Newsletter Technical Articles Index

2024

202403 H1 energy modelling creates perverse outcomes

202402 Don’t cook your client by confusing g-value and SHGC

202401 Calculating thermal bridge psi values

2023

202311 MVHR acoustic performance: prevent issues because fixing problems is hard

202310 Translating Passive House into building codes, worldwide

202309 Be prepared to meet fRSI requirements

202308 Site shading needs DesignPH

202307 Three things about MVHR specification

202306 Heat pump worksheet in PHPP10

202305 ECCHO validated to international standard, now H1 compliant

202304 H1 finally requires better door performance

202303 H1 moves closer to Passive House

202302 SEL Joinery Database moves to PHPP10

202301 Wall thermal performance is overestimated

2022

202212 ‘22 in review and Jason’s predictions for ‘23

202211 Woodburners and Passive House homes

202210 Good news and bad news about structural steel

202209 Ground sheet calcs in PHPP10

202208 Construction details we’d rather never see again

202207 Ventilation strategies

202206 Let’s talk about LEB and how they’ll get us to zero carbon

202206 PHPP10

202205 Assessing the thermal impact of conductive fasteners

202204 Be a PH Certification superstar

202203 Using PHPP for NZBC H1/VM1 compliance

202203 Embodied carbon: Do it like this, says MBIE

202202 Thermal Bridge Handbooks

202202 Simple change to energy model inputs is needed

202201 Building Code needs absolute energy performance targets

2021

202112 Analysed: H1 Code changes

202111 Window specs database coming online

202110 Entering waffle pod slabs into PHPP

202109 Safely simplifying window data entry in PHPP

202108 Make sure your blower door test meets the standard

202107 Measuring infiltration accurately matters for your PH design

202106 Service cavities deliver multiple benefits

202105 Taking Passive House to everybody

202104 Carbon modelling available at design stage

202103 Better windows AND better installs

202102 Six clauses you should add to your Passive House construction contract

202101 Weighing the environmental cost of cooling

2020

202012 Keep it simple and make it last

202011 High-performance construction details manual

202010 Window spacers: tiny details can have big impact

202009 Brand new Passive House goes to the market

202008 The champions of quality

202007 Barriers to Passive House and how to solve them

202006 Valuing Passive Houses fairly

202005 [II of IV] Detailed design: how to build it

202004 Want to create jobs—and act on climate change? Raise building performance standards

202003 [I of IV] Initial design: putting all the pieces together

202002 Fixing problem buildings needs structural change

202001 That’s enough cargo-cult architecture

2019

201912 Designing for a hotter world

201911 Passive House social housing just got affordable (even on a narrow ‘first costs’ basis)

201910 Life Cycle Analysis shows PH performance still the right choice

201909 Learn from stupid and be better

201908 Supermodels Are Good For Business

201907 More ventilation options now available

201906 Adding insulation: not always good

201905 Passive House Vision Then Costs

201904 Cold spots equal mould spots

201903 Insulation – ‘Pull it out and do it again, without the gaps this time.”

201902 NZBC Climate Regions Are Not Enough For Good Design

201901 Cheapest functional ventilation option for NZ homes

2018

201812 Control Layer Hacks to Building Science

201811 External Condensation On Windows

201810 Rain Inside On Sunny Days: Why the Roof Drips When We Know It Is Not Leaking