Author: Matthew Cutler-Welsh
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New Energy Efficiency Standards for Lighting
How do you know how efficient a light bulb is? Well soon we’ll be able to use the a similar system that’s available for comparing fridges, dishwashers, heat pumps and various other appliances. It’s called Minimum Energy Performance Standards, or MEPS for short. You can find out more about MEPS on the EECA website. From…
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What is the best form of home heating?
I was fortunate to be part of the Auckland Home Show last weekend. Yes, for me this was fortunate because I like that sort of stuff – getting to see what’s happening in the industry and also talking with people about what their concerns are about their homes. I got the chance to talk to…
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16 That’s Not Rubbish!
I have a thing about ‘rubbish’. I guess I have a thing about a lot of things that don’t really makes sense in our modern lives, but let’s not get started on all that. A presenter at the recent Auckland Home Show summed it up well when she said that no organic material should ever…
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15 Who do you call for free eco design advice?
Eion Scott is an Eco Design Advisor with the Auckland Council. Eco Design Advisors around the country offer free, in home, independent advice on how to improve the warmth, health and comfort of your home. For more information go to the Eco Design Advisor website.
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Episode 14: What’s an architectural designer and do you need one?
An architectural designer sits somewhere between a draughter and an architect. Bob Burnett is an experienced architectural designer in Christchurch and he explained to me some of the reasons why it’s a good idea to consult with a designer if you’re planning a new build or a renovation. Bob is also an experienced energy modeller…
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13: Do you need a home ventilation system?
About 10% of New Zealand homes invest in some form of retrofitted home ventilation system. But do you really need one, and if so, what for? In this cast I talk about how to tell if your house is leaky or air-tight depending on it’s age, two basic types of home ventilation systems and…
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Episode 12: Wrap up of the NZGBC Master Classes
LED Lighting, ventilation, construction waste management (and how to save a bucket load instantly on construction costs) and thermal modeling using 3D simulation software, are just some of the topics covered in day 2 of the NZGBC event held in June 2012. This is the second and final part of my Skype conversation with Verney…
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Why there’s now no excuse for not doing energy analysis
How much will this house cost…to run? There’s now no excuse for not getting a good energy analysis done on your house, before it’s even built. That is, if you or your designer is an ArchiCAD user. Energy Evaluation From Monday July 16th, version 16 of ArchiCAD will be available and one very exciting new…
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Summit Summary
On June 27th 2012, the New Zealand Green Building Council held the inaugural Sustainable Housing Summit at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland. Last week I caught up with Verney Ryan via Skype to discuss the highlights. For more information, check out NZGBC where you can now find pdf downloads of most of the presentations. Some of…
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10: Ecobob
UPDATE: Ecobob has a whole new look and some great new features. Check out my recent interview with new owner, Kristy Hoare. I was privileged to meet Carlin Archer a few years ago in Christchurch. Back then, Carlin wanted to build an ‘eco’ house. But he wasn’t sure how and he was a bit confused…