Waitaki Targeting First Certified Passive House

Published on 02 November 2022

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Waitaki District Council’s Building Team is thrilled to work alongside eHaus Waitaki/Mackenzie as they build what will be, once certified, the first Passive House in the district.

While a Passive House may look like a normal house, the internal workings of the structure are even more high spec than a common high end architecturally designed property.

Some key features of an eHaus include substantial levels of insulation, including in the concrete foundation, thermally efficient double or triple glazed joinery, and the Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation System, which provides fresh, filtered air 24-7.

The home will be completely airtight to keep a consistent comfortable temperature throughout. Every eHaus is energy modelled while still on the plans using specialist software called Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) to ensure the home meets the rigorous international standard of energy efficiency criteria.

The detailed report for this home confirms the amount of heating annually will be 1708 kWh to keep the whole house operating between 20°-25° all year round for optimal living but typically based on local research, it is even less.

Passive House certification is not finalised until completion of the project and each property needs to meet high standards before receiving the final seal of approval.

Waitaki District Council Building Services Team Leader Josh Dooley said “This is a whole new ball game for the futureproofing of our housing stock. This property is designed to be well above the minimum building code requirements for energy efficiency and means the building users are in a warmer, drier, and healthier environment”

Council began working with eHaus Waitaki/Mackenzie on this project in January and the new technology was a learning opportunity for the team. “Processing Officers needed to consider the subtle differences such as the internal airtightness membrane, high spec uPVC windows and a MVHR system which normally are not found in a typical build.” Said Josh.

Working closely throughout the project, the Building Team met with Mike Lowe, owner of eHaus Waitaki/Mackenzie recently for an information and training session as the build progresses.

eHaus Waitaki/Mackenzie owner Mike Lowe said, “We are proud to be at the forefront of innovation and to be building healthier homes in our community. Bringing eHaus to the area has been driven by our customers’ growing expectations to own new homes that are healthier and more efficient to run. It’s great to have the WDC building team taking a keen interest in the project.”

With one build under WDC’s belt and newly acquired technical knowledge, WDC’s Building Services team looks forward to working on future passive housing related projects.

ENDS