Sustainable Engineering is often asked how many PHI certified Passive House buildings there are in New Zealand. So a while back, we added a counter to our website here.
We were recently asked about how the rate of uptake is changing. Like a good engineer, I answered the question with a graph:
Interesting! I have provided lines for total projects and total number of dwellings. Note these figures are for all Passive House Institute certifications, so Low Energy Building (LEB) and retrofits ( EnerPHit) also count here.
For media wishing to report on “the number of certified Passive Houses in New Zealand”, use the number in the counter for Passive House. This is more accurate than also including LEB and EnerPhit.
To spell it out: when a block of eight units is successfully certified, it is one project but eight dwellings. For both projects and dwellings, the increase in the last two years or so is the same as the previous eight years (approximately).
Comments 2
We are building a passiv haus in the Hawkes Bay. We are going the whole hog with passive house certified builder and architect. The design was tested for thermal efficiency prior to BC. The windows and doors are the best Germany can offer. Sealing is multi layer and being done very carefully. There will be a blower test.
However to be ‘certified’ as you mean it provides no benefit to us by way of performance and a big negative in cost in what is a costly exercise. It may give boasting rights but real life proven performance will be the measure and is more realistic than any piece of paper. So at least one top level house will be missing from your stats!
For as long as you live in it yourself, you’re all good. But when you sell it and it’s not certified, you have no grounds to prove anything other than your word for it.
So depends on your future plans