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Passivhaus Is A Team Sport: Conference wrap up

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Board Chair, Joe Lyth, shares his wrap up of the Passive House conference held in Auckland in July 2026.

The past month has absolutely flown by, and we’re still on a high following the Passivhaus Conference, which was held at Waipuna Hotel in Auckland at the end of July. After months of planning, sorting, arranging, and let’s be honest, a little bit of panicking; the 2 day conference was a rousing success, with feedback from the attendees ranging from ‘just do this again next year’, to ‘it was the best one yet’, not to mention raving about how good the food was!

The 2 days were filled with speakers, hands on sessions, and speed dating! It was fantastic to see so many new faces, and to feel the buzz of everyone chatting, networking and learning together.

Speakers

The conference opened with a sensation presentation from Tomas O’Leary, covering the past 2 decades of Passivhaus in Ireland. They’ve seen a ‘hockey stick’ effect of growth, with 7% of new construction in Ireland Passivhaus Certified, and over 40,000 units certified. Passivhaus is being delivered for less than 1% above normal costs, proving that once the industry gets on board, Passivhaus is absolutely possible for similar cost. They are building more, quicker; and are making the health outcomes the priority. His advice? Make Passivhaus the Guinness of housing, and have a cup of tea with the right people!

The next presentation came from Jason Quinn, covering hie exciting new Deep Energy Retrofit handbook, which is releasing soon. [Pre-print available here.] There were some valuable insights, with my primary takeaways being continuity of control layers it key; and if you wouldn’t do it in a new building, don’t do it in a retrofit! The most quoted part in the break after though was ‘diffusion is a mosh pit, air leakage is a sprint’ – I’m 100% happy to advocate for more mosh pits 😊

Photo by Jay Wennington on Unsplash

The final presentation of day 1 was a really enjoyable fireside chat with Resident Builder Peter Wolfkamp, and Grand Design’s Tom Webster. We talked about how Passivhaus is seen in the wider industry, where they both are in their own journeys around building performance, and how we can communicate better to the general public through other channels, and talk about health and comfort, on top of the technical side of the standard.

Day 2 opened with an inspirational talk from the Peachgrove East Community Cohouse project team. A new 48 units cohousing neighbourhood about to start on site in Hamilton, all targeting Passivhaus Certification. Ben Preston gave a captivating presentation on the project, with some eye-opening stats – 60% of Kiwi’s want Cohousing. 35% don’t see a housing option available for them; and hauntingly, loneliness is a disease. [See The New Zealand Housing Survey: Year 1 Survey Results.] The project uses Passivhaus as a foundation, to build upon and see how we can bring those fences down. It’s already proving successful, with nearly all units presold – while other ‘standard’ developments are dropping prices and left empty. Obviously, there is a market for Passivhaus!

The final presentation of the conference was a wonderful talk from Resident Builder Peter Wolfkamp. A well-known face and stalwart of the industry for decades, Peter spoke about his background, his experience, and his progress towards lower energy building practices. His advice was practical and grounded, highlighting that we can’t make perfection be the enemy of progress. He celebrated the fact we can now measure whether a house is good, and that taking 10 steps is ideal, but 5 steps is still good; so let’s make sure they’re all the right steps and avoid unintended consequences.

Panels

A number of panels & PechaKucha sessions provided opportunities to hear about a wide range of views and projects. First was a sprint through New Zealand Aotearoa’s newest Passivhaus projects – an amazing range of buildings from around the motu, it was invaluable to see what’s being built, and hear about how others had found solutions to problems we all face.

On day 2 we heard from the Builders – Toby, Igor, Jono, Trevor and Tom has an excellent discussion with Simon about projects past and present. The experience ranged from years to months, and it was enlightening to hear from the ones that actually build the buildings. As designers we should all collaborate more with the builders; and earlier, to ensure the success of our projects.

A final take away from all of them, when asked if they could go back to building to minimum code, the answer was a rousing NO!

