Kia ora koutou,
As we approach the end of 2021, I’d like to thank you for your energy and passion in driving the Passive House kaupapa, and your support of PHINZ.
We’ve seen huge momentum this year for Passive House in Aotearoa.
Kāinga Ora now has 2 Passive House beginning construction – Bader Ventura in Māngere and Ngā Kāinga Anamata – homes of the future – in Glendowie.
These projects are a huge step towards making Passive House accessible for our most vulnerable, and in providing learnings to the industry.
Toiora High Street Cohousing in Ōtepoti Dunedin achieved its Passive House certification this year. The Bushland Park subdivision in Ōtautahi Christchurch is now underway, and construction began on the Luggate Hall Community Centre in the Queenstown Lakes area. Threepwood Passive House has picked up two prestigious Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZIA awards this year, the 2021 Southern Architecture Awards and the Housing Category of the Architecture Awards.
There are now 66 certified Passive House dwellings across the country, and many more in the pipeline.
Back in May, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw highlighted Passive House as one of the voluntary standards homebuilders wanting an energy efficient and lower-carbon house could use today. And last month, the recent update of the Building Code now recognises the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) as a modelling tool that can be used as a means of compliance.
The PHINZ Board welcomed Nick Manarangi and Glenn Harley this year, and we farewelled Andrea Stocchero and Matthew Cutler-Welsh. Thank you again Andrea and Matthew for your valued contribution. We now welcome Murray Robertson to the Board, and to the position of Board Chair. Happily Elrond Burrell will remain on the Board but step down as Acting Chair.
Amanda Lowe joined as our administrator in March and has been invaluable support to me and the Board and I am sure to many of you.
We published our High Performance Construction Details Handbook and Passive House – Homes Where People Thrive brochure and both resources have been extremely popular to download.
We enjoyed a busy Hui weekend at Victoria University in Wellington in June, and plans are afoot to mix things up a bit next year – watch this space.
We were so disappointed to have to postpone the South Pacific Passive House Conference 2021, but happily almost all the speakers and planned attendees have been able to make the new dates, we have reopened registrations, and we can’t wait to see you all there.
This year we’ve been participating in the International Passive House #EfficiencyFirst campaign, which advocates for focus on using less energy in the first place before focusing on renewables. Dr Michael Jack from the University of Otago represented PHINZ at COP26 on this topic, discussing how smoothing of peak energy loads is vital in reducing overall energy requirement.
PHINZ membership has grown rapidly by over 40% since the start of 2021 – we are almost at 200 members. And this year we gained our first annual sponsors and are now up to 8 – we are so grateful to you all!
Wishing you, your whānau and communities a safe, happy and healthy Christmas break, and I look forward to reconnecting in the New Year.
Ngā mihi nui
Amy Tankard
