A sustainable home should be…
- Ergonomic – comfortable and healthy for people.
- Economical – cost-effective to buy and to operate.
- Ecological – good for the planet.
My name is Matthew Cutler-Welsh. My mission is to help people create a better place to live.
About Me
I’m not an architect. I’m not a builder. I do have over fourteen years of experience helping people to improve the efficiency, health and comfort of their home. This includes three and a half years working on the Homestar environmental rating tool at the New Zealand Green Building Council, running a team of home sustainability assessors during the EECA Warm Up New Zealand retrofit campaign, and being part of the panel that developed the New Zealand Rental Warrant of Fitness checklist.
In 2020 I became a Certified Passive House Consultant.
I grew up in Adelaide, South Australia – the driest state in the country. I’m grateful for the natural environment we can enjoy, and I hate wasting water!
My Dad was a very talented motor mechanic, back when garages actually fixed things. My Mum has a PhD in geography and teaches demographics. I combined the two and studied Natural Resources Engineering.
In engineering I learnt about systems thinking. In my many roles since, I’ve encountered again and again that real life problems are about people. Te Tangata.
I moved to New Zealand for a year in 1998 to study Outdoor Recreation and Leadership. More than twenty years later, I’m still here having lived in Timaru, Anakiwa (Outward Bound), Christchurch and now Auckland with my lovely Canadian born wife and three kiwi children.
In March 2017 I turned 40 and I still don’t really know what I want to do when I grow up. I do know that I enjoy learning and teaching about technologies that can help us live better and improve our buildings.
Can I help you?
Homeowners
If there’s something about the building process that you’re worried about, want more information about, or just want a friendly perspective on, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me.
Designers and Builders
You have a very important role to play in making a better place to live.
If you’re a sustainable designer or green builder and think you should be on this list, I’d love to hear from you and promote what you do.
Product Suppliers
People can’t create better places to live without better products. I’m interested in…
- Insulation products
- Ventilation systems
- Heating systems
- Building wraps and vapour barriers
- Low VOC paints and finishes
- Solar power technology
- Efficient lighting
- Home automation
- Sustainably sourced materials
- Recycled and sustainably grown timber
- Rainwater harvesting and storage
- Battery technology
- And more…
If you have a product that could genuinely help people to make a better home, please get in touch. I like to highlight materials and products that I believe in, on the podcast.