01/06/2026
The Four Things That Make or Break a Home
Insulation, airtightness, windows and ventilation only work when they work together.
Here's why.
We often focus on what is going wrong with the way we are currently building. But
this month I want to look at what we are doing right, because High Performance
Homes, Homestar rated homes and Passive Houses are being built today right here
in New Zealand.
As an Architectural Designer, I talk a lot about collaboration in terms of people
and products. But here is a semi scientific reason why it's important to get
four key elements in balance: insulation, airtightness, windows and
ventilation.
Here is the inside sauce. They cannot be looked at in isolation. Change the
insulation levels and you increase the overheating. Increase the ventilation
and you reduce overheating in summer, but you increase heat loss in winter.
Change the window shape and size, and you affect insulation area, natural
ventilation capacity and ultimately your comfort.
It's not about getting one right. It's about getting all of them in balance for your
design, because no two designs are the same. Altitude, orientation, materials
and climate file all shift the answer.
So here is the deep dive. Increased insulation increases overheating. Orientation
affects heat loss (high winter power bills) and heat gain (overheating).
Ventilation ensures healthy air to breathe, balanced with heat loss in cooler
times.
This is what Architects and Architectural Designers think about when shaping
Comfortable Homes that work all year round.
Next week, why comfort matters more than warmth.
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