Author: Matthew Cutler-Welsh
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203: modhouse
John McNamara grew up in Auckland. He attended Sacred Heart College before going on to study Architecture at the University of Auckland. In 2017, John moved with his wife Nikki to Hawkes Bay where they created modhouse. Hawkes Bay is a relative idyllic spot. Six hours south of Auckland and four hours north of Wellington…
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202: Why are architects not learning this?
In 2001, Lindsay Schack and Lindsey Love both started a Masters of Architecture at Montana State University. A decade on, the two friends created Love | Schack Architecture together, from their respective home towns in Montana and Idaho. Love | Schack Architecture combines Lindsey Love’s experience and passion for natural materials, with Lindsay Schack’s Certification…
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201: Becoming a Passive House Designer
How and why would a successful Building Surveyor, retrain to become a Certified Passive House Designer? Building surveying is interesting work. Building Surveyors are not the people who stand out in fields with theodolites. They’re the people who are trained to diagnose problems with existing buildings. I did it for a while myself and learnt…
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200: How Accurate is AccuRate?
In 2003, thermal performance requirements for residential buildings were added to the Building Code of Australia for the first time. The initial performance requirement was 4 Stars in the National House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) as simulated using the benchmark software AccuRate. In 2006, the requirement rose to 5 Stars, then to 10 Stars in…
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199: What Does a Building Enclosure Engineer do?
What does a building enclosure engineer do and why might you need one? There’s a new building enclosure team in town. They’re called Oculus and I caught up with one of their Senior Building Enclosure Engineers to find out a bit more about what they do, and why.
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10 Things I learnt from a doTerra Conference about How to Change the Building Industry
What do a couple of thousand, mostly women, attendees at a two day conference on the Goal Coast, have to do with making healthier places to live? I wasn’t really expecting anything at all. I’m a tag-along. A conference partner of Natalie who is attending a doTerra Leadership Convention. I’m here because Natalie suggested a…
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198 The International Passive House Association
Within the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt, there is a small group of people dedicated to coordinating the efforts of over 20 Passive House Affiliate organisations around the world. This group is the the International Passive House Association, iPHA. Giorgia Tzar is the head of International Communications at the International Passive House Assocation. I sat…
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197: Healthiness through Housing
“A lifetime of healthiness achieved through housing” is the mission statement of Phoenix Haus. I’ve interviewed other Passive House builders using prefabrication in the past, such as Collective Carpentry in episode 149. I’m excited by the possibilities of this approach to provide high quality houses and I’m wondering what it would take to get a…
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196: Why aren’t more houses being built using SIPs?
Phil Nevell has a background in commerce and management. He came across NZSIP as a solution to providing warm and dry social housing. If structural insulated panels (SIPs) can be used in this way, why aren’t more people using them? Barriers to SIPS Phil suggests that engineers and specifiers might be a significant barrier to…
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194: Ecokit – A DIY, Energy Efficient Home for Everyone
Ecokit, created by sisters Camilla and Pavla Novotna is a DIY prefabricated system of building energy efficient, healthy homes.