Author: Matthew Cutler-Welsh
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170: A Stunning Multi-Generational Passive House in Auckland
Harpal Kler comes from an accounting background, but during the last four years he’s learnt a lot about building and living in a multi-generational Passive House. Now, he’s a big advocate. Their stunning family home was completed in December 2015 by ehaus and is one of a growing number of Certified Passive House homes in…
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169: Passive House Canada
Earlier this year, I caught up with Passive House Canada CEO, Rob Bernhardt while he was in the country courtesy of the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors. I was keen to ask Rob what we could learn from his success in growing Passive House in Canada.
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Residential Tenancies. It’s Time to Act.
It’s time for us all to have a say in helping to make better rental places to live, by commenting on proposed changes the the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. I’m used to criticising government housing policies. I often state my case that our building code is woefully inadequate, I berate the state of our existing housing…
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Why I need a Ventilation System
I woke up at 3:00 am this morning and was vaguely aware that something wasn’t right. It wasn’t an emergency, but something was off. I was warm, but it felt stuffy and I suspected my lack of ventilation was causing me problems again. Breathing without Ventilation At 3:00, in a drowsy stupor, I was aware…
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Home Ownership is the Goal of KiwiBuild
When did home ownership become the holy grail? KiwiBuild is stepping up today, with Hon Phil Twyford’s announcement of the criteria for the Government’s ‘affordable’ housing programme at Buildnz | designex summit. There’s talk, and even some decent plans, for making space and resources available. Prefabrication is being suggested as a likely pathway for New…
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How to Reduce Mould in the Home
Mould Mould comes from fungi naturally occurring in the air. Fungi can be our friends. It includes mushrooms and the yeasts we use for making bread. But mould in our homes makes us sick. Just like activating yeast, fungi needs a food source and moisture to grow. This a clue as to how we can…
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168: When is it Okay to Have a Hole in your Roof?
A roof window might be an okay hole to have in your roof. Marc Van de Loo is a Sales Manager at VELUX New Zealand. I chatted with Marc about why you’d ever want a hole in your roof. We also discussed how a roof window can improve comfort without impacting energy efficiency. Windows are…
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Your House is Probably a Prototype
What does a new house in a subdivision, and a test car on a racetrack have in common? They’re both prototypes One of them goes through lots of iterations to discover imperfections and a whole team of designers and specialists work together to get it right before it’s finally made available to purchase. …The other…
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Health and Safety at Home
Most people think that occupational health and safety is a bit over-the-top in the workplace, with so many rules, policies and procedures, yet most homes go the other way and are very unsafe. Last year, over 45% of the total ACC claims were for injuries and accidents at home, costing New Zealand a staggering $950m. There…
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167: Should I buy this house?
A building surveyor is trained to investigate potential issues and provide a prioritised list of maintenance for a building as part of pre-purchase inspection. When looking to buy a property, don’t take the real estate agent’s word for it. Find your own, reputable building surveyor to get an honest assessment of the building. You’ll still…