Author: Matthew Cutler-Welsh
-
165: NZ Builders
I usually interview designers and builders about what’s going on overseas, with a focus on what the New Zealand industry could learn from them. In this episode, I speak with Damon Gray and Andrew Chapman of NZ Builders. They’ve turned this idea on it’s head and have taken some NZ techniques to British Columbia, with…
-
164: Nook Low Energy Homes
I love it when I find new companies that are looking at the design and building process a bit differently and who want to provide healthy, energy efficient homes. That’s what Nook is all about – low energy homes. I caught up with their designer, Warren Clarke recently and asked him why he does what…
-
163: The Facts About Airtightness
Walls (and roofs and floors) of buildings have become complicated. As we’ve increased the level of insulation, we’ve created some new problems, like condensation. This has been aggravated by the addition of layers into the wall that reduce air movement. So how do you create a wall that keeps you warm but will also stay dry? I…
-
162: Introducing the LUNOS
When I first saw the LUNOS, I was skeptical. How could this be a ventilation solution with true heat recovery, when it’s so small? I particularly weary of systems claiming to be ‘heat recovery ventilation’, because so much of what’s typically sold and installed as such in New Zealand, simply is not. Worse than that,…
-
161: A Fitbit for your home
Imagine having a Fitbit for your home and being able to see, in real time, how it’s performing. You could also be notified of any hazards like high levels of CO2 and VOCs as they occur – before you start to get a headache or start having respiratory problems. I spoke with Dustin Jefferson Onghanseng, cofounder…
-
160: What is in an unhealthy home?
Caroline Blazovsky is America’s Healthy Home Expert. She makes it easy for people to find out what might be the cause of an unhealthy home and therefore, how to fix it. My Healthy Home mainly checks houses in the US. If you’re in New Zealand, get in touch to find out more about getting…
-
159: Darryl Sang Certified Passive House Designer
Why Architecture? Darryl originally chose engineering as his profession, but seeking to combine his creativity with his analytical skills, he eventually followed his father’s footsteps into architecture. Why Passive House? A growing number of Darryl’s clients have been wanting to invest more in their properties in order to use fewer resources and have a truely comfortable…
-
158: Why should we be watching China?
One of the most surprising aspects of the recent 20th International Passive House Conference in Darmstadt, was the Chinese presence. Elrond Burrell estimates that nearly 200 of the 1,000 delegates were from China. Why the sudden uptake of Passive House in Asia, and what does this mean for the rest of us? Elrond Burrell Elrond…
-
157: Sustainable Landscapes with Hitesh Mehta
Hitesh Mehta I originally contacted Hitesh Mehta to talk about sustainable landscape architecture, but he offers a lot more than that. Hitesh has travelled the world advising and helping designers of ecolodges. He enjoys all aspects of architecture as well as photography, environmental planning and writing. To find out more about his recent work, visit…
-
156: Why Passive House? With Dr Wolfgang Feist
I never intended for this to become a Passive House blog site, nor did I intend to become a Passive House expert. And I don’t think either of those two things have happened, yet. I have had a number of Passive House designers and product suppliers on the show and earlier this year I was…