This sentiment was echoed in the Designers panel, when we heard from a number of Passivhaus designers on their work & experiences. The takeaway was again, collaboration – get everyone on board early and manage expectations from the start. Some excellent points were made – it’s easier to solve issues on paper than on site, be mindful of spending clients money; and the supply chain is getting better. I particularly enjoyed Elizabeth’s statement – a team is something that trains together!

Workshops & dating!

Throughout the 2 days a range of workshops & networking opportunities were provided, to enable attendees to meet the rest of the team.

Our amazing suppliers were on stage for a PechaKucha, giving high-speed presentations on their products & services. It was great to hear from each of them, and learn more about their offerings! This was backed up by Supplier Workshops in the breaks, when most of the stands put on hands-on educational sessions, with great feedback from suppliers and attendees alike.

The standout sessions of the conference were twofold – firstly the amazing ‘Passivhaus Speed Dating’ sessions dreamt up by Board member Simon! Conferences are an excellent chance to see old friends and colleagues, but their value is in the new connections you can make. The speed dating sessions enabled attendees to meet new people and learn about them at high speed – I met some excellent new contacts and learnt things about friends I had no idea about!!

Secondly was the Retrofit Workshop, created & led by Kara Rosemeir and Jessica Winter. Attendees were split into groups to assist the ‘client’ in how to retrofit her aging A frame, into a comfortable Passivhaus home. Groups dove into strategies for windows, walls, floors, roof, ventilation and services; with each specialisation having to coordinate with the others across the room. It was invaluable to gather around the table and discuss different approaches, hear other viewpoints, and resolve details together as a team. After pulling together the solutions on day 1, the teams then drew up and presented their solutions on day 2. The ‘client’ (Jess!) was extremely happy with the results, and the attendees all came away with more knowledge, and new friends.

Finally, thanks!

A humongous thank you to all of the speakers, suppliers, sponsors, board members, attendees; and to Nikki, PHINZ’s amazing GM who is sadly moving on. We couldn’t have done it without all of you!

As the conference drew to a close, I did my best to sum up the most amazing 2 days. While we’re not there yet, we have come further that we sometimes feel that we have.  Get the right team – people that give a s**t, and learn by doing – nobody is perfect. Finally, happy, respected, listened to people are far more likely to do a better job, and be open to learn. So, let’s all get on the same team, and support each other to produce healthier, lower energy, happier communities, buildings and homes.

Conference Primary Sponsor: Stiebel Eltron

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PHINZ Submits Response to Building Code H1 Changes – A Call for a Transformative Approach

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Te Tōpūtanga o te Whare Korou ki Aotearoa, Passive House Institute NZ (PHINZ) has voiced its concerns regarding the proposed changes to the Building Code’s insulation requirements (H1) in a recent submission to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). PHINZ believes that the proposed changes, while well-intentioned, represent incrementalism and are a step in the wrong direction. Instead, PHINZ proposes an alternative approach that they believe is necessary to achieve the desired outcomes for New Zealand’s built environment.

Key points of PHINZ’s proposed alternative approach include:

  • Replacing the current prescriptive and calculation methods with a predictive modeling approach based on ISO 52016.
  • Shifting the focus from minimum R-values to minimum absolute thermal performance levels.
  • Adopting the caps from the Building for Climate Change document.
  • Allowing a transition period to the implementation of the first cap of 24 months.

Predictive Modeling Approach
PHINZ strongly supports the transition to a predictive modeling approach based on ISO 52016. This allows for a more accurate and flexible assessment of a building’s energy efficiency compared to the current prescriptive methods.

Minimum Absolute Thermal Performance Levels
Instead of relying solely on minimum R-values, PHINZ recommends shifting the focus to minimum absolute thermal performance levels. This means setting specific targets for the amount of energy a building is allowed to consume, rather than just specifying the thermal resistance of individual building elements. This approach encourages a more holistic view of building performance and promotes innovation in building design and construction.

Building for Climate Change Caps
PHINZ proposes adopting the caps from the Building for Climate Change document, which outlines a roadmap for reducing emissions from buildings in New Zealand. These caps would set progressively stricter limits on the energy consumption of new buildings, driving significant improvements in energy efficiency over time.

