bypass—the air movement through and around insulation—has a very big impact on building performance. In the High-Performance Construction Details Handbook, I noted that thermal bypass can reduce the thermal performance of wall assemblies by 30% or more. The Passivhaus Trust in the UK …
Energy modelling at heart of Passive House
Often when people talk about Passive House, they’ll focus on those things they can see and touch, like triple-pane windows or mechanical ventilation. But the core of the Passive House methodology is the part you can’t see: it’s the thermal energy model. That modelling is how the design team can make sure this young couple’s first home is going to …
Leaky building crisis spreads to Australia
Here’s a detailed but accessible write up about leaky homes that takes an international perspective. Written by Australian lawyers who specialise in construction law, it considers the risks emerging for Australia and compares it to the Canadian and New Zealand experience. Lawyer Kim Lovegrove says increasing numbers of leaky apartments are coming to light in Australia. He notes that in …
NZ’s first EnerPHit wins architecture awards
Congratulations to Terry Bryers and the construction team for winning a fistful of awards: the Auckland/Northland/Coromandel Supreme Renovation of the Year award, the Renovation Over $1.5 million category, and a Gold Award. According to the Stuff write up, “While the house retains its original concrete structure, it looks and feels completely different. The judges described the renovation as “incredible” and …
Coromandel Passive House: small, off-grid and tracking for Premium designation
The North Island is finally on track to have its first Passive House Premium home. Steven Hughes’ small but perfectly formed house in the Coromandel Peninsula has passed pre-construction review. That’s the first and most important hurdle to clear for certification. The Sustainable Engineering certifiers have reviewed all the documentation and analysis and have given an independent assurance that if …