Transition Period
To allow the industry to adapt to these changes, PHINZ suggests a transition period of 24 months or more to the implementation of the first cap. This would give builders, designers, and manufacturers sufficient time to adjust their practices and product offerings, ensuring a smooth shift towards more energy-efficient buildings.

Conclusion
PHINZ believes that their alternative approach is crucial for improving the energy efficiency of buildings in New Zealand. They urge MBIE to give their feedback careful consideration before finalizing any decisions on the proposed changes.

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PHINZ Welcomes Joe Lyth, Director of WEL Architecture to the Board.

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Joe is no stranger to our Passive House Community but we have asked him to share a little about himself and his goals with our members.

“I’m Director of WEL Architecture, a Homestar Assessor & trainer for NZGBC, a Certified Passive House Designer & I have led the Auckland PHINZ Chapter since its inception. I’m dad to three ‘lively’ Kiwis, and husband to my amazing wife Sarah.

Originally from North Yorkshire in the UK, I grew up exploring the rural farms, moors and woodland around my childhood home. Through this experience I have a deep love of nature and the outdoors. After almost pursuing a career in sculpture, I moved to London in 2007 to study and work in Architecture, which added a love of urbanism & the built form to my passion for hands-on creating, before heading to NZ with my wife in March 2016 ‘to travel for a few months’!

We swiftly decided to stay and started our family; but after watching our children get sick in cold, mouldy, minimum code buildings, my passion grew for building performance and occupant health. To provide a better, healthier life for us I embarked on a journey to create our own Passive House Certified home – Lower Saddle Passive House, on a minimal budget. I believe that homes should achieve a standard far above what the NZ Building Code achieves, but that this doesn’t necessarily mean significant additional cost if this is prioritised and considered holistically throughout the design process, as we proved with our own project.

My passion, and the primary aim of my practice, is to get more people into healthy, low energy and low carbon homes and buildings through my own designs, through helping others as a consultant, and through teaching. I feel that Passive House is one of the best ways to achieve low energy, durable and comfortable homes, supported by other pathways and tools such as Homestar and Living Building Challenge, to cover the wider project context and elements such as water use, embodied carbon, biodiversity, healthy materials, the list goes on.

I have presented, lectured and taught building performance and energy modelling, and enjoy enabling others to learn. I have aimed to use the PHINZ Auckland Chapter events to educate and demystify building performance and Passive House, while also utilising my own experiences and journey to help others connect with and understand both elements.

In joining the PHINZ board, I hope to break down some of the perceived barriers around Passive House, show that healthier buildings can be achievable to those who feel that they are out of reach, demonstrate how Passive House is an appropriate way to achieve energy efficient, climate resilient buildings for New Zealand; and push for more education to allow more people to achieve Passive House Performance through their designs and work.

I have hands-on real-world experience with designing, building, and living in a Passive House, so can show that I’m not just talking the talk but also walking the walk. Through this I can discuss the positives and negatives of each stage, and how to approach them based on personal experience, all of which I hope to bring to the role.”

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PHINZ rolls out Webinar Series for 2025

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We are excited to bring to you the PHINZ 2025 Webinar Series, with 20 webinars over the space of 10 months tailored for both the Designers in our community as well as Builders and Tradespeople.

The overarching webinar theme for the year

  1. Designers webinars : How to Build a Passive House
  2. Builders Social webinars: Everything Passive House

Whatever your interest in Passive House or level of expertise, there is something for everyone in this series. 

Each month we will present 2 x 1.5hr webinars on the selected topic for the month. The first webinar will be a Designers Webinar with a Host/moderator, technical speaker/s and a Q&A session.

The Builders Social will be more informal with the host providing a brief overview and perspective on the topic followed by a Q&A with the builder/s.

ENVELOPE

FebruaryAvoiding Lock-In Effects in Floor Slabs and Foundations
MarchAlternative Wall systems – SIPS’s, straw
AprilWeathertightness vs Airtightness
MayWindow Selection & Installation
JuneOpen discussion – Energy modelling insights

SERVICES

JulyHeat Pumps for space heating & hot water
AugustPassive House & Solar
SeptemberVentilation Design & Installation
OctoberHot Water & Plumbing
NovemberOpen discussion – I wish I’d known/You only do this once

View our Events page for details of individual webinars as they become available.

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Passive House Institute New Zealand (PHINZ) Opposes insulation standards rollback, Advocates for Effective Building Standards

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PHINZ has issued the following press release in response to the recent media reports and comments by Minister Chris Penk.

“PHINZ strongly disagrees with proposals to roll back insulation standards. The recent changes to the Acceptable solution in Building code clause H1 Energy Efficiency (H1/AS1) represented a positive step towards achieving the core objectives of the Building Act:

  • (i) people who use buildings can do so safely and without endangering their health; and
  • (ii) buildings have attributes that contribute appropriately to the health, physical independence, and well-being of the people who use them.

PHINZ acknowledges room for improvement in H1/AS1, but a rollback won’t solve the underlying issues. Instead, we propose building on the recent changes by moving to incorporate recommendations PHINZ has previously made, which are closely aligned to those proposed in MBIE’s Building for Climate change programme.

Here’s our proposal for revising H1/AS1:

  • Ditch the Flawed tools: The schedule, calculation and modeling methods contained within H1/AS1 are riddled with limitations and fail to reflect real-world building performance. Setting revised targets based on these methods is unlikely to create any positive change.
  • Embrace International Standards: PHINZ proposes replacing NZS 4218 with the internationally recognized ISO 52016. This allows for accurate building modeling and provides data in a universally understood format.
  • Performance over Prescriptive Measures: Instead of mandating specific R-values for individual building elements (a known ineffective approach), we advocate using building modelling to target maximum heating and cooling loads. This performance-based approach allows designers and builders to find the best solutions for a given climate, site, and building design.

Following these recommendations will establish robust, evidence-based building standards that fulfill the Building Act’s core functions while promoting construction industry innovation.”

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PHINZ & APA joint statement regarding SPPHC

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The South Pacific Passive House Conference has been held annually and alternated between being hosted in New Zealand and Australia.

As the Australian Passivhaus Association (APA) and Passive House Institute New Zealand (PHINZ) grow, it has been recognised by both organisations and marketplaces that the time has come for annual conferences in each location.

This brings great benefits to the operations of each Association with the move to an annual conference leading to greater continuity of service to members and a stronger voice in our respective marketplaces. Additionally, it enhances our abilities to manage budgets and resources while allowing us to better cater to the needs of sponsors and manufacturers. 

Over the last ten years, the Australian and New Zealand Passive House Associations have been working together to share the location of our annual South Pacific Passive House Conference. This has been instrumental in supporting both markets to grow and connect with each other – and we are thankful for the close relationship fostered between the associations through activities such as these.

Both organisations remain committed to supporting one another and fostering a collaborative environment between the nations. As such, we continue to explore further opportunities for fresh collaborations in the future such as events, research and advocacy projects. 

Discounts will remain in place for each organisation’s respective members to attend the other’s conferences and, wherever possible, the organisations will plan ahead to ensure the conference dates do not clash. In addition, we are actively seeking opportunities to extend the benefits of each other’s membership offerings, with items such as mutual registration to monthly webinar access being arranged.

The APA will hold its next conference in Melbourne in May of 2024 with Aluplast confirming that they will be the principal sponsor of the event. The APA Board has also approved the ongoing name for APA’s Annual conference will be Thrive. This announcement demonstrates our intentions for PH in Australia. PHINZ intends to hold its conference in August / September of 2024.

Many thanks,
Alexia Lidas, CEO – APA  & Murray Robertson, Chair – PHINZ

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PHINZ welcomes Homestar v5

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We may seem a bit late to the party since Homestar v5 was launched in 2021! However, Homestar v5 is due to come into force in February 2023 so we’d like to share some of our thoughts on it.

Homestar and Passive House – what’s the difference?

First, it’s important to acknowledge that Homestar and Passive House are quite different, but at the same time can be complementary programmes.

  • Homestar is a broad green building rating system with many categories created for New Zealand homes that is administered by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC). Categories include, for instance, daylight, water conservation, appliance efficiency, resource efficiency, healthy materials, VOCs, construction waste, and embodied carbon. Accredited professionals design and certify Homestar projects.
  • Passive House is an international standard for comfort, health, and energy efficiency that can be applied to almost all building types, not just homes. The standard is administered by the Passive House Institute in Germany, but accredited New Zealand professionals design, construct, and certify Passive House buildings here. PHINZ advocates and provides education and resources (including software) to promote and encourage the uptake of Passive House in New Zealand.

While Passive House is a standalone standard with many benefits, it also provides an excellent building-science and evidence-based foundation for any sustainable building by ensuring some core fundamentals are rigorously taken care of. This is recognised by NZGBC and a certified Passive House project will gain many Homestar points (mainly energy, comfort, ventilation, and moisture credits) assisting it on the way to a high Homestar rating. Passive House tools have also informed the latest version of Homestar – more on this below.

Homestar v5

We were pleased to provide detailed feedback on proposed updates from Homestar v4 to v5 and see some of our suggestions implemented. Here are seven things we love about Homestar v5:

  1. Greater emphasis on thermal comfort and energy efficiency. These are core fundamentals that every building really should be achieving. It is an indictment of our traditionally poor building standards here in New Zealand that the majority of buildings fail to do so and people have to rely on voluntary programmes like Passive House and Homestar for these to be properly addressed.
  2. Energy modelling is prioritised. At the core of any high-performance building that achieves high thermal comfort and energy efficiency is rigorous energy modelling. It is a critical tool to guide the design and ensure building science underpins decisions about orientation, thermal insulation levels, glazing areas, configuration and performance, ventilation strategies, etc.
  3. NZGBC has created its own energy modelling tool, the Energy and Carbon Calculator for Homes (ECCHO), based on the Passive House energy modelling tool, the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP.) The PHPP software has been developed for over 30 years incorporating feedback from the monitored performance of completed buildings and feedback from dynamic modelling tools. It has been simplified enough to make it a highly effective design and certification tool while not losing any of its accuracy and rigour. We expect that the ECCHO tool will be invaluable for assisting Homestar-certified projects to achieve higher energy efficiency and a reduced performance gap, even when they don’t also target or achieve Passive House certification. PHPP can also be used for Homestar, as it can for NZ Building Code compliance (but note the following point.)
  4. It sets absolute energy intensity caps for thermal performance of the whole building, like Passive House has an annual heating demand limit of 15 kWh/m2. This is in contrast to a “two-model” or “reference model” approach, which the NZ Building Code H1 modelling method currently uses. In the “two model” approach, an improvement over a reference model based on elemental minimum compliance settings is required. This incentivises designing buildings with poor thermal performance as they are easy to show an improvement on. This is a well-established issue and Passive House Canada set it out clearly in this linked article. Setting absolute caps or targets overcomes this issue and it is what we must do if we are serious about reducing energy use and operational emissions from buildings.
  5. Addresses moisture control at junctions. Surface condensation and mould are prevalent in New Zealand housing, sadly, and often it can be due to thermal bridging at construction junctions or poor window details. Homestar now includes fRsi requirements for junctions, adopting the Passive House (PHPP v9) requirements. The freely available High-Performance Construction Details Handbook provides fRsi values for a catalogue of details, as well as the PSI values for heat transfer.
  6. Requires pressure testing, aka Blower Door Testing, for 8 Homestar rating and higher. It is good bulding science and widely recognised that reducing uncontrolled air movement (aka infiltration, exfiltration, airtightness) through the thermal envelope is critical for moisture protection and energy efficiency in buildings with high thermal performance. Homestar sets targets as infiltration per square metre of thermal envelope, rather than air changes per hour that Passive House uses. Both results can be derived from the same testing procedure, though.
  7. Addresses important aspects of sustainability that Passive House doesn’t. Passive House has a relatively narrow focus on the core fundamentals of building performance so there are many aspects of sustainable design it doesn’t cover and we don’t expect it ever will. This is arguably one of its strengths and a reason why it is so successful at delivering what it promises and eliminating the performance gap. This doesn’t mean other aspects don’t need addressing also, though, such as daylight, water conservation, appliance efficiency, resource efficiency, healthy materials, VOCs, construction waste, and embodied carbon, for example. Homestar provides a complementary framework to address these and many other aspects of sustainable design.

Homestar and Passive House crosswalk

NZGBC and PHINZ have worked together on a Homestar and Passive House crosswalk. This provides detailed guidance on which Homestar points and credits a certified Passive House project can acheive to promote and support dual cerrtification. When the crosswalk is published, it will be availabe on our downloads page and a direct link will be added here.

Other crosswalks

Other green building organisations have also set out how Passive House is complementary with their rating and created crosswalks. We are aware of the following:

The international Passive House Association also maintains a page on crosswalks that may be more up to date.

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Interview with Adele Eyers: NZ’s first female Certified Passive House Tradesperson

Building for the future, Climate change, Education, Efficient building, Energy Efficiency, Healthy Homes, Passive Houses, PHANZ, PHINZ, , , , ,

Adele Eyers, originally from South Africa, has her own construction project management consultancy and in the last three months has been concentrating on the other side of the coin – an apprenticeship in building.  PHINZ would like to roundly congratulate Adele on being the first female to become a Certified Passive House Tradesperson in Aotearoa NZ, having recently passed the CET course.  We caught up with Adele to chat about her experience.

What motivated you to become involved in construction and in Passive House?

I’m a construction project manager and have my own consultancy company, and I hit a moment in life where I wanted to jump to the other side and pick up the tools.  I also have a brother and sister-in-law who are very passionate about Passive House, so it ended up being the natural route to go.  Once you go through all the literature for studying building you realise it’s best to start at the Passive House end, finding out the right way to build, and then layering the Building Code onto that, it becomes impossible not to want to build better.

What are your thoughts on the broader state of construction in Aotearoa?

Just speaking for the bigger construction companies that I’ve worked for in the last couple of years, you can see they are wanting to do the right thing and learn new ways, which shows a definite upward trend in the right direction.

For the younger apprentices getting into the industry, the earlier in their careers that they can get into Passive House and the science behind it, the better – because they’ll drive the new generation.

How did you get on with the PH Tradesperson course?

It was quite challenging mentally – refreshing to be that challenging though! It wasn’t a given that you were going to pass – you had to understand it and do the calcs in real life scenarios or you wouldn’t pass.  It was a good combination of practical and theory.  It was very mathematical, which I like, and it got the brain working.  I can see that it will be good knowing the building science behind it and how the calculations work to help moving forward.

What’s it been like being a strong female in the NZ construction industry?

Generally I feel supported. The attitude to females working in the construction industry in NZ is certainly better than in South Africa.  I currently work with a great team who value my input especially on the Passive House detailing since completing the course. There are lots more females in the trade (sparkies, plumbers) now.  But I don’t deny there is still old school thinking regarding females for a small number of the older generation in the industry.  The younger generation though is much more about equality. It’ll take time, but it’s getting there. And for my part, it’s a mindset to get through your apprenticeship but I definitely make sure people don’t walk over me.

What would you say to other wahine thinking about getting in to the industry?

Just do it!  If you have a hint of wanting to get into the industry and your doubting it, don’t over think it. Just do it. The support will be there, one way or another you’ll find it.  

Any thoughts on where to from here for you?

I always thought I knew the answer: that I’d be expanding my project management consultancy in a particular direction, but now after doing the Passive House course I’m not so sure.  I’m going to concentrate on getting the building apprenticeship done as quickly as I can, and then it’s brewing in the background to expand into a more Passive House line.  Possibly an idea around building a supportive network for female tradies. It’s brewing!

What do you feel you got out of the Passive House course?

This course has taught me how important airtightness is in a house. Having built a beautiful home, designed by my sister in law Jessica Eyers from Hiberna 5 years ago, we then sold to move to Wanaka. Our current house, built in 2011, is the best we could afford at the time, and the quality of the build is terrible.  I would urge people to think long term – invest early on and do it as good as you can, because you’re only going to do it once. Some people build houses that incorporate “some” aspects of Passive House – you spend a lot of money in intello and tape and detailing, but you still have thermal bridges, so you don’t end up with a house that performs as you expected in your mind.  They go part way – I would recommend doing it right and going the full distance as you’ll be spending the extra in wasted energy costs on a part-way build over the next years anyway.

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Whānau Spotlight: Terry Bryers and the team at Bruyere Ltd renovate Piha House

Building for the future, Climate change, Education, Efficiency First, Efficient building, Energy Efficiency, Healthy Homes, Passive Houses, , , , ,

PIHA HOUSE started in 2019 as pretty much a standard renovation of an existing 2012 build, using European quality exterior joinery and more insulation. Although the brief was not Passive House quality, it was continued work for myself and team, considering I am a Certified Passive House Builder.

Work started, removing interior linings to add extra insulation and hello, we found mould, particularly in the closed cell roof cavity, but also in the walls.
As we now know, dew point is real and really brings home the problems it can cause if positioned in the wrong place, or allowed to be positioned in the wrong place.

As my client had health problems associated with mould sensitivity, the only way forward was to reassess and consider Passive House construction.

The decision was very quick, YES !!! No other way.

Sang Architects were bought in as they specialise in Passive House Architecture, and Jason Quinn from Sustainable Engineering as our adviser and, can I say mentor, and PHPP engineer and Certifier.

As this was the first EnerPHit project in NZ, we were definitely in a new space, but very exciting at the same time. Who doesn’t love a good challenge with something you are passionate about?

The construction was really so much fun, testing us at every corner, but with the end result in the back of your mind all the time, WILL WE GET CERTIFICATION, is a huge driving force.

One of my guys, Visko, spent six weeks air tight taping exterior protrusions from the treated area envelope to the exterior, probably using 60 rolls of Proclima Tescon Vana tape.

During the process of the job I was lucky to be able to purchase a second hand Blower Door kit, this was invaluable to check our work as we progressed.

One very significant piece of this job was the interaction of upper floor exterior concrete decks above treated floor areas below.
To mitigate thermal bridging, 80mm insulation board was glued to the underside of the concrete decks with 20mm EPS board glued onto the walls, 600mm down from the ceiling, Jasons Quinn’s calculations and thermal bridging imaging gave us this specification. Also to mitigate dew point on the interior between the underside of concrete and the insulation board, the ceiling was suspended allowing for the ventilation return air to permeate through this cavity, we also integrated a baffles system, basically a labyrinth of wads at one metre centres running the length of the enclosure with a gap in the centre of the first wad and then a gap at each end of the next wad and so on. This made the air flow encompass the whole space instead of making a one track to the return pickup.
Actually, this was my clients idea, brilliant idea.

As this was an existing concrete block, two story solid plaster exterior painted finish, Jason advised that we would use the painted plaster as our air tight wall barrier, and the existing bitumen membrane roof as the roof barrier.
Exterior insulation was installed over the outside of these existing claddings, wall cladding continuing down to the foundations to a minimum of 600mm below floor slab height.
So, Stotherm with 100mm Graphite board and 160mm warm roof with bitumen Nuraply.

As my clients are very natural product driven, the interior was all timber types, coated with non toxic products, Osmo being the most used.

The job was completed in February 2022 with CERTIFICATION !!

Photo: Sang Architects

I would thank all involved. What a project!

Piha House EnerPHit can be viewed here on the Sang Architects website.

Progress in teaching clients the importance future building technology offers, has been quite slow over the last ten years, but noticeable interest gaining each year, to the point now that the Government are building Kāinga Ora developments to Certified Passive House standard. This in turn is directing Standards NZ to adopt climate zoning for insulation values, next in line is exterior joinery. Before you know it, Passive House will be the new NZ build standard.

-Terry Bryers, Bruyere Ltd